Is there enough lube in a lee 358 rnfp for black powder?

[gunoholic]

Does anyone use the Lee 358-125 rf or 358-158 rf in 38 or 357mag with black powder?
do they hold enough lube for use in a rifle?

[Nobade]

Didn't work very well for me.
They were OK in pistols but fouled out very quickly in the carbine.

[gunoholic]

that wasn't the answer i was hoping for,
Lee 6 cavity is $38 at fsreloading.com

[cajun shooter]

Look at the Big lube bullet named the snakebite. It may be purchased from Springfield. Or you may buy a mold and pour your own. Contact Bullshop fo some of his NASA lube for your BP loads.
No Lee Bullet holds enough LUBE for any BP load.

[w30wcf]

I would agree if the b.p. was anything other than Swiss. I have had very good luck with Swiss and Lymans 358665, a similar bullet but I don't know if the lube capacity between the Lyman and Lee are the same.

I was able to run a 50 round box with the 358665 / Swiss combination with excellent accuracy throughout and no "foul out" in the 24" barrel.

w30wcf

[Springfield]

Accurate Molds is another option, either the 36-140c or the 36-145c. I have the 140 and it works fine, the 145 holds even more lube but you will lose case capacity. The Snakebite works fine with 38 cases but you won't be able to use .357 cases, too long. I have the LEE 125 also and it works fine in pistols, works in rifles if it isn't too dry out.

[gunoholic]

Thanks guys, want to shoot cas and I've not belonged to a pistol club for over 10 years so I thought id start getting some bits that I need/want. Those accuracte 36-140c boolets and molds look like what I'm after and maybe a lee for that other powder

[w30wcf]

gunoholic,
You might also want to check out Accurate's 36-155C. I recently worked with Tom on that design which follows the 43-215C profile. The 43-215C has proven to be an extremely good b.p. bullet.

http://www.accuratemolds.com/bullet_detail.php?bullet=36-155C-D.png

I recently received the mold and have made some bullets but haven't had a chance to do any testing yet due to the less than desireable weather. Hope to get to the range within the next couple of weeks.

The 36-145C was the pre 36-155C design I worked on but I wanted a bullet that was closer to the original 158 gr. .38 Special b.p. ctg. The only difference between the two bullets is the width of the driving bands.

The 36-155C has pretty much the same seating depth as the original .38 Special b.p. bullet.

w30wcf

[kokomokid]

I shoot a 35 rifle with 330gr bullet that carries a lot of lube that was designed for BPCR and have to push a wet patch between rounds or it fouls out quickly.

[DirtyChris]

gunoholic,
You might also want to check out Accurate's 36-155C. I recently worked with Tom on that design which follows the 43-215C profile. The 43-215C has proven to be an extremely good b.p. bullet.

http://www.accuratemolds.com/bullet_detail.php?bullet=36-155C-D.png

I recently received the mold and have made some bullets but haven't had a chance to do any testing yet due to the less than desireable weather. Hope to get to the range within the next couple of weeks.

The 36-145C was the pre 36-155C design I worked on but I wanted a bullet that was closer to the original 158 gr. .38 Special b.p. ctg. The only difference between the two bullets is the width of the driving bands.

The 36-155C has pretty much the same seating depth as the original .38 Special b.p. bullet.

w30wcf

Thanks for coming up with that, w30wcf! I'm just getting into casting and was looking for the right bullet for my 38 spl/357 mag BP loads, and the 36-155c was exactly was I was looking for. I got my mold a couple weeks ago but I'm still gathering the rest of the stuff I need and reading up on everything getting ready to start casting.

[w30wcf]

Chris,
Glad to hear that you purchased that mold. When I placed my order, Tom emailed me that someone had already ordered one.
I hope to get to the range mid next week for the initial testing to when the weather is supposed to be a bit milder.

w30wcf

[DirtyChris]

I'd be interested to know how your tests go with that bullet. I'll be casting some this weekend but probably won't get to do any shooting for a while.

[w30wcf]

Chris,
Had a chance to get to the range a couple of days ago. The 50 yard range is still closed so I used the 25 yard range. I used 21.5 grs of KIK 3F in 357 R-P brass. Primers were CCI 500. I am happy to report that the bullet worked very well.
Had some 5 shot groups ranging from 1/2" - 3/4". I fired a complete box of 50 rounds and the fouling was pretty even for the full length of the barrel. The 1.0 grs of SPG lube that the bullet holds kept things running fine.

Rifle used was my Marlin Cowboy .357.

w30wcf