TL358-158-SWC load data needed

[crackshotsdad]

Greetings all:bigsmyl2:. Gotta newbie question for you. I just started casting my own about a month ago for .45acp and 38/357mag. Anyone have any magnum level load data they'd care to share for the Lee 158 gr. tl lswc? Boolits are sized to .358 and are 18bhn (as per my Lee hardness tester). 5 grains of Unique has worked well with these as a target/plinking load (I know 18bhn is a bit hard for this load, but hey, they shoot straight!) I'm hoping to use 296 or 2400 for some magnum loads, and would appreciate any input you all might have. The revolver is a 4" Colt Python, just in case anyone's curious. Thanks in advance for putting up with another newbie question.

[Ben]

WELCOME ! ! to the forum crackshotsdad .


Just my opinion, and others may have a different view.

But........If I were assembling a true magnum load in the 357 Mag. with 296 or 2400, a tumble lube bullet wouldn't be my choice for a projectile.

I'd think that a bullet with a true lube groove like the 358477, the 358429, or my all time favorite the 358156 would be a better choice.

The 358156 has a gas check and the other two have lube rings with more than adequate lube capacity to make the trip down the bore.

Now, let's sit back and wait on more responses.

( I have the Lee 158 SWC, T/L bullet mold and it does well shot at 850 fps or so,...........but not so well at 1,350 fps )

Ben

[zomby woof]

4.0 red dot

[fecmech]

I have had excellent results with that bullet with 6 grs of Unique in both pistol and rifle. I had a 5" 200 yd 10 shot group with the 6 gr. load out of a lever gun. I tried 13.5/2400 but accuracy was bad ,6"@ 100 yds. I have 358429 and use it when I want full snort mag loads. If all I had was the Lee TL 158 I would be inclined to go with 296/H110 to try and work up a mag load as opposed to 2400. I think they give a gentler start and slower acceleration than 2400.

PS. I have read some posts on the board in the past where fellows are using that bullet with mag loads but I don't know how good they were. You won't know till you try.

[williamwaco]

With the Lee 358-158-SWC:

I use
3.5 gr Bulls Eye in the .38 special.
12 gr A.No 9 in the .357 mag.

both loads are very accurate at 25 yards.

[crackshotsdad]

With the Lee 358-158-SWC:

I use
3.5 gr Bulls Eye in the .38 special.
12 gr A.No 9 in the .357 mag.

both loads are very accurate at 25 yards.

Any idea what velocity you are getting with the A.No 9 loading?

[DrCaveman]

My old-ish notes show that 13.2 gr of 2400 worked pretty well for me. I also went to the max of 15.3 gr and thought well of it at the time.

I tried some very studly loads with Lil Gun in my handi rifle and they shot terribly. Way too fast

Since then i got my hands on a 358429, and as others have said it is my go-to for full power loads. Amazingly accurate for me at a variety of speeds in a variety of guns.

Also the lee 358-158 rnfp has become my 38 +p boolit, usually pushed by 5 gr of Unique

The tl358-158 swc still holds a permanent place on my mould shelf since it was my first purchase and helped me become addicted to casting. At this point though it serves me best as a plinker boolit.

You will have fun with it, whatever you try, i am sure

[JWFilips]

With the Lee 358-158-SWC (tumble lubed): I just finished testing & got very good accuracy from 13.0 to 13.5 grains of 2400 using CCI 500 primers in my .357 mag Pre-27 S&W N-frame. I load the boolits long so they just kiss the throats of my cylinder ( crimped in the second lube groove)
50 yards off a rest very accurate. Not sure the speed but folks here say it is a pretty fast load for a non gas checked boolit. No leading for me. I like it!

[357Mag]

Crack -

Howdy !

I have had great success shooting 14.5gr WW296 ( H110 same stuff ) and SP Mag primer under Lyman .35 cal SWCs of 158 - 172gr.
Have also used the same powder/charge when shooting lead boolits that I $$$ from the gunstore. Can't say fer sher, but strongly suspect
I've have probably shot the load w/ the LEE boolit you mention; at some point.


With regards,
357Mag

[Wally]

WELCOME ! ! to the forum crackshotsdad .


Just my opinion, and others may have a different view.

But........If I were assembling a true magnum load in the 357 Mag. with 296 or 2400, a tumble lube bullet wouldn't be my choice for a projectile.

I'd think that a bullet with a true lube groove like the 358477, the 358429, or my all time favorite the 358156 would be a better choice.

The 358156 has a gas check and the other two have lube rings with more than adequate lube capacity to make the trip down the bore.

Now, let's sit back and wait on more responses.

( I have the Lee 158 SWC, T/L bullet mold and it does well shot at 850 fps or so,...........but not so well at 1,350 fps )

Ben

Ben,

I agree...at 1,100 FPS the Lee 158 SWC-TL leads up my S & W & Ruger Blackhawk barrels.

[jmort]

"13.0 to 13.5 grains of 2400 using CCI 500 primers in my .357 mag Pre-27 S&W N-frame. I load the boolits long so they just kiss the throats of my cylinder ( crimped in the second lube groove)
50 yards off a rest very accurate. Not sure the speed but folks here say it is a pretty fast load for a non gas checked boolit. No leading for me.:

This - 2400 and that is a stout load.

[161]

Same bullet air cooled WW Sage Outdoors plain base gas check 13 gr. 2400 and a Tula mag. primer,just because that's all I could get.. 1250 fps out of a 6 in 686. Works for me.

[JWFilips]

With the Lee 358-158-SWC (tumble lubed): I just finished testing & got very good accuracy from 13.0 to 13.5 grains of 2400 using CCI 500 primers in my .357 mag Pre-27 S&W N-frame. I load the boolits long so they just kiss the throats of my cylinder ( crimped in the second lube groove)
50 yards off a rest very accurate. Not sure the speed but folks here say it is a pretty fast load for a non gas checked boolit. No leading for me. I like it!

Gentlemen,
I don't want to be misleading so this morning I went over my load record book to again check on this load and with the 158 tumble lube boolit I do have noted that I did get some minor leading in the last 1/3 of the barrel after 50 shots but it did change my impact point. Since I worked this load up as a hunting load ( shooting at 50 yds lightly rested) I overlooked the notation I had made .
These boolits were lubed with Recluse's formula twice ( two light coats) and were not sized ( shot as dropped ) for this gun & load combo.
Note: I have shot this loading with commercial hard cast (BHN 18) 158 gr Truncated cone boolits & I have listed no leading after 50 shots. These were commercial lubed with carnuba red and then I gave them a light tumble lube roll in 45/45/10