DanAKAL
12-16-2013, 05:29 PM
4" Ruger GP100 357 Mag loaded with 158 gr SWC, 5.0 gr Unique, Winchester Magnum Primer, Mixed Brass. I put this load together for shooting Steel Challenge. I don't need anything in the magnum class of loads just for ringing steel. Something 38 special-ish in a 357 Magnum case was my goal and this seems to be it. Shoots good, no lead, and scary accurate.
Now to my condrum. I have two boolits on hand for this load. Meister 158 gr SWC and Missouri Bullet "357 Action" SWC. The Meister bullet is advertised at 16 BHN with the Missouri at 18 BHN. Testing three samples of these bullets with my Cabine Tree tester indicates they are each harder than advertised. Something in the 18 - 20 BHN range (linotype). Given the 5.0 grains of Unique in this load I expected them to significantly lead the bore of my gun. Alas, that isn't the case. In fact my bore is as clean as a whistle! Just some carbon fouling and a rifling star at the muzzle. Two passes with Hoppe's and everything is clean. I'm not complaining but this goes against traditional wisdom of a low pressure load with a hard boolit. Since I am using a Magnum primer I'm concerned that pressures are not as low as I believe them to be. The boolits each measure .358" to .359" consistently with my gun bore at .357".
I am exceptionally pleased with this particular handgun. The bore is as smooth as silk and more accurate than I am, even on a rest. I have about 500 rounds through the hand gun with 300 of them being the boolits listed here. The other 200 were Hornady HP/XTP that I used for barrel break in.
Any comments or observations on my findings would be greatly appreciated.
Dan
Now to my condrum. I have two boolits on hand for this load. Meister 158 gr SWC and Missouri Bullet "357 Action" SWC. The Meister bullet is advertised at 16 BHN with the Missouri at 18 BHN. Testing three samples of these bullets with my Cabine Tree tester indicates they are each harder than advertised. Something in the 18 - 20 BHN range (linotype). Given the 5.0 grains of Unique in this load I expected them to significantly lead the bore of my gun. Alas, that isn't the case. In fact my bore is as clean as a whistle! Just some carbon fouling and a rifling star at the muzzle. Two passes with Hoppe's and everything is clean. I'm not complaining but this goes against traditional wisdom of a low pressure load with a hard boolit. Since I am using a Magnum primer I'm concerned that pressures are not as low as I believe them to be. The boolits each measure .358" to .359" consistently with my gun bore at .357".
I am exceptionally pleased with this particular handgun. The bore is as smooth as silk and more accurate than I am, even on a rest. I have about 500 rounds through the hand gun with 300 of them being the boolits listed here. The other 200 were Hornady HP/XTP that I used for barrel break in.
Any comments or observations on my findings would be greatly appreciated.
Dan