Best lead alloy for wadcutters

[gunauthor]

I want to shoot some postal matches and plan to use my S&W 686 357 magnum with a six inch barrel. I plan to use a Lee tumble lube wadcutter bullet and would like some input as to the most accurate lead/tin mixture to use. Also, any thoughts on really accurate loads for either 38 or 357 brass. Thanks.

[prs]

Fit of boolit to barrel trumps alloy. A good guess for alloy would be 95:2:3 given pb:sn:sb. If air cooled fails to thwart leading or striping, then water drop.

Clip wheel weight and sticky back wheel weight and tin at 49:49:2 or there abouts would be close.

But, if the glove don't fit, you must aquit.

prs

[MtGun44]

clip on wheel weights is fine. Fit is critical, fit to throat diameter. Hardness is actually
likely to be a problem if too hard, not of too soft. Alloy is only important for casting
properties.

Bill

[.22-10-45]

I never thought I would ever buy a wadcutter mould! Shot alot of police combat in mid 70's..but we bought bullets from local caster..guns filled with lead..and using 2.8gr. 231..when we complained..he just added more lino! All that lead removal soured me on the W.C. Until I bought a 1905 Bisley 7 1/2" in .38 Spec. I have to load light to shoot to sights..so alloy doesn't matter so long as it's soft... absolutly no leading whatsoever. I am using the old Ideal .360344. Chamber mouths are .359 & this one fits nice and snug. 20yd. groups are just ragged hole.

[dverna]

The most accurate bullets I have ever shot where swaged (soft lead) 148 HBWC's. I have also shot great groups with hardball (92/6/2) and 100% Linotype. BTW my tests were 50 shots are 50 yards in a Ransom Rest.

I would use whatever alloy you have and maybe get the tin content up to 1.5-2% to get good fill out. Alloy is not going to matter much at target velocities.

Don Verna

[klausg]

+1 to what everyone else has told you, I use straight WW with a little lead-free solder thrown in. I realize that you're interested in wadcutters, but my 586 absolutely loves the Lee 358-158-RF in 357 brass w/ 5.0gr Unique. It'll turn the gun & your hand black, but that's why God invented Hoppe's. In short, don't sweat the alloy too much as long as you're getting good fill-out & your boolits are dropping big enough. Hope this helps.

-Klaus

[trixter]

I do not shoot in any kind of competitive shoots, but I shoot at my club about 500 rds per month, and all of them are cast from range lead. I have tested several batches and my hardness tester says 8.5-9. They work perfectly for hole punching targets.