2400 and the 360 DW

[trail troll]

Howdy all,

Well I just got some 360 dan wesson brass and an RCBS 358 200gr FP mould for a 357 handi rifle I am working with now. The RCBS is awesome! It is the first time casting with an RCBS for me. They all come out round and right on as far as size goes. It is throwing them .358/.359 right out of the mould. I had some trouble finding much data on the 360 dw however. I have tried a load of 10.5 of 2400 so far. Not a bad one,,, maybe one and half to two inch at 50 yards. Didn't fire over a chrono so no idea on that. I want to try some Lil-Gun as I also have a hornet barrel for the handi to get set up, but I will have to travel to get to a shop with any. So for now its the 2400. Does anyone know the max load for this boolit in the 360?

thanxs much!

[Blammer]

not with the 2400 powder.

I use LilGun and LOVE it with the RCBS 200gr GC. 15gr is what I like with it and the deer hate it! :)

[OBXPilgrim]

So, how long's that loaded round? And what's the OAL of 357 max with a 200gr slug?

I got to doing a little measuring with my 357mag Handi that will chamber 360DW - even with the slugs out to .357 max OAL (you're shooting a Handi, too, correct?). Guess what loading data I used? - of course, work the load up, but you might do yourself a favor & try to seat out a little farther.

I'm not sure about the RCBS slug - I think the one I used was a Saeco slug.

[trail troll]

Yes it is a Handi Rifle. The aol is 1.930. I could go out a wee bit more but then I'd be out to past the lube ring. I guess I need to know what 15 grains of Lil Gun is equal to in 2400. Or get myself some lil gun. 2400 ins't the cleanest powder and even in the 22 inch barrel there was unburnt powder. Or at least what looked like unburnt powder.

what where you using for lube? I am using a 50/50 lube but saw some talk of "green speed". Is it much cleaner?

Bill

[454PB]

Lil'Gun is considerably slower burning than 2400, and a little faster than H-110.

http://data.hodgdon.com/main_menu.asp

[OBXPilgrim]

Part of the "fun" of cast boolits is working up your loads.

Using something like 360 DW, where not much load data is available, is even more "fun". I think your load of 10.5/2400 was too underpowered. My Speer #13 manual has 11.0(min)-12.0(max)gr of 2400 listed for a 200 gr jacketed bullet in the 357 MAGNUM at 1.690" OAL - your load is .240" longer. Most all that I've seen on here and in manuals say you can't swap jacketed data and use cast slugs for the same loads. There are alot of instances of pistol calibers where they are pretty close.

That same Speer #13 book has a 200gr jacketed load in 357 MAX (1.990" OAL) listed at 13.5gr (start) - 15.5gr (max) from a 14" Contender barrel.

The load I used with the 200gr cast lead Saeco (2.020" OAL) was 15.0gr and was worked up to that in 5 incrimental steps. Using Lyman Moly lube. That's a plain base boolit - not GC. I think your 50/50 with the GC will probably be fine.

I'd try working the load up some

[dubber123]

I agree with working up the load with 2400. If you are getting unburned powder, and you probably are, you just haven't hit the zone where 2400 starts to burn well. Anytime I have worked with it, accuracy and velocity variations always got better when you hit a certain pressure level and it starts burning clean. Have fun.

[trail troll]

thanxs guys,,,,, got some IMR 4227 that I may try also,,,,,Will keep you all posted


:castmine:

[trail troll]

well,, tried 12.5 grains today. got better ignition,, i.e. less unburnt powder. still no flat primers and it doesn't seem too hot,,, so I am going up to 13/13.5 and will try them out tomorow. this rcbs mould is really nice. cast a few more the other day to have some for this weekend. threw them exactly the same weight as the first set, and they fall out of the mould. it cast so well that i have to slow down between pours and let the sprues cool enough.




:Fire:

[dubber123]

Good deal, keep us posted.

[Blammer]

get you a wet towel. wehn the sprue it too hot, before you crack the mould tip it upside down and touch the sprue to the wet towel for about the count of 2. take off and crack per usual.

This "extra" cool will set the sprues nicely, but let the mould stay hot.

[trail troll]

good idea,,, thanks,,,, I'll try it next time

[trail troll]

Well I have been working on the load still and I am now trying 4227. I got up to 15 grains of 2400 with results similar to this load, but the pressure was starting to show a bit more. The primers look better with 4227 and the case head has less expansion. I am also using rifle primers now. The groups look nearly identical though. It may be the limit of the rifle and myself. I still would like to see the groups shrink a bit more. It is the vertical stringing that is killing me.

Any ideas?

Bill

:castmine:

[felix]

Vertical stringing indicates powder speed a little too slow (assuming everything else Kosher). ... felix

[Hamish]

I am dragging this thread up due to the post preceding this one. Two or three times in the last couple of years I have pretty much point blank asked what the "symptom" of vertical and horizontal stringing might indicate, and never gotten anything approaching so straight forward an answer.

Thanks, one more time Felix, RIP

[Paul5388]

I have several Handi rifles and I usually find the forearm to be the cause of vertical stringing. My solution is to place the 10mm OD copper rings for an air cooled VW oil change kit to space the forearm off of the barrel.

I have used .360 DW brass in my .357 Handi with a 250 gr Beartooth bullet and 7.5 gr of 800X @ 1200 fps. That combination will shoot 1" @ 100 yards.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y121/Paul5388/Handloads%20pictures/Z3D77_scan0025_zps74e9d9b0.jpg
It looks like I also used 8.0 gr with that 250 gr bullet.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y121/Paul5388/360DW800X2_15OALBeartooth25011-15-0.jpg

My chamber will accept brass that's 1.50" long, so I have also used .357 Max brass cut to 1.50". The OAL is about the same as Max OAL.

[475BH]

You guys need to visit this site, great reading and info. here. http://www.lasc.us/RangingShotDanWesson360Revolver.htm

[Lefty Red]

well,, tried 12.5 grains today. got better ignition,, i.e. less unburnt powder. still no flat primers and it doesn't seem too hot,,, so I am going up to 13/13.5 and will try them out tomorow. this rcbs mould is really nice. cast a few more the other day to have some for this weekend. threw them exactly the same weight as the first set, and they fall out of the mould. it cast so well that i have to slow down between pours and let the sprues cool enough.




:Fire:

Or buy another mold! I had three DC molds going last weekend and drain my pot twice! And that is saying something with little 95 grain bullets for a 380!

I have had very good results from all my RCBS molds.

Jerry

[robg]

11.5gr 2400 in my win trapper with 195gr boolit oal 1.6 inches gives 1250fps