.357mag/.38 spl mold and alloy?

[mongoose33]

I have a Ruger GP100 in .357/.38 Spl for which I want to cast boolits. I have a 158-grain mold, but want a mold for about a 125-130 grain boolit.

Any suggestions? I'm looking at the Accurate Mold 36-130DB as a possibility. I have another Accurate Mold in .45, great boolits.

And any suggestions as to an alloy? I have a 140 pounds of linotype, some Lyman #2, so those are possibilities.

[Bzcraig]

Can't help you with the size boolit you ask about but for plinking rounds the Lee 105 swc is very economical for lead and powder and as for alloy coww/pure using lino or #2 would be a waste of good alloy if for plinking or targets.

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

My suggestion would be go to the NOE website and pick out a mold with a boolit to your liking in the configration and weight you like. They make high quality molds at reasonable prices and have a decent selection of molds.

Generally speaking, most experienced revolver men tend to use wadcutters or semiwadcutters for target work.

[mongoose33]

My suggestion would be go to the NOE website and pick out a mold with a boolit to your liking in the configration and weight you like. They make high quality molds at reasonable prices and have a decent selection of molds.

Generally speaking, most experienced revolver men tend to use wadcutters or semiwadcutters for target work.

I shoot a Rossi 92 in .357/.38spl in some 3-gun stuff, so my goal is to cast some boolits I can use interchangeably. I don't do any serious target shooting w/ the revolver or anything else--mostly steel.

I was looking on the NOE site and there are several styles which might work--but no crimp groove. The search continues.

[mattw]

I would strongly suggest the Lee 105 grain bullet. I load these by the hundreds for my wife, 12 yo daughter, 8 yo daughter and myself. We shoot them in snub SP101, snub Model 10 and a couple of other 38's/357's. They work great and best part is in a 38 3.7 grains of Titegroup will shoot the target in my avatar all day long. It was shot double action with 3 different guns, including the SP101.

The other bullet that works very well for me is the Lyman 358212 145 RN. Also cast in the following manner and will also work well in the 9mm, but you will have to fiddle with OAL to get a good feed with it.

I cast that bullet with 2.5% Tin, 2.5% Antimony and water drop them. I size them to .3595 and lube with a good hard lube or with 50/50 to shoot a low velocity. That bullet also makes a good 9mm if you are so inclined.

Matt

[sundog]

Maybe a few grains heavier than you wanted, but it works good, feed and function, in a Rossi 92. It is the Lee 358-140-SWC. A 6-cav dumps a bunch of boolits pretty quick, too. They shoot well in both the lever gun and all my handguns.

[Ed_Shot]

The Lyman or NOE 358242 (120 gr) is a superb boolit in 38Spl/357Mag for both pistol or rifle. My Lyman 358242 which drops at .360 and 122 gr is an outstanding performer in both my Ruger SS and Marlin. I bet the NOE copy is just as effective.

[jmort]

Your instinct to go with the Accurate mold is a good one. I also agree with BZCRAIG on the choice of alloy. Neither Lyman or NOE will make a mold to match your preferred alloy.

[bhn22]

I shoot a Rossi 92 in .357/.38spl in some 3-gun stuff, so my goal is to cast some boolits I can use interchangeably. I don't do any serious target shooting w/ the revolver or anything else--mostly steel.

I was looking on the NOE site and there are several styles which might work--but no crimp groove. The search continues.

The lack of a crimp groove suggests to me that you're looking at 9mm, or 38 Super moulds. I've personally never cared for lightweight bullets in 38/357, primarily because I've never had great luck with them. I do understand that you want them for the games, but 140 gr is the lightest I'd go on cast. I've had good luck with the Lee 140 gr mentioned earlier, but all of my molds now are 150 gr +, out or respect for some of my older fixed sight guns that won't put light bullets to the sights. A great all-around bullet would be Lyman/Ideal 358477, or RCBS 358-150. Accurate does show several molds that could be what you're looking for under 36 caliber. There's also a 135 gr lever-action bullet listed. Some lever-actions are finicky about bullet length, so this may be a practical option for you as well.

[mongoose33]

The lack of a crimp groove suggests to me that you're looking at 9mm, or 38 Super moulds. I've personally never cared for lightweight bullets in 38/357, primarily because I've never had great luck with them. I do understand that you want them for the games, but 140 gr is the lightest I'd go on cast. I've had good luck with the Lee 140 gr mentioned earlier, but all of my molds now are 150 gr +, out or respect for some of my older fixed sight guns that won't put light bullets to the sights. A great all-around bullet would be Lyman/Ideal 358477, or RCBS 358-150. Accurate does show several molds that could be what you're looking for under 36 caliber. There's also a 135 gr lever-action bullet listed. Some lever-actions are finicky about bullet length, so this may be a practical option for you as well.

In looking at the NOE site, yes, the apparently 9mm bullets don't have the crimp groove while the higher weights do--but I already have a .158 mold that works fine, I was just looking for something lighter for plinking, but which could also be loaded a bit hotter if I wanted. I need that crimp groove. I generally like at least 124 gr in the 9mm form factor, just like the longer bearing surface.

That 135-grain Accurate lever action looks interesting. I can live with the slightly heavier weight. Just looking for an all-around bullet for both the lever action as well as the Ruger GP100.

Thanks for the info--and to all of you for your input.

[MtGun44]

Cut your lino with at least an equal quantity of pure Pb, and for most guns two to one would work,
but may need to add in 1% or 2% of Sn to get the castability and mold fill out that you want.

Regardless of the "conventional wisdom", alloys as soft as 8 BHN will work just fine in full power
.357 Mag loads with good design, lube and proper fit. Since it is so common, or at least has
been in the past, wheelweight alloy at about 11 BHN is normal for me, but range scrap at 8 BHN
also works fine.

358477 or clones are a really good starting point, 150 gr and accurate, excellent design. I think
there are several clones out there like 360477, which is (I think) what Accurate calls it.

Bill