Best hunting .357 bullet. . . . ?

[DJWright]

Have been shooting a 158 grain semi wadcutter and a LBT 180 grain WFN design in my 6" GP100 for a couple years. the accuracy seemed OK. Then last week a friend gave me a couple hundred 168 grain Keith 358429 bullets. I loaded then up with 13.5 grains 2400. They seem to group unbelievably well at 250 yards! Much better then the others I 've been using. So think I will order a mould for this bullet, or the 173 grain. Has anyone had experience with this caliber enough to know best bullet weight, design, and mould maker? I will be using it for hunting. Thanks in advance.

[beagle]

The 358429 is truly a magnificient bullet for a lot of purposes and old Elmer would have told you so if he was still alive.

The 358429 is only available from Lyman. However RCBS and NEI make clones and they normally shoot pretty well.

I have several 358429s, a 358429HP and 2 or 3 358439s (the HP version from Lyman). All shoot well in my Ruger BKs and also in my Marlin M1894 carbine.

If shooting a S & W, occasionally one of the older Ideal 358429s will be too long to load with the bullet crimped in the crimping groove. I have the same problem with my M1894 Marlin. I solve this by crimping over the front driving band and lowering my hot loads a little.

You won't go wrong with this bullet./beagle

[HeavyMetal]

Excuse me, did you say a 6 inch gp100 at 250 Yards?

I do belive I see a typo!

[willwork4ww]

That's what he said, why does that have to be a typo? Lot's of people shoot sixguns at that range and beyond, myself included.

If RCBS makes a copy of the 358429, I've never heard of it. Anybody got a mould number on that?

Also, Lyman's listing of the 358429 at both 168gr and 173 gr just depends on the era of publication and alloy used. Same mould dimensions, as far as I know, though I haven't measured both. I believe 173 is from 1:16 or some similar binary alloy, whereas 168gr is with linotype.

[Bret4207]

The RCBS is the 38-170KT or something like that. Given a solid rest and good eyes, maybe even a scope, shooting a 357 at 250 or more yards is no big deal. In fact there used to be quite a bit of organized pistol" Turkey Shoots" at 300 yards IIRC in the late 1800's/early 1900's. Long range is where those older style RN and SWC's come into their own. High BC for a pistol boolit!

[Irascible]

My vote is for the LBT WFN.
I shot a Deer with the very accurate 358429 (Hensley & Gibbs version) with the same powder load as you. It went through and nailed a Doe on the off side. The buck ran and was taken by another hunter. Cast them soft if you must use them for hunting. The 358429 style will not be useable seated in the crimp groove for a lot of handguns with short cylinders such as the M27 Smith. But I think your GP has a long cylinder like the old speed six.
The WFN bullets have to be driven hard to be accurate, and the harder the alloy, the harder they have to be driven.

[NoDakJak]

It seems as if I have spent half of my life casting bullets from a couple one hole 358429 molds. I have used several other two holers but seem to always come back to old trusty. It is indeed an accurate bullet. I use WW alloy and have never encountered leading but then I limit the bullet to 38 Spcl cases with 11.0 grains of 2400 as my standard load in medium and large frame revolvers. My 1894 Marlin shoots the load fairly well but my Rossi short rifle dotes on that load. I haven't noticed whether Lyman offers a four hole mold for it but certainly would like to have one. Neil

[LET-CA]

Here's an RCBS mould similar to what you're describing on eBay right now.



http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=320239221607&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=011

[Old Ironsights]

I don't have a lot of experience here, but for what I've shot:

The 358156HP in a low bhn/pure pb is death at low velocities to almost anything it touches.

And I killed a Buck at 110yds with a CB GB C358180RF cast up by Steveb... (got my own mould now...)

I'm pretty happy with that.

I do have a few 180gr? Keith solids, but I haven't shot anything but a squirrel with them - and then I had to go pick up the poor bugger and pith it since it wouldn't die after being shot...

[PA Shootist]

I have owned and used a 358429 Lyman 4-cavity mold since about 1970. So at least they used to make it. It has always made good accurate bullets, using wheel weights. I use 38 Special cases only, crimping into the regular crimp groove. I haven't shot any deer yet, but plenty of groundhogs. It normally penetrated clear through, but had enough meplat to smack them down hard for quick kills. Mine typically weigh 173-175 grains when lubed when made from wheel weights. I never had any leading, and never needed to go to harder alloys.

[Scrounger]

I thought I'd seen one on Ebay. You could probably get this with the handles for $75, but it needs a little loving care.

Forgot to add the link! http://cgi.ebay.com/Lyman-38-357-SWC-4-channel-Bullet-Mould-58429_W0QQitemZ350047659869QQihZ022QQcategoryZ7111 8QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[stringstretcher]

I just won a 4 cavity 358429 mold on ebay. Great shape. Waiting to get my WW/tin mixture right and going to give it a try.

[Larry Gibson]

I don't have a lot of experience here, but for what I've shot:

The 358156HP in a low bhn/pure pb is death at low velocities to almost anything it touches....

I'm with Old Ironsights.

Had several 358429 moulds over the years and shot a few critters with them using 6 - 6.%" .357s. When I started casting 358156s out of soft BHN alloy and HPing them (Forster tool) I found what a much more deadly bullet it was than even a 358429HP. I usually push the soft cast GC'd 358156HP to 1450 fps with excellent accuracy and expansion was sure and deadly in critters including deer. With the 358429HPs cast of the same softer alloy so they would expand accuracy was only as good to 1200 fps. That 250 extra fps you can get with the GC bullet makes a big difference. That is even more so if you are loading in a TC Contender barrel or a Lever action rifle. If they made a GC'd 358429 HP that would be just the ticket also.

Larry Gibson

[Ricochet]

Wouldn't be a good long range boolit, but the #358432 160 grain wadcutter ought to really have some closeup stopping power in a .357. See the interest thread in Group Buys. Hasn't seemed to attract as much attention as I'd expected it would.

I just finished loading some in .38 Special.

[Bass Ackward]

I shoot much more than I hunt. If economics will confine you to one bullet, then keep and shoot the one that is the most accurate out to the ranges you want to shoot even if that is a round nose.

You can always turn a few around backwards for that wide meplat effect at the closer ranges you will hunt at.

[Junior1942]

The Lyman 4 cavity 358429 is in the MidSouth cataloge. Page 62 @ $63.77.

[Down South]

Also, Lyman's listing of the 358429 at both 168gr and 173 gr
I ordered one today and it was listed at 170 Gr. Go figure. At least it is between the other two posted weights.