LEE C358-200RF vs RCBS 35-200

[randy_68]

A couple years ago I picked up a 1987 Marlin 336 .35 Rem and an RCBS 35-200 mold. Well it turned out my Marlin didn't shoot that boolit too good as it had a short throat and I really had to seat them deep. I eventually sold the mold and rifle (it had other issues too) but I still had quite a few loaded rounds left over. So what else to do but buy another rifle to shoot the ammo I have.:mrgreen: I just traded into a 1955 336 .35 rem with Ballard rifling and what do you know- this gun loves the RCBS 35-200. Now I just picked up a Lee 358-200RF 2 cavity mold to try out and was wondering if any of you guys or gals use this Lee boolit and how well it works for you. I don't have time to cast any right now so it may be a bit before I can try them out. I still have about 100 RCBS cast up and ready to load so I'm good for a little bit. My load is 35.5 gr IMR 3031 and CCI primers and shooting right over 2000 fps. I plan on using these for deer hunting this fall.

BTW, this gun I just got was pretty rough with a cracked stock, rusty and bluing missing but it shot every kind of load I put thru it with excellent accuracy. I stripped it down and took it to a gunsmith who is cerakoting the metal for me and I ordered a new stock set for it. Hopefully within the next couple of weeks I will be ready to try it out again.

[yondering]

I like the Lee 358-200, it's a good bullet. I'm mostly using it in a semi-auto (AR-15) but it runs well in the 35 Rem and 35 Whelen as well. I don't have the 200gr RCBS version to compare it to though.

[gwpercle]

My number one rule of boolit casting - Don't ever sell a mould ! You just never know what the future is going to bring you.... in your case a 1955 336 in 35 Remington with Ballard rifling !

Like my Texas uncle would say, "keep it , it's paid for and it ain't eating no hay !"
Gary

[GooseGestapo]

Whichever you get, size it to not smaller than .360".

The moment I read your post that the MG barrel didn't shoot the RCBS bullet well, but the Ballard did, I knew you were shooting undersized bullets.
My circa 1972 M336 with nearly throat-less micro-groove barrel shoots "shotgun" patterns at .358", but 2" 100yd groups at .360".
It definitely out shoots my BLR .358 with exact same load (39.0gr BLC2) at essentially same velocity. 2,050fps. The RCBS mold throws to 220gr with lube (SPG) and gaschecked. Far from "tossing nerf balls"! On deer and pigs, it's a heavy hitter!
BLR has a LOOOOONG throat. Too long. I have to seat 200gr Hornady Spt's to 2.825" to get them to group over its preferred load of 48.0gr H4895, to get it under 2moa. And I despise the trigger on the BLR.

I have to hollow point the Lee 220gr .338"RN in my .338ME to get similar terminal ballistics as the flat nose .360". As far as I can tell, the deer can't tell the difference between the .35 and the .45/70. Both flatten them with monotonous regularity.

However, my shoulder can tell the difference between the 220gr 2,000fps .35 and 400gr 1,900fps .458.

[randy_68]

My number one rule of boolit casting - Don't ever sell a mould ! You just never know what the future is going to bring you.... in your case a 1955 336 in 35 Remington with Ballard rifling !

Like my Texas uncle would say, "keep it , it's paid for and it ain't eating no hay !"
Gary


I know, I know!
Won't happen again. LOL.

[randy_68]

Whichever you get, size it to not smaller than .360".

The moment I read your post that the MG barrel didn't shoot the RCBS bullet well, but the Ballard did, I knew you were shooting undersized bullets.
My circa 1972 M336 with nearly throat-less micro-groove barrel shoots "shotgun" patterns at .358", but 2" 100yd groups at .360".
It definitely out shoots my BLR .358 with exact same load (39.0gr BLC2) at essentially same velocity. 2,050fps. The RCBS mold throws to 220gr with lube (SPG) and gaschecked. Far from "tossing nerf balls"! On deer and pigs, it's a heavy hitter!
BLR has a LOOOOONG throat. Too long. I have to seat 200gr Hornady Spt's to 2.825" to get them to group over its preferred load of 48.0gr H4895, to get it under 2moa. And I despise the trigger on the BLR.

I have to hollow point the Lee 220gr .338"RN in my .338ME to get similar terminal ballistics as the flat nose .360". As far as I can tell, the deer can't tell the difference between the .35 and the .45/70. Both flatten them with monotonous regularity.

However, my shoulder can tell the difference between the 220gr 2,000fps .35 and 400gr 1,900fps .458.

You may well be right. I sized them to .359. It didn't shoot them like a shotgun but the groups weren't as good as I thought they should be, about 2-3 times larger than jacketed loads. Never had any leading issues in it either. But it shot factory and hand loaded 200 gr Coreloks , 180 xtp's awesome.