What's a good boolit weight for a 20" Uberti 1873?

[njc110381]

Hey guys. My Uberti has just arrived at the gun shop so I'm now thinking about casting boolits for it. I don't have a mould yet.

I'd pretty much settled on the Lee .358 158 six cavity mould, and the shop has one in stock. Would that be a good choice? I'll be shooting gongs out to 100 yards. No formal targets and no hunting. I'll be using soft lead if I can get away with it, maybe with a bit of type or pewter mixed in if required. I've got plenty of both.

[Paul_R]

I have these two and use a 96-2-2 alloy:

http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/product_info.php?cPath=35_310&products_id=2369

http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/images/N.O.E._Bullet_Moulds_360-180-WFN_(GC)_181_gr_Sketch.Jpg

http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/product_info.php?cPath=35_312&products_id=867

http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/images/N.O.E._Bullet_Moulds_360_200Gr._SWC_HP__183_gr_Ske tch.Jpg

[dromia]

The bullet weight will depend on the calibre, which you haven't stated, it could be assumed to be 38/357 from your bullet selection. Still it is always better not assume.

[Brazos_Jack]

I have a Cimarron/Uberti 1873 20"barrel Short Rifle. The rifling twist is very fast (18-3/4") so it should stabilize even the heaviest bullets. I am currently using Lyman 358156 GC 163gr SWC in Starline .357 brass. Uberti uses a groove diameter of .355" but evidently the chamber throat is at least .358" because boolits sized .357" won't group. .358" seems to work well, and I plan to try some sized .359". I'm using 8.0 grains HS-6 in .38 +P Starline cases and 17.5 grains of Lil'Gun in .357 Starline brass. The HS-6 load exceeds SAAMI .38 +P pressure but is well below .357 mag pressures. The Lil'Gun load is only .5 grain below what Hodgdon calls max. I consider it max for a '73 and suggest approaching carefully from well below that charge.

[John Barleycorn]

125gr Truncated cone