180 grain boolits

[joatmon]

I'd like to try some 180 gr WFN,RNFP in my Marlin. I like the looks of the NOE as well as others. Anyone have a couple of samples I could try for feeding before I buy the mold?
Thanks Aaron

[sghart3578]

I can send you some NOE 360-180-WFN in plain base.

I cast them, size them to .360" for my Marlin 1894 with a microgroove barrel, then give them two coats of BLL.

Is your Marlin a microgroove?

Would you like them sized or unsized? Lubed or non-lubed?

This is my favorite bullet for my Marlin.


Steve in N CA

[Scharfschuetze]

Looks like you have your boolit samples for a 180 grain projectile taken care of thanks to sghart.

If you are looking for the highest velocity with accuracy, let me suggest Lil'gun powder under those 180 grain boolits. My previous loads in my 357 rifle used 296 with good results, but the Lil'gun performs even better with what appears to be less pressure.

My chronograph results show (10 shot strings) and average of 1,750 fps for my load from a 24" barrel, which I worked up from the starting load on Hodgdon's web site. Accuracy is as good as with any other powder that I've tried.

[sghart3578]

Scharf,

I don't think he should push them that fast. All I have are plain based bullets. I keep mine right at 1400 fps because my alloy is "whatever melts in the pot".

I have some gas checked bullets from a 162 gr RCBS mold at .360" that I would be happy to send him also. I push them at 1600-1700 fps with max loads of 2400 and A#9. I want to try some Lil'gun one of these days.

I also have an Accurate 158 gr mold at .360" that I can include, and I have good luck with the Lee 125 gr RF mold also.

As many as he needs for testing. And I have a pretty good data base of chrono info for 357 mag in my 1894. All the way from 700 fps plinkers to max loads.


Thanks,

Steve in N CA

[Scharfschuetze]

Scharf,

I don't think he should push them that fast. All I have are plain based bullets. I keep mine right at 1400 fps because my alloy is "whatever melts in the pot".

A good and valid point sghart. Surprisingly, my boolits are plain base and do not lead. For some reason, the 35 calibre rifles of mine can shoot much faster than the 30 calibres without leading at least with hard cast boolits.

Given my perdiliction for long range shooting, even with pistol calibres, I gave the very hard Oregon Trail 180 grain .358" boolits a try several years ago as they were available and priced right. I was surprised as I worked up the load to find no leading even at the top end of my testing at 1,750 fps. I guess I won't look a gift horse in the mouth, so I've just kept shooting these boolits and find them accurate out past two hundred yards in my Marlin. The last time I was through Baker City, Oregon, I picked up a couple of thousand unsized and unlubed as-cast 180s. The RNFP (oximoron thinks I) feeds through the action lickety split.

[shoot-n-lead]

I shoot my plain based powder coated NOE 180gr WFN bullets at 1700fps...with no trace of leading.

[sghart3578]

I think my leading is due to my not caring about the alloy in my pot. I follow the old Junior Doughty principle of "just cast a bunch and go shoot 'em".

But I will give the OP plenty to experiment with at different speeds.

[shoot-n-lead]

I think my leading is due to my not caring about the alloy in my pot. I follow the old Junior Doughty principle of "just cast a bunch and go shoot 'em".

But I will give the OP plenty to experiment with at different speeds.

Most of my bullets are from "whatever" is in the pot, also...as long as they work for my purpose, I don't worry about the alloy. Really, the only time I go away from "whatever" alloy, is with hollow point casting.

[Scharfschuetze]

Most of my bullets are from "whatever" is in the pot, also...as long as they work for my purpose, I don't worry about the alloy. Really, the only time I go away from "whatever" alloy, is with hollow point casting.

I was fortunate to have a good friend and old Army comrade that had access to an X-Ray reader. We sorted out my various lots of lead in the garage and marked them with their alloys from pure lead to Linotype. I can now mix or match to get any alloy that I want to shoot. Makes life easy, but it was all because of a good friend.

[joatmon]

sghart3578, that would be great that one is the one I wanted to try the most! PM coming.
Aaron

Ooops, UN Sized UN Lubed would be great, microgroove yes.
Thanks Aaron