Ruger 77/357 and cast boolits

[lostintheozone]

I'm new here and don't know my way around real well. I may be in the wrong place or maybe this has been covered before. If it has I apologize.

I'm shooting 158 and 125 grain coated cast .358 dia. SWC and RN made by both Bayou Bullets and Acme. I'm also using 2400 and may try some American select soon. I would like to know if I should limit my velocity with these bullets. A rifle will increase velocity around 300 fps because of barrel length. I've read that 1600 fps is a good place to stop with coated lead bullets. I've loaded some above that and accuracy seems to suffer. I realize that this is a pistol cartridge and won't achieve std rifle accuracy but I would like to see 2 MOA accuracy consistently. I'm in the process of eliminating other factors like headspace by shimming the bolt, trigger creep by installing a target trigger and this week I will be free floating the barrel.

Any tips on ammo would be helpful. So far FMJ seems the most accurate but too expensive to shoot as much as I would like.

Thanks.

[jeepyj]

Sorry at this point I can't offer any help but I have one on lay-away so I've marked with interest.

[Gohon]

I've read that 1600 fps is a good place to stop with coated lead bullets

Not sure where you read that but I haven't found that to be the case. I do use 1600 fps as a cut off point for plain base to gas check designs. I'm running some of my 357 mag loads, gas checked and powder coated at 1800-1900 fps and they perform very well. Round Flat point styles will print 2-2.5 inches at 100 yards depending on my shooting of the day. SWC designs are hated by the Marin 1894 I shoot no matter what I try and are around a 4 inch group. With powder coated 50-55 grain .223 loads I'm pushing them at 2200-2300 fps with 3 inch groups. Not as tight as the jacketed stuff at 1 inch but fine for general plinking and short range hunting.

BTW...I've had as much as 400+ in crease in velocity from revolver to rifle. All depends on bullet and powder used at the time. If you don't have one, a chrony can be your best friend for load development. This is the one I use now http://www.midwayusa.com/product/852429/competition-electronics-prochrono-digital-chronograph Had a couple Beta Masters in the past but they were so fickle on the readings if the sky wasn't just right. I killed the first one and the dog killed the second one...:-)

[runfiverun]

if your interested in pure speed 2400 or H-110 would be the powders to work with.
if your looking for accuracy a little faster powder than 2400 could turn the trick [herco or BE-86] it would give a respectable velocity but turn in good accuracy at the same time.

I like Herco in the 357 with a 158gr rnfp in my longer barreled guns.

welcome to the forum.
oh,,, Bayou uses hi-tek for their coating.

[GooseGestapo]

Due to the short abrupt throat, you'll likely have accuracy issues with the Ruger .357/77. Some over on RugerForum report having the barrel throated fixed the accuracy with cast boolits.

I had one. Couldn't get it to shoot cast for anything. Eventually sold it.
It was very accurate with jacketed bullets. I used some older Remington bulk 158gr JSP. Loaded over 17.8gr of Hod Lil'Gun. I got 2,000fps and 1.5"5-shots at 100yds.
But, I didn't get it to shoot J bullets.
Already had a .35Rem and a .358 BLR.

[dmccord]

I have one in 357 and I have one in 44 Mag. I had to do trigger jobs on both of them. That helped alot. I use H-110 in the 357. Shoots as good with Cast as it does with FMJ. It shoots to MY ability!

[psweigle]

I shoot 158 grain lead roundnose cast and powder coated without gas checks. My 77/357 has an awesome trigger from the factory and as far as the throat goes, it shoots better with cast than with jacketed. I get consistent 2" groups at 100 yards. The load I use is 16.7 grains of h-110 and a magnum primer. There is no issue with leading or with the powder coating stripping off. I've run several hundred through it and no ill effects to report.

[CIC]

With any gun I follow the same procedure for developing a load. I start with a specificic bullet and powder. I prep a bunch of cases and I will load 3-5 with powder increasing from the minimum by .2 grains until I hit max. I then take them to the range and commense to fire them off a sandbag. In my 357 rifle which is not a Ruger, I found accuracy in the mid to high powder charge range. If I did not get the results I desired I will change powders or bullets and start again. I do not let velocity dictate my loads. Hope this helps.

[bluejay75]

Just had my 77/357 at the range yesterday and it shoots cast better than any rifle that I own.

I go heavy on the bullets though. 180s and 200s at 1700 and 1500 fps. I cast these from 50/50 coww: spew or straight range scrap.

The 180 is a NOE (Ranchdog 175) and the most accurate load is 14.1 grains of h110.

The other is a Lee 358 200 RF. This load is the most accurate of the two and 14 grains of H110 does the trick. 13.3 grains of Lil Gun does the trick as well.

As far as OAL. Load to maximum length of magazine.

good shooting to you.

[Kestrel4k]

Just as a FYI; my 77/357 slugs at 0.3565" (average of a series of measurements).
From what I've read online this seems to be a pretty consistent number.

So far I have got it to shoot into just under 1" @ 50 yds with a CB & Blue Dot (4-shot groups).
It has been a challenging one to dial in; free floating the bbl & shimming the bolt appears to have had a positive effect.
Also, I've replaced that flexy plastic stock with a Boyds' laminate.

[williamwaco]

Due to the short abrupt throat, you'll likely have accuracy issues with the Ruger .357/77. Some over on RugerForum report having the barrel throated fixed the accuracy with cast boolits.

I had one. Couldn't get it to shoot cast for anything. Eventually sold it.
It was very accurate with jacketed bullets. I used some older Remington bulk 158gr JSP. Loaded over 17.8gr of Hod Lil'Gun. I got 2,000fps and 1.5"5-shots at 100yds.
But, I didn't get it to shoot J bullets.
Already had a .35Rem and a .358 BLR.


I have one. 6x scope. I have tried factory wad cutters two cast wad cutters., 5 150 to 170 gr semi wad cutters. 125 and 158 jacketed. Nothing I have tried will beat 4 inches--- at 50 yards.

I gave up and retired it.

[Char-Gar]

I don't know anything about the Ruger .357 rifles, but I have had considerable experience with lever action rifles in 357 Magnum. I don't expect there will be any significance in a bolt action rifle for the same caliber.

I know nothing about coating, however I can say that for velocites above 1,200 fps or so you most definitly will need a gas check bullet. With a gas check bullet you can get 1,600 to 1,700 fps (158 grain bullet) out of a rifle with 14 15 grains of 2400 powder with good accuracy and no leading.

For loads to be used in both the rifle and the revolver, drop the charge weight to 13 - 14 grains.

[gpidaho]

My best loads in my 77/357 are a lot like bluejay75's. I have both the NOE 360-200-FN Rg2 and the 360-180-WFN I shoot these either powder coated or lubed with White Label BAC lube. I find that the crimp groove of the 200 FN to be in just the right spot for a max COL in both the magazine of the 77/357 or my GP-100 revolver when loaded in 38spl brass. I'm using 10.5 gr. of IMR 4227 for my charge weight. Love my NOE moulds. Gp