MuthaFunk
08-22-2017, 09:55 PM
I recently acquired a nice Colt revolver that seems to shoot lead very well! This has prompted me to create a recipe for it that allows me to shoot it much more with as little effort to make the ammo as possible.
I have a system worked out for a S&W model 14 and 38 Spl ammo. 6 gang Lee TL158 mold with 45/45/10 Lube. No sizing accept that I use the Lee Carbide FCD to apply a mold Crimp. The Lee casts bullets at .358 which is perfect. I don't believe the Carbide ring in the FCD is swaging the bullets at all. This allows me to make a lot of 38 Spl ammo very quickly and never get any leading. Just shiney bore after 100's of rounds.
In an attempt to make a factory type power lead round for this 357 Colt I used a Lyman 358311 4 gang mold I had around because of its full base. The Lee TL bullets have beveled bases which are not going to help with a higher pressure 357 load. This 357 Colt has shot 100 rounds sized to 358 with minimal leading with a higher power load of UNIQUE. (7.5 gr). I also loaded up some that were unsized at .360 and noted a more leading compared to the sized ones. These were crimped using a Lee 357 rifle
Die so they were not sized by the Carbide ring.
Could I skip the sizing step by buying a regular Lee Carbide Crimp Die to swage the .360 Lyman bullets for me during the Crimp process? Is there any issues I'm likely to encounter with this train of thought? I guess I won't know how much the Lee Carbide Die will actually swage the .360 bullets down until I try it.
Any thoughts?
I have a system worked out for a S&W model 14 and 38 Spl ammo. 6 gang Lee TL158 mold with 45/45/10 Lube. No sizing accept that I use the Lee Carbide FCD to apply a mold Crimp. The Lee casts bullets at .358 which is perfect. I don't believe the Carbide ring in the FCD is swaging the bullets at all. This allows me to make a lot of 38 Spl ammo very quickly and never get any leading. Just shiney bore after 100's of rounds.
In an attempt to make a factory type power lead round for this 357 Colt I used a Lyman 358311 4 gang mold I had around because of its full base. The Lee TL bullets have beveled bases which are not going to help with a higher pressure 357 load. This 357 Colt has shot 100 rounds sized to 358 with minimal leading with a higher power load of UNIQUE. (7.5 gr). I also loaded up some that were unsized at .360 and noted a more leading compared to the sized ones. These were crimped using a Lee 357 rifle
Die so they were not sized by the Carbide ring.
Could I skip the sizing step by buying a regular Lee Carbide Crimp Die to swage the .360 Lyman bullets for me during the Crimp process? Is there any issues I'm likely to encounter with this train of thought? I guess I won't know how much the Lee Carbide Die will actually swage the .360 bullets down until I try it.
Any thoughts?