.38/.357 blackpowder loads

[Texas by God]

Are the Hornady swaged lead bullets suitable for black powder loads ?
Should I tumble lube them first?
I normally cast pure lead for these but I'm temporarily unable to cast bullets.

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[Nobade]

The ones I have seen didn't have any lube grooves. Just tumble lube on the surface. If that is still the case, then no. You've got to have lube or you'll foul out really fast.

[Texas by God]

Yes, they just have the knurling and graphite? Coating. I'll wait till I can cast again and drop some from pure lead and use LLA. This is how I used to do it and I found about a quarter pound of Elephant 3F when I was looking for something else......I have a good supply of the Hornady so I was wondering- thanks Nobade.

[JSnover]

I played around with black in my 1894 last summer.
NBC Copperized 158 grain SWC (You can't get them anymore but for all intents they're cast lead: The copper wash is very thin). Lubed with Emmerts.
21.0 grains of GOEX 3F over 2.0 grains of IMR4759
CCI SPM primer.
COAL 1.590"

My plan was to find out if duplexing BP with a pinch of smokeless would reduce fouling (it did). They grouped ok but they shot a little low. I'll see if I can find my source for load data but if I recall you can go as high as 24 gr. BP.
Lead over Black works fine in my rifle. I don't know if I'd want to try it in a revolver.

[Good Cheer]

With a .357 case a king size lube gob could be used.

[Nobade]

Yep I was thinking that if this is for a revolver, a grease cookie or lubed felt wad under the bullet would probably work well enough. Certainly would if you duplex loaded it with 2 gr. Of smokeless under the BP. A good way to use up stuff you have at any rate.

[Randy Bohannon]

I have had good success with 20 grs. O.E. 2F and the RCBS 158gr RNFP cast with 16:1 alloy .The big lube groove is filled with SPG/similar lube and shoots very good in my Win/Miroku 1873.Accuracy was very good through 50 rounds without wiping/cleaning. Velocities were respectable @ 1100 fps.I did anneal my brass to reduce fouling in the action and easy cleanup.

[Texas by God]

My plan is to use .357 brass, felt wads wth beeswax and the Lee 150 swc/ LLA lube. And shoot them from my Blackhawk.

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[Gray Fox]

I would have thought that LLA would lead to hard fouling compared to something designed for BP like SPG. GF

[17nut]

It does, but some need: Learning by doing.

[yeahbub]

I did an experiment some years ago sizing .490 round balls through a .452 Lee push thru and loading them in .45 ACP over a plinking load of red dot with a card wad and lube cookie to provide some lubing action. I used 541 (Emmert's) for that exercise and there was no leading, even with the long bearing surface. The knurled Hornadys are a similar situation, but backing them up with a card wad and lube cookie may well provide the lube you need to work with BP. The bore will be anointed with lube before being exposed to fouling which should keep it loose.

[bedbugbilly]

BP = needing to keep fouling soft . . . . . and grease your cylinder pin as well with your lube.

[emmett22405]

Posted this already but it disappeared. I had fun with the Accurate molds # 36-155c i believe designed by John Kort expressly for bp in the 38/357 in my Uberti 73 Win in offhand gong matches at 200 yds and also pistol caliber cowboy lever action silhouette. The load was as accurate as pure smokeless at any distance i shot it. I used the same load as JSnover also substituted 2 gr 4227 for the 4759. The huge grease groove probably would work just fine without the need for duplexing even with Goex altho Olde Eynesford and Swiss would be even better. I just wanted to be sure of firing a 10 shot string without cleaning between banks--or each shot. Got some funny looks at the black powder report and then the smallish puff of white smoke going down wind.