dverna
03-28-2020, 11:57 AM
Loading for four pistols and three lever action rifles. One rifle (1894) is chambered in .38 Spl and the rest are .357.
Pistols are primarily used for target shooting. All are 5 or 5 1/2" barrels. I may carry one on the tractor for coyotes.
Rifles are also primarily for target shooting, and one will sit by the door for coyotes and self defense.
Killing coyotes DRT is not a requirement thus bullet performance is not too important nor is pelt damage. Bullet alloy will be 92-6-2 "hardball".
I have 15k+ of the Magma 130 gr RNFP to use up. Looking at purchasing a heavier bullet mold for the Master Caster. Magma 158gr RNFP, 158 gr Keith style SWC, or 180 gr RNFP. Very high preference for a mold that works in the Master Caster as I am trying to avoid manual casting...not getting younger.
I will be using .38 Spl cases for all loads. A lower level load in the pistols might be more fun as my fiance will be shooting too. So likely will have two loads. Something at .38+P for the pistols and closer to 357 level for the rifles. I am leaning towards the 158 gr SWC as a quick look makes load identification easy. 130gr in the pistols and 158 in the rifles until I use up the 130's.
I hope that my fiancé gets comfortable with higher level loads and we can have one "utility" load for all the guns. That would be the goal.
I have 35 lbs of Clean Shot I got on sale a while back, and that is what I plan to use. Not the best for full power .357 but should get me to about 1300 fps with the 158 gr bullet in the rifles. Any reports/experience with it would be appreciated.
Thanks
Pistols are primarily used for target shooting. All are 5 or 5 1/2" barrels. I may carry one on the tractor for coyotes.
Rifles are also primarily for target shooting, and one will sit by the door for coyotes and self defense.
Killing coyotes DRT is not a requirement thus bullet performance is not too important nor is pelt damage. Bullet alloy will be 92-6-2 "hardball".
I have 15k+ of the Magma 130 gr RNFP to use up. Looking at purchasing a heavier bullet mold for the Master Caster. Magma 158gr RNFP, 158 gr Keith style SWC, or 180 gr RNFP. Very high preference for a mold that works in the Master Caster as I am trying to avoid manual casting...not getting younger.
I will be using .38 Spl cases for all loads. A lower level load in the pistols might be more fun as my fiance will be shooting too. So likely will have two loads. Something at .38+P for the pistols and closer to 357 level for the rifles. I am leaning towards the 158 gr SWC as a quick look makes load identification easy. 130gr in the pistols and 158 in the rifles until I use up the 130's.
I hope that my fiancé gets comfortable with higher level loads and we can have one "utility" load for all the guns. That would be the goal.
I have 35 lbs of Clean Shot I got on sale a while back, and that is what I plan to use. Not the best for full power .357 but should get me to about 1300 fps with the 158 gr bullet in the rifles. Any reports/experience with it would be appreciated.
Thanks