RCBS 35-200 (35 Rem bullet) in 350 Legend?

[brewer12345]

I am guessing this would work reasonably well, but I also know that 350 is a little wonky to load. Any tips on this one? I imagine sizing down may be interesting depending on how big my mold throws them.

[NSB]

It may work, but the diameter of the .35 Rem is .358 and the 350 Legend is .355

[high standard 40]

It may work, but the diameter of the .35 Rem is .358 and the 350 Legend is .355

I'm finding conflicting information about this. Some sources say .355" and others say .357".

[brewer12345]

I'm finding conflicting information about this. Some sources say .355" and others say .357".

As with all cast loadings, you experiment with your rifle and see what it likes. The bolt action I am fooling with likes .357 in cast.

[garandsrus]

I load the 35-200 in a 350 Legend bolt action. The bullet feeds fine and it is seated to where it chambers with no resistance. Shoots great…

[armednfree]

What's the load on that garandrus?

[high standard 40]

As with all cast loadings, you experiment with your rifle and see what it likes. The bolt action I am fooling with likes .357 in cast.

I don't have a 350 Legend. I was referring to published technical dimensions from different sources as to what the standard jacketed bullet diameter is for this cartridge. I've seen some say it's .355' and others say it's .357".

[mehavey]

SAAMI for the 357 Mag is 0.355" groove
But most rifles are 0.357/358" (non-SAAMI/go figure)

The LEGEND holds to SAAMi for the rifle ([smilie=b:)
But LEGEND chambers may permit up to 0.358" Cast w/o a problem

For jacketed, my experience has shown sizing down (via Lee) to 0.356" producing predictable and excellent results

[cwlongshot]

My all time FAVORITE bullet for my Legend Bolt is the MP 359-200hp. Its a direct copy if the RCBS/NOE/LEE bullet only with HP Pins. I have taken two deer and get very very good accuracy. Unfortunately, I was lent this mold and have not as yet been able to Purchase my own. Thank you to Tommeboy for the use of yours brother!!

I have all three if the others and like the LEE/NOE better as both have larger meplat then the RCBS. Id also prefer a NON GC mold when I do buy as with powder coating at these velocities its flat not needed.

I size .356 as none of the FOUR I have had on hand would chamber even a .357 bullet seated.

CW

[cwlongshot]

I'm finding conflicting information about this. Some sources say .355" and others say .357".

Its .355, any one saying different is mistaken or miss informed.

There is some making them with larger bores. But spec are a (9x47). Winchester is PLAYING GAMES cause they was IGNORANT/ ARROGANT and got called as states like Ohio SPECIFY .357. So they play games with the .003 variation to sammi drawings to get there caliber allowed. Then all the folks who know better abd assummed Winchester did as well. (Assuming .357/.358)

But here we are two years in and the COMPLETE AND TOTAL lack of a .355 rifle bullet is a thing if the past. Today there are a number of manufacturers offering proper .355/.356 RIFLE bullets. Of coarse us casters never have had issue as we make any diameter we need.

CW

[mehavey]

I size .356 as none of the FOUR I have had on hand would chamber even a .357 bullet seated.
This is where people get in trouble. Note the extremely short freebore/throat, where
exposed .357" shanks & fat ogives can hang up unless seated to accommodate
https://i.postimg.cc/L5p00MVy/350-Legend-SAAMI-Throat.jpg

[cwlongshot]

Hello Brother, you know as well as I that that is NOT always a proper answer. You can inhibit feeding, severely encroaching upon powder capacity and over all cartridge preformance.

Proper bullet fitment is what a good re loader knows is part and parcel to a accurate preforming load.

CW

[mehavey]

You can inhibit feeding, severely encroaching upon powder
capacity and over all cartridge performance.Chat with me some more on that.
By definition, if it fails to chamber, or sticks upon chambering, or gives wildly increased velocities, or begins to expand primer pockets... or starts leaving pressure marks on the brass... we have a problem.

But -- with those caveats -- I've found:
- Cast is very forgiving/likes the larger bullets
- Jacketed has no problem when sized to 0.356
- That throat gets people in quite a lot of trouble if they aren't aware and plan for it.
- Don't even think about Lil'Gun or H110/W296

[cwlongshot]

Simply stated, Cast aint jacketed and seating into throat/rifling goes hand in hand with better accuracy and not nearly the raise in pressures one would have if using a jacketed. Would have thought you knew this.

I always use largest cast bullet that fits.

Lil gun isnt in my vocabulary. H110/296 are fine.

CW

[mehavey]

Cast ain't jacketed and seating into throat/rifling goes hand in hand with better accuracy
and not nearly the raise in pressures one would have if using a jacketed.
Would have thought you knew this.
Uuuuuh... Isn't that what I just said ?

But -- with those caveats -- I've found:
- Cast is very forgiving/likes the larger bullets
- Jacketed has no problem when sized to 0.356

[smilie=p:

As to cast/fitment, take a look at these three bullets -- all specifically "fitted" to the freebore/throat design
https://i.postimg.cc/BvmysqqS/350-Legend-ACC36-180-LG-Norma-200-sm.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/bw7J0YPq/350-Legend-SAECO-LEE-sm.jpg

[high standard 40]

Simply stated, Cast aint jacketed and seating into throat/rifling goes hand in hand with better accuracy and not nearly the raise in pressures one would have if using a jacketed.

I always use largest cast bullet that fits.



CW

This has been my finding as well. I have a 7mm with a .284" groove that likes a .287" bullet.

[brewer12345]

Why no Lil gun? Too spiky? What if you start at a below minimum charge?

[mehavey]

Unpredictable results in the AR platform.
https://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?435242-Bullet-or-boolit-for-350-legend-355-or-357&p=5311081&viewfull=1#post5311081

[brewer12345]

Unpredictable results in the AR platform.
https://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?435242-Bullet-or-boolit-for-350-legend-355-or-357&p=5311081&viewfull=1#post5311081


Strange. Well, he only other powder I have that there seems to be data for is 2400, so perhaps I will work with that.

[cwlongshot]

There are a number of other powders!!

Most are new/not as common.

I have not used 2400 in 350. No readon it would t work I can think of. But it is dirty.

300MP, 1680, AA9 are some that immediately come to mind. I also freely use H110/296 and have never had reason not to.

As Moleman mentions this caliber has attracted many newbies. Both shooters hunters and especially Reloaders. So I feel this is a contributing factor here.

CW

[brewer12345]

There are a number of other powders!!

Most are new/not as common.

I have not used 2400 in 350. No readon it would t work I can think of. But it is dirty.

300MP, 1680, AA9 are some that immediately come to mind. I also freely use H110/296 and have never had reason not to.

As Moleman mentions this caliber has attracted many newbies. Both shooters hunters and especially Reloaders. So I feel this is a contributing factor here.

CW

That's all great, but powder availability for anything you do not already have is a problem. I am proceeding on the assumption that I can't get anything that I do not have.

[mehavey]

What [powders] do you have ?

[fastdadio]

That's all great, but powder availability for anything you do not already have is a problem. I am proceeding on the assumption that I can't get anything that I do not have.

IMR4227 is in stock at Hodgdon as of yesterday. My initial loading with it was good, and my rifle seems to favor it over w296. Plus, it's a very versatile powder across the loading bench.

[P Flados]

I have loaded lots of ammo for the 357 Max and the 357AR Max. I refuse to try Lil Gun (read too many bad stories). I have used H110 a lot, but ran into "poor ignition" issues that made me look elsewhere.

Powder Valley has Heavy Pistol (near identical to AA9) in stock.

Midsouth has AA9 in stock

Both of the above are just faster than H110, but are nicer to work with.

Just slower than H110 is AA 1680. I did not see it in stock today, but it has been in stock at multiple locations in the recent past.

In your browser make a shortcut folder with links to the "in-stock" powder / primer pages of the on-line vendors. Right click on the folder and tell it to open all in separate windows. In no time you can check on availability.

[brewer12345]

What [powders] do you have ?

Of stuff listed with loading data for 350L, LIl gun and 2400. I did gin up a low powered cast load with Unique, but that is not something I'd care to experiment with for a full power load. At least for now, I am not wild about buying additional powders until I at least try what I have.

FWIW, I fooled with Lil Gun in 357 Mag for a lever rifle. I found that it produced very accurate loads and couldn't see anything obviously wrong with the powder. Since I shoot very little 357 (mostly preferring 38s), I recorded my loads and forgot about it.

[mehavey]

FWIW: The AR Legend is the only weapons platform I had Lil'Gun problems with.
But those problems were such as to give me real time religion.

Do you have any of these powders?

Accurate 1680
Accurate 2200
Accurate 4100
Accurate 5744
Alliant Reloder- 7
Hodgdon H4198
Hodgdon H4227
IMR 4227
Norma 200
Vihtavuori N105
Vihtavuori N110

[cainttype]

Not all throats are delivered as spec-ed by SAAMI, so “most” 350Ls I’ve seen will accept .356”-.3565” diameter while one Ruger bolt would easily take .358”.
The short throat can cause problems with designs that have full diameter sections in front of the case mouth, as previously stated by mehavey.

I use the RCBS and it’s clones in several 350Ls, all different…
One is fine with the bullet seated to the crimp groove (uncrimped) and sized to .3565”, another had a tighter bore that choked on the nose diameter, so it was fire lapped till it accepted .358” bullets seated the same way.

It is worth noting that unlined barrels are easy to fire-lap, and the extra throat LENGTH you can gain will allow certain “problem” designs (WFNs, for instance) to be seated further out to a longer COAL. That small increase in both length AND diameter can be a big benefit in feeding those ARs with bullets that might otherwise never work well.

The “fire-lapped” AR now feeds WFNs like the MP 180 and NOE 180 and 195s fine. The RCBS 35-200 that wouldn’t feed well 1/8” shorter now feeds like butter with absolutely no nose damage sized at .358”.

[brewer12345]

FWIW: The AR Legend is the only weapons platform I had Lil'Gun problems with.
But those problems were such as to give me real time religion.

Do you have any of these powders?

Accurate 1680
Accurate 2200
Accurate 4100
Accurate 5744
Alliant Reloder- 7
Hodgdon H4198
Hodgdon H4227
IMR 4227
Norma 200
Vihtavuori N105
Vihtavuori N110

I do have h4198. Is there published data?

[P Flados]

I do have h4198. Is there published data?

I follow both the 350L and the 357 Max. I do not recall ever seeing published data for 4198. I have seen reports of its use with heavy bullets (180 gr or bigger) in the Max by individuals.

4198 is slower than 4227 and 4227 is a little bulkier/slower than optimum. Best velocity will be probably 100 - 200 fps less than a more optimum powder.

Most folks reporting good loads with 4227 are using compressed charges. You will probably need to work up to a fairly high amount of compression to get a reasonable load with 4198. Pressures will be lower than a more optimum powder, but your gun may like this. Since you will not be able to crimp the bullet, too much compression may contribute to bullet creep.

[mehavey]

Hodgdon H4198 is "usable ...when nothing else is available..." [smilie=b:
and while subpar velocity-wise, it's also safe... `cause you can't get
enough in the case to ever go overpressure.

[brewer12345]

Well, I came up with a specialty 350 load earlier this year: low velocity, high accuracy for short range use on muskrats and beaver. I had been using Win factory FMJ, but it was overkill for beaver and potentially explosive on 3 pound muskrats. I got a plain base copy of the 36-180 mold and cast a bunch out of range scrap with some added tin for a softish alloy. Tumble lubed and experimented with sizing and seating. 357 bullets don't feed as nicely as the 356, but they turned out to be a lot more accurate. 7 grains of unique was the accuracy charge and I seated deep. I knew these were accurate, but only had a chance to try them on game today. Did not get a shot on the sole beaver I spotted before he wisely sank below the surface, but tagged a couple of scrats. The load did the job. Not too destructive, but decisively effective. Looking forward to seeing how they do on a 40 pound beaver. I gave up on 22LR after squarely hitting a beaver in the head with a mini mag and having it fail to penetrate.

I need to size down some 35-200s and start experimenting with a full power load. A j word in my AR made quick work of a pronghorn doe this fall, but cast would be a lot neater to use.