357 Maximum carbine using Lee 358-200 need opinions

[cumminsnut76]

I am currently waiting on a barrel to get back from JES Reboring that I am looking to start casting for. It will not be a high volume deal so I am looking at the Lee 358-200 2 cavity. my questions is behind a moderate load how would you cast for this bullet? I have lots of wheel weights and pure lead. Powder coat or regular lube and size?( I have a lyman 45) Gas check or not? Just looking for opinions. Barrel is 23" and while I don't plan to hot rod this thing I would like to put a fair amount of power behind it. How fast do you think I can run a powder coated WW bullet with and without gas check? mainly going to use for plinking and deer hunting in Missouri.

[Txcowboy52]

Wheel weights ,maybe a little tin to help fill out, and powder coating . Been shooting in a contender barrel , 14in. with good results.

[dannyd]

Get the Six cavity mold it's doesn't cost much more and it cast way better. Out of 357 maximum WW and a gas check will do just fine. I shoot that bullet out of my 357 magnum Encore with 16" MGM barrel and a Ruger Bisley with a 7.5 in barrel.

I don't do powder coating, but with a good lube and Gas check, you will run out of velocity before you get any leading.

[quilbilly]

I already have a T/C carbine in 357 max and that 200 gr Lee mold. I learned early on that putting that boolit with a hot load in that very lightweight carbine is not fun to shoot but does shoot well even when it felt like the vibration of the carbine (not recoil) would rattle the fillings out of my teeth. That being said, I decided that an MV of about 1600 fps would work just fine on average to smaller (250# or less) black bear out to 80 yards so it is now my light bear rifle for close range. With a relatively soft lead boolit like the Lee at an MV of 1450fps, any deer within iron sight range (what I use) would be in serious jeopardy. For practice loads, I use the Lyman 170 gr Keith style SWC at 1300 fps making it quite pleasant to shoot and would work just fine on deer as well.

[dannyd]

I already have a T/C carbine in 357 max and that 200 gr Lee mold. I learned early on that putting that boolit with a hot load in that very lightweight carbine is not fun to shoot but does shoot well even when it felt like the vibration of the carbine (not recoil) would rattle the fillings out of my teeth. That being said, I decided that an MV of about 1600 fps would work just fine on average to smaller (250# or less) black bear out to 80 yards so it is now my light bear rifle for close range. With a relatively soft lead boolit like the Lee at an MV of 1450fps, any deer within iron sight range (what I use) would be in serious jeopardy. For practice loads, I use the Lyman 170 gr Keith style SWC at 1300 fps making it quite pleasant to shoot and would work just fine on deer as well.


According to all the books, 1637 fps is the optimum velocity for a 200 grain cast bullet, so you basically got it right on the money. I like the 170 Keith bullet too.

[farmerjim]

I shoot it out of my 357 handy rifle. All my load data is down in my barn and I don't remember it, but it shoots great.

[MT Gianni]

Get a 6 cavity mold so that you can plainbase 3 of the cavities. I have always show PB better than checked bullets without checks.

[cumminsnut76]

Get a 6 cavity mold so that you can plainbase 3 of the cavities. I have always show PB better than checked bullets without checks.

Mt Gianni, what’s the best way to plane base the cavities?

[TD1886]

I already have a T/C carbine in 357 max and that 200 gr Lee mold. I learned early on that putting that boolit with a hot load in that very lightweight carbine is not fun to shoot but does shoot well even when it felt like the vibration of the carbine (not recoil) would rattle the fillings out of my teeth. That being said, I decided that an MV of about 1600 fps would work just fine on average to smaller (250# or less) black bear out to 80 yards so it is now my light bear rifle for close range. With a relatively soft lead boolit like the Lee at an MV of 1450fps, any deer within iron sight range (what I use) would be in serious jeopardy. For practice loads, I use the Lyman 170 gr Keith style SWC at 1300 fps making it quite pleasant to shoot and would work just fine on deer as well.

I got a 350 Legend AR15 and when you push it, it's like you said....shock wave through the carbine....not bad on recoil. I tried that Lyman 170 grain and it didn't shoot very accurate. It does love the Lee 200 grain and the Mihec 217 grain hollow point. Those two are very accurate.

WW's air cooled are fine for pc, but you don't need the extra tin. You can push them very fast.

[P Flados]

I have been shooting 357 Max since I bought my brand new Dan Wesson revolver.

In 2015 I got the Lee 200 mold.

I shot it powder coated and no check to full power with no problem. I would try some loads this way before doing anything else. If they shoot as good for you as mine did, you will probably want to smile and say to yourself "don't mess with success".

In most cases, the Lee bullet did almost as good or better than the best groups I ever shot with each gun (including J word loads).

I started loading it with 296/H110 but had ignition issues with a batch of powder. I tried H4227 and found a load that shot good, but it had issues with temperature sensitivity. I ended up with Wc 680 (milsurp version of 1680) and found that all of my 357 max guns liked this powder loaded to right at 102% fill.

[quilbilly]

Something worth considering although it costs a little more is the NOE 360-182 WFN. At first glance, it looks to be a serious hunting boolit. I have not tried it in my max (yet!) but used it last year in my Ruger 77/357. My mold is plain base rather than gas check. I have been pushing it to almost 1400 fps with no leading and with little recoil issue. In the near future I will start shooting it in my max when I switch out barrels in preparation for bear season in a month. I will bet I will be pleased with the result.

[MT Gianni]

Mt Gianni, what’s the best way to plane base the cavities?

I am a cheap sob, so I took a drill press that runs with minimal run out, a level bed and machinest vice, and drilled them out at the lowest speed possible. Got a slightly larger bit and made sure I marked my travel limit. Best way is probably to send it off and pay the fees. A sizing die does cover a lot of mistakes. I would also look at buying NOE or Accurate mold and getting one made that was a split design, gc and pb.

[Rapier]

Saeco sells the old RCBS plain base 200 grain flat nose iron mould I use the plain base for PC bullets, wore out three RCBS GC moulds, shooting 357-8s in competition over a 40 year period. All replaced by RCBS.