Ranch Dog TL359 for 38/357?

[Fish_N_Russ]

Anyone use his 359 190gr for 38/357 in rifle or pistol?
I am assuming it would work, but just wanted to make sure [smilie=1::Fire:

[1Shirt]

Have the mold, and like the way it looks, and intend to shoot it in my mod 94 357, using some of the old Lyman listed loads for the old round nose 200 grainer, and work up. Spring is coming.
1Shirt!:coffee:

[Old Ironsights]

I think you are asking for trouble in .357s (levers... SS OK) if you use .357 cases. Ogive is just too long. (see Junior's stuff on how the .300 358180RF has to be tweaked... IIRC the RD is .380...)

Out of .38 brass in a .357 it might be OK though.

[jblee10]

I seated some Ranch Dog 359-190-rf bullets in some dummy rounds last night. The OAL of a 357 magnum round is 1.668 and will fit in a S&W 686 but will not feed in a Rossi 92. In fact it really ties the gun up and takes some effort to get going again. Using a 38 Special case and seated to the crimp groove closest to the base of the bullet the length is 1.589 inches and feeds slick in my 92. A 38 case with the bullet seated deep the the crimp groove closest to the nose measures 1.525 inches. This looks like a great bullet. Just hope my 92 can stabilize it. I get good accuracy from Lyman 358429 bullets loaded in 38 cases pushed fairly hot so have some good expectations for the Ranch Dog 359-190-rf

[OldBob]

I'm using it in a 336 Marlin .35 Remington and in a Handi-Rifle .357 MAX, works great in both of them. I am really sold on this design, it was very easy to find a good load for and I'm pushing it at jacketed bullet speeds with little or no leading. My opinion is you couldn't go wrong with this boolit as long as it will feed in your rifle.

[Tom Myers]

Before Clymer Reamers closed access to their website reamer dimension pages, I saved some of their dimension values.

For the 357 Mag Barrel Reamer they indicated a 6.5 degree step-leade cone for the throat.

The composite images below will show the fit in that chamber and also the fit in a chamber with a nearly non-existent throat using a 38 special case and crimping in the rear crimp groove.

Tom Myers
Precision Ballistics and Records (http://www.tmtpages.com)

http://www.tmtpages.com/LinkSkyImages/forum_images/357MagChamber/357_Magnum_Clymer_Reamer~RANCH_DOG'S_TLC359-190-RF.Jpg


http://www.tmtpages.com/LinkSkyImages/forum_images/357MagChamber/357_Magnum_SAMMI~RANCH_DOG'S_TLC359-190-RF.Jpg

[looseprojectile]

I use the RD 359 190 in the Rossi carbine and an N frame S&W.
I have tried triming .357 cases [about .025"] to make them short enough to feed in the Rossi. Works. I won't continue this practice though.
They won't fit the S&W.
I have resigned myself to just using .38 special cases with this boolit, crimp in the lower crimp groove, no problems with stability in either gun.
The S&W needs a smaller, .358 dia. boolit for good fit in the cylinder throat.
LilGun powder is your friend.
If you don't want real powerful loads a lighter boolit will work better, generally.
I wanted a real deer stomper load and have accomplished that. Some of the other 180 grain boolits with a large meplat and shorter nose will be in my future.
Trade off a little boolit weight for a little increase in velocity,and a better fit.
The RD 190 at about 1600 fps will blow right through five one gallon plastic jugs of water and kick up a lot of dirt behind them. I try to make my RD 190s fairly soft.
I like them.

Life is good