200gr boolit loads in 38 & 357. What works for you?

[Buckshot]

............Using the Lyman 358430 specificly, or whatever 200 gr slug you're using. Just trying to see if there is a consensus on powder types, or maybe at least in burn rate types. I have a M67 S&W for the 38 Special and a Ruger BH 4-5/8" for the 357 chambering. Would kind of narrow down the field in testing, I hope.

................Buckshot

[lead Foot]

I use the RCBS 35-200-fn in my .357mag Dan Wesson 10". Very accurate 1" @ 25 meters. The best load for me is 13grains of AR2205 (H4227) at 1150 fps. I can up the load but accuracy goes out the window. I load them in 38 case's.
lead Foot.:)

[lathesmith]

Buckshot, are you looking for hot loads, mild ones, or something in between? For a hotter load, I have used that 360220 GB slug with a stout charge of lil'gun, though I doubt these would chamber in a wheelgun. I think for the 358430 I have used a decent charge of Blue dot with good success, and of course I have a few favorite lighter loads too. One of my favorites is the 358430 with a lighter charge of Bullseye; personally, I think this is a good 38 snubby load, as I get 600 fps with it and recoil don't seem to be too bad. And if you need others....
lathesmith

[EDK]

Over at lasc.us is one of Glenn Fryxell's excellent articles, A BULLET FOR ALL SEASONS, on 358627, a 215 grainer. It would be a good read just to general information on heavyweights and his load data for multiple calibers would give you a good starting point.

Glenn is THE MAN on cast boolits. He gives you a lot of hard data to back up his findings. It's hard to argue with the facts.

:cbpour::redneck::Fire:

[chickenstripe]

I just worked up a load for the RCBS 35-200-FN in 38spl cases. My 4-5/8"BH liked 10.5gr of 2400. Got accuracy of about 3" at 50yds, at about 1000fps.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=45525

In fact they looked just like lead Foot's pictures!

Tried everything from 9.0gr - 12.0gr.... the 12.0gr loads were very sticky to extract.

Of course the marlin showed a liking to the 10.0gr charge...... maybe I'll load them all to 10.25gr?

Forgot to mention that all of my testing was done without gaschecks.....

[Dan Cash]

Same slug as Leadfoot, 10gr 2400 in 357 case. I have loaded them for .38 special too but disremember the amount of 2400. They work for me.
Dan

[9.3X62AL]

With Lyman #358430, I've used 2400 and 296 in 357 Magnum for full-potential loading. VERY accurate in the BisHawk x 7.5", well past 1200 FPS without leading. All lube grooves were filled with Javelina, and a good lube star appeared at the muzzle.

In 38 Special, I run it to 700-750 FPS using Unique, 231, or Herco. I fill the 2 bottom lube grooves, and use the top groove to crimp. The 200 grainers put the Thumpimus Maximus on jackrabbits, and from the field work the boolit appears to be tumbling as it exits.

[1950Target]

200 grs are the bees knees in .38, I've got a huge stash of the Western and Winchester factory 200's that's all i carry in my cheifs.

Somebody offers a 200 gr. Keith which I would like to try to load in .38 S & W, Special and .357. Real good medicine.

I remember an article from Guns & Ammo in the late 60's where a fella shot a black bear with a Cheif and 200 gr handloads using the LYMAN .35 REM BOOLIT. He stopped it with five shots as I recall.

[336A]

Can someone post load data for this bullet as I can't seem to find any. I will be using Unique as that is all I have and the loads will be shot out of a modern 4" S&W M10 Heavy Barrel..

[GabbyM]

I noticed Lyman omitted load data on the #358430 from their 49th edition book. Good thing I have my old 45th edition. Not sure if this would be the old or new Unique. Copy write 1970.

For 357 mag and Unique they list.

start __________vel_________ Max______ vel
4.0 gr.________720fps_______5.5gr______942fps

38Special
3.0 gr_________572 fps_______4.1 gr____772fps

[Buckshot]

..............My thanks to you all for the information. I have a bunch of the Lyman 358430's cast up and wanted to try some in a 4" bbled M67 Smith 38 Special.

..............Buckshot

[missionary5155]

Good morning
When I was shooting steel with my dan Wesson 357 10 in barrel I tried the 200 and did not see much impact gain over a 180 sw GC boolit that I could drive faster and was MORE accurate in my 10" barrel. I used 296 and the charge was such that I will not post it. It was safe in my Dan as I could seat the boolit to the first Grease grove but was still compressed. IT would knock rams flat as long as I kept impact on the upper 2/3 of the ram.
In a good tight laid down position for practice I would head shoot chichens, pigs and rams. I could not quit head shoot turkeys (150 meters) all the time . That was when I was 30+ and still had 30/20 in my right eye. Now I am just a lowly 25/20 in my Right eye.
But 296 is THE most accurate powder I have yet used in my Dans...(357, 41, 375 SM). But it must be compressed with a heavy boolit.
Mike in Peru

[GabbyM]

with knocking over steel plate bullet weight doesn't help. You do need a bullet that won't shatter to send the energy out in all directions and larger slower ones are more resistant to shatter. Once your bullet starts using powder space and energy drops you're loosing ground.
Now on bowling pins the closest you can get to shooting bowling balls the better. Duration of impact comes into play to get them off the table.

Lyman does list the #358430 in all the 35 rifle calibers they cover. They show it all the way to 1912 fps from a 358 win. And 2594 in 35 Whelen. I'd think that would cause some poor accuracy with leading from a plain based boolit. But I've wandered off topic now.

[336A]

Thanks for all of the info guys it is very helpful. I also found a article done by beagle in the cast pics link at the bottom of the page. He used 4.5gr Unique for 825fps in a 4" S&W M15. It is a great read for those interested.

[9.3X62AL]

I remember an article from Guns & Ammo in the late 60's where a fella shot a black bear with a Cheif and 200 gr handloads using the LYMAN .35 REM BOOLIT. He stopped it with five shots as I recall.

I would have saved the fifth round for myself, I think. There are some "light tackle for large fish" venues that don't translate well from angling to hunting/shooting.

[MT Gianni]

I would have saved the fifth round for myself, I think. There are some "light tackle for large fish" venues that don't translate well from angling to hunting/shooting.

Al, once again your talent for word usage shines. Thanks, Gianni.