Shooting cast bullets from 686ssr

[hhagan]

Hello Cast Boolit forum members.

A question regarding cast plain base vs gas checked bullets in my S and W 686SSR 357 revolver with 4" barrel and polygonal rifling.

I read the Glock thread with interest. I have been shooting only jacketed through this particular revolver for fear of intoleralble leading and pressure issues.

Is anyone aware of a problem shooting cast out of any S and W revolver?

Do gas checks eliminate the concerns over the potential for leading and pressure problems in any handgun with polygonal rifling? I use Lyman 358156 GC in several other traditionally rifled 357 revolvers with great accuracy.

Any thoughts or experience appreciated!

HJHagan

[felix]

Never assume anything when developing loads. Always check for increasing problems when shooting a string. Hopefully, there will be none, and you can then consider that load as the One for that gun. So, with the experience level you have indicated by your post, stay with the checked boolits for a while longer and let your confidence increase so changes can be made without qualms later. ... felix

[bobthenailer]

i wasent aware that s &w used polygon rifling on there revolvers! all that i owen or ever owned all had convential rifling. probely 30 total revolvers

[bobthenailer]

i just talked to a friend who has a 686 ssr and he was surprised when i asked him if his has polygon rifling! he said he did not think so and he has shot several hundred rounds of lead bullets with no problems so far!

[sleeper1428]

Hello Cast Boolit forum members.

A question regarding cast plain base vs gas checked bullets in my S and W 686SSR 357 revolver with 4" barrel and polygonal rifling.

I read the Glock thread with interest. I have been shooting only jacketed through this particular revolver for fear of intoleralble leading and pressure issues.

Is anyone aware of a problem shooting cast out of any S and W revolver?

Do gas checks eliminate the concerns over the potential for leading and pressure problems in any handgun with polygonal rifling? I use Lyman 358156 GC in several other traditionally rifled 357 revolvers with great accuracy.

Any thoughts or experience appreciated!

HJHagan

Okay, first off I have to agree with the comment made by someone else regarding the fact that S&W revolvers have always used conventional cut rifling rather than polygonal rifling. I have a 686SS 6" barrel that I purchased well over 20 years ago and it most certainly has cut rifling. As far as shooting cast boolits, either PB or GC'd, I've put a LOT of both through my 686 and have had virtually no problems with leading. I use my own equivalent of Taracorp Magnum Alloy, also known as Hard Cast, which is a 2-6-92 alloy and I size my boolits to .359. As I said, I've never had a real problem with leading, even when I drive GC'd boolits at suggested Jacketed bullet velocities. Same holds true in my two other 357 wheelguns, a GP100 4" barrel and a Taurus 65 2" barrel.

sleeper1428

[dubber123]

The new Smiths have an EDM produced rifling, (not cut). This rifling has a tapered edge to the lands, but I would stop short of calling it "Polygonal". It definately does have a different "look" to it. Cast is absolutely fine in it, my newer 625 has this type of rifling, and it has had the bore brushed maybe twice in the last 7,000 or so rounds, (seriously). It's clean as a whistle. Heavy plain base loads MAY lead in your .357, but they MAY also lead in a conventionally barreled .357 too. I would treat it just like any other revolver. Have fun.

[gon2shoot]

I have a 646 that I shoot cast through, seems to be more picky about lube than anything else.

[bobthenailer]

i have 2 edm cut barrels , from nowlin , 1 a 45 acp and the other 38 super on the 1911 platform, after smoothing with some jacketed bullets they work fine with lead ! as a matter of fact all i shoot is lead out of either barrel , after the break in with jacketed