38/357 Lee molds

[JSH]

Any input on any of the Lee standard 6 banger molds? I am fooling with the revolters abit and don't want to buy any factory CB's. I am thinking a TC type nose may work better in a speed loader. But, what kind of accuracy can I expect from them. I am refering to the lee mold that is thrown into 9mm/38. Do any of you have one of these, and if so are they dropping large enough so there wouldn't be a leading problem. I have a couple of PB type molds now, but am always looking for somthing better. The two I have now are Lyman 358311 4 banger and a RCBS 38-150SWC DC. Both drop a realy nice bullet. I am just wanting to gain more ground with a 6 banger on what time I have to cast.
I am looking into maybe playing the action pistol game at my club.
To be honest with you I have never even made it out to watch. It sounds interesting enough and thought I would give it a try. The "warden" has already looked down her nose at me on this. I did tell here that it would not involve having to buy a new gun. Yet, lol. I didn't mention the need for speed loaders and a new holster.
I prefer a wheel gun to an auto, just a personal preference, if it doesn't say SW, Colt or FA on it I don't have much interest.
As to figuring what to size projectiles at. Slug the cylinder and hope it is larger than the forcing cone? Is there a thread on "how to size properly" on revolvers?
The victim of this will be a S&W 19 with a 4" barrel.
Thanks in advance once again.
Jeff

[Dale53]

Jeff;
I have put my money where my mouth is. I have a six cavity Lee mould ordered for the Lee .358-158-RF. These look to me like they will work VERY well with quick loaders. I plan for them to, at any rate. I have shot a great deal of PPC in the past and also some revolver IPSC work with the Lyman round nose. This seems to be a much more practical design with its wide meplat and yet the taper of the nose appears to be workable with a quick loader. If the dern thing ever gets here, I'll find out!

Mine'll be put to use with a K-38, an Airweight snubby and an "L" frame 4" .357 "Treasury model.

Dale53

[slughammer]

For most of the action pistol games you are going to want to go with a 150 gr and up bullet. Easier to make the required power factors and take down the steel with the heavier bullets.

I think the 358311 is about ideal weight wise, but I'm not sure about the shoulder for speed loading. For practice I've been using the Lee 356-125 2R, mine drops big enough to size at .358. For matches I'm still trying to find a mold I like so I use a commercial cast 150gr in a similar design ( no shoulder). I have a 1 cavity 358311 that I borrowed and I need to cast up enough to test for accuracy and speed loading.

I've been looking for a Lee 6 cavity 150gr 2R and even placed an add in the classifieds here, but no takers.

The 2R nose is the best for a speed loader. On a K-frame you could get away with a TC if you have one, but I wouldn't go out and buy one.

[Dale53]

In the past, I used the Lyman 358311 (I have a Lyman 4 cavity mould for it) with speed loaders and I had absolutely NO problems with that bullet. It shot well and loaded near perfectly. However, I ordered the new bullet (Lee 158 RF) mould because it has a nice meplat and would work well for serious use. The 358311 is NOT a bullet that I would hunt with (or defend with) but the Lee bullet should work well in either capacity.

Of course, for the smaller big game that I would use a .357 for I would prefer a 180 RF for better penetration. However, for defense the 158 RF should work just fine. I also prefer that it be plain base for my intended uses.

Dale53

[RayinNH]

Dale53, I use the Lee 158RF in my two Rugers, a Blackhawk and Service-Six. Accuracy is very good and it's also an easy boolit to cast. You'll like it a lot...Ray

[Dale53]

RayNH;
Thanks for the encouraging words. I am looking forward to using them.

Dale53

[redneckdan]

i have a lee 150 flat point, they drop right in to the cylinders, I taper crimp right were the nose angle starts. I also found that if you seat keith type wadcutters with a medium roll crimper over the shoulder, they will drop right into the cylinders.

[Sven Dufva]

Im very pleased with lee six cavity 358-105 swc in competision. Low recoil so you can be fast.
For me the six cavity 358-158 SWCGC is very bad, i have tried it in many loads but nothings work. No accuracy

[fourarmed]

Jeff,
Warren knows about as much about that sort of thing as anybody I know, and he likes truncated cones for speedloading. Margaret likes the plain old 158 RN that I bought commercially in the past. I also crimp 358429 over the shoulder. That extra weight comes in handy on some of the heavier steel targets. I have a 4-cav for it.

[gbair]

Hi Jeff,

I use the Lee 158RF. Good bullet, works well with speed loader in GP-100. When water quenched, I've loaded it comparable to my 158 gr jacket load using 2400. It performs very well. It does better than I expected out of my 10" .357 Mag Contender at long range. For long range matches, I still use the jacketed bullets in my Contender.

I like heavier bullets. Therefore, I've been sizing the water quenched bullets down to .356 and I have been loading them in my 9mm using starting loads for 147gr bullets. Accuracy has been exceptional. Word of warning, I have to turn my Springfield upside down pointed down range to feed the first bullet in. When closing the slide normally, the bullet with its flat nose will occasionally stick right at the feed ramp. After the first bullet is seated, I have had no problems with FTF or jambs. It has been a lot of fun using this bullet in my 9mm. I seat the bullet out to normal length. I have experienced no pressure problems loading it in this manner. I wish the bullet nose was a little more rounded because it would make a great steel plate load!

Regards,
Greg

[JSH]

Thanks all for the input. I had a bunch of remington 357, 125 JHP's laying around loaded and shot them throught the SW. I had not done an real shooting with this for quit a while, the 125's just amazed me at how well the shot, I am a fair shot, but when I was shooting DA at 25 yards and had a 6 shot group right at 1 1/2" I was excited. I don't think the 125's will have enough energy to do what may need to be done on the steel poppers?
I have a bunch , 2500+ of 38's loaded with an unknown load with CB's. They shoot, but not even close to what I shot the 125's at. They are dirty to fool with but I am using them up slowly but surely. I have no idea what powder they were loaded with, but the stuff is sure smokey and leaves a lot of dang near soot on the cylinder.
I got the Dillon SDB fired up and running, kerplunked out a 100 of the 358311 and a 3.6 of Bullseye to try. I don't think they may be running fast enough but my alloy is dropping them at 165. That particular mold, 4C, seems to do well with a cooler alloy once it gets to temp. May be why they are a bit on the heavy side, but they are sure pretty.

Bob. could you fill me in a bit as to what the requiremnts are for shooting the action pistol at TriCty? I have talked to some of ones that shoot it regularly, but get a some what mixed answer. I know that spped and accuracy are the thing. I figure to get the accuracy part and the speed will fall into place. I have also been looking about a holster. Is there any particular angle or set up needed? I have looked at the "Fobus" and they seem to be a decent rig.
I would like to visit with Chuck some, but have not crossed paths with him lately. Who knows, I may even shoot the old SW wheel gun in the outdoor bullseye, double handed of course, as that is natural for me. Would that make me eligable for another sandbag? LOL
Oh, one main question wilst I have your ear. Where would be a good zero, distance wise? Center at 25 yards?

[fourarmed]

Jeff, the accuracy requirements for most of that shooting are nowhere near what you need for silhouette or bullseye. If you can shoot those 125s double action into groups three times the size you mentioned, and do it all the time, you are good to go.

I would say at first that most any old holster would work. The difference between a fast draw and a so-so draw is a fraction of a second, and most of their stages take lots of shooting and several reloads. Hitting the targets every time and reloading without fumbling are more important. I would go with something that you might want to carry that Model 19 in for other uses, rather than a race holster. It's not a race gun anyway.

I think a 25 or 30 yard zero would be fine. They occasionally have stages with longer ranges, but not much. And you won't shoot over closer targets enough to worry about.

Tactics are important in that kind of shooting. If you are hosing plates, for instance, don't wait to see if they fall. Shoot at every one of them, then go back and get the ones that didn't fall. Much faster.