.357 Mag loads for 105, and 125 gr. boolits

[NHlever]

I've loaded .38 Special, and .357 Mag. cartridges for more years than I would care to admit, but I've never used the lighter cast boolits. Recently I picked up the Lee 358-105 SWC, and Lee 358-125 RNFP molds, and cast up a bunch of boolits. I'm looking for some good load suggestions for the .38 Special, .357 Mag, and 9mm using these boolits. I have Unique, W-231, Titegroup, Red Dot, HS-6, Power Pistol, etc. powders. Has anyone had good results with these short boolits using .38 Special cases in the .357? They seem a bit short for that. Thanks for your help.

[Wally]

I've done well with the Lee 105 SWC and the 125 RF in the .357 magnum using both .38 Spec & .357 magnum brass--I prefer using the .38 Special brass. I use Bullseye--4.0 grains...very accurate in my pistols. W-231 will also work nicely---I have not tried with the other powders that you mentioned. These are economy loads for plinking so the fastest powders are best, however be extra careful not to double charge a case--place charges cases in a loading block and inspect with a flashlight to verify that all have the same level of powder.

[mooman76]

Good little accurate plinking bullet. I just used the data for the closest bullet weight over that I could find and worked up a little. I used Unique mostly.

[LeadIsBest]

I just recently purchased the 125 rnfp myself for 38spl. Great in that caliber but I thought I would just see what happens in a full 357mag load. I have loaded 17.0g 2400 for years with jacketed 125g bullets so just as an experiment I tried it with this mould. I fully expected to get dinner plate size groups but to my surprise they were <2” at 25 yards. I am using water dropped WW alloy and they drop out at 130grains. About 1480fps out of my 4” GP100 and no leading. I couldn’t believe it!

For 38spl +p I used 4.8grains Bullseye for just under 900fps out of my 2” j-frame


My mould design is different than the picture in the Midway catalog. Shaped more like a jacketed 125 grain soft point. Great mould! Well worth 18 bucks

[Wally]

Using the Lee 125 RNF .38 Cal bullet and 6.0 grains of Bullesye in my M27 .357 Magnum (w/.357 Magnum brass) I got just under 1,200 FPS--it was quite accurate.

[rayzer]

I use the Lee .38-105 SWC. in .38 special cases. One gun likes 3.0 gr. of Clays, the other 2 like 4.2 gr. of Titegroup.

[NHlever]

This is great input, and I thank everyone that is contributing! Interesting about the full house loads too! I hadn't thought, or been brave enough to try that.......... glad someone else went first. My alloy is closer to 1-16, and is not water dropped so I'll sneak up on that one. The first ones I tried in 38 Special cases were sized at .357 because my two Security Sixes like that size with heavy boolits, but I may try .358, or more with these shorter bearing surface boolits.