Yet another 357 hunting boolit question

I've got a 180 gr rf that I got off a group buy here many moons ago. It works great in my Henry Lever action. I run into problems with this boolit in my GP100. When seated to the crimp groove its hard to chamber in the Gp100. The boolit hits the throat of the cylinder. I know that I could seat the boolit past the crimp groove or slightly shorten the case but I was thinking of going another way. I also have the Lyman Keith style 173 gr hollow point mold. I am currently using 11 gr 2400 and it works well. I haven't chrono'd it yet but I think its moving about 1000-1100 fps out of the 6 inch barrel. Two things, do you think that this is fast enough and will the HP boolit penetrate our Oklahoma deer (not big) on broad side shots. I prefer two holes. I don't know how fast I can push this plain based boolit before it starts to lead. Anybody using this?

Siamese4570

I use the Keith boolit in my 357 maximum carbine and that 183 gr RF in my Ruger 77/357. Both are fine shooters and outstanding hunting boolits. In both I have pushed those plain base boolits to almost 1400 fps with not a hint of leading. A hollow point isn't necessary and you should get full penetration easily as long as the terminal velocity is above 900 fps. My lube is nothing fancy, just Lee Alox, and I am sizing to 358.

Contact Fermin Garza. He does excellent work opening up the throats so the heavier carbine style bullets will seat in the crimp groove and chamber easily. He's done several for me so I could use the MP carbine bullet in 357 mag and maximum.

You could also size the nose smaller so it fits the cylinder throat.

My Lyman 358429 (170 grs) loaded with 11.0 grs 2400 in new 38 Special cases get 1,171 fps chronographed from Ruger 4 5/8 inch Blackhawk and very accurate. 11.0 grs 2400 loaded with same 358429 in 357 Magnum cases gets 1,136 fps with 1.553” OAL in same gun. Load them 1.553” (per Lyman manual) in 357 Mag cases, which requires crimping over the front shoulder, and you’ll also see better accuracy. You should be getting about 1,175 to 1,200 fps in your six inch. Probably go through any Whitetail around

I use 11-12 BNH hardness sized .358 and don’t get any leading. Leading is more a problem when your bullet is undersized to your gun as some rightly noted. Know your gun, know your bullet…

There are a lot of factors here, but in my 5" GP100, I can get the NOE version to 1350 fps with very good accuracy. I prefer a lighter Bluedot load which is closer to 1250 fps though. Mine are 1.645" OAL. I've not seen a deer shot with a hollow point version of this bullet yet. Solids worked. I've been most impressed with the shallow HP cup point, and 20:1 alloy. I've seen a ton of variation of hollow points for this bullet. Some are very shallow. Some, like this NOE are giant, and are more suited to 38 special.

Following the thread with interest as I hope to get my 357 to the woods in a few weeks. My 44's are po'ed.
Trying not to derail the OP's thread and if not appropriate please chastise me accordingly.

I am shooting a 170g 15 bhn SWC from a 5" GP100. Velocity is reported to be 1300 fps. Am likely to see any expansion on deer at 25~40 yard ranges? Pigs are also on the menu but methinks my long guns are the better choice for them.

Again, my apologies.