125 RNFP in 357 Magnum

[ShrinkMD]

Any ideas on loads using Power Pistol or 2400? I bought the Dardas cast, and they seem different shaped than the 2 lyman ones in the 49th edition. They also have a much shorter OAL, 1.494 instead of 1.585 or 1.590? I compared these bullets to some 125 JHP from Montana Gold, and you can see that the crimp groove on the RNFP and the cannelure on the JHP are almost in the same spot. I think you could end up seating the lead bullets a tiny bit deeper into the case, but they are close.

Can I safely use the data for the other 125 gr lead bullets? I made up some with 2400 from 10 gr to 15.5 gr

[skeet1]

You should be able to use data for other 125 gr. lead boolits, just start low and work up to what you want watching for signs of pressure and also your barrel for any leading that might be occurring.
I am unfamiliar with Dardas but I take it that these are commercial cast boolits is that right? Other things to be aware of are diameter of the boolit and the hardness or lack there of.

Ken

[EdS]

ShrinkMD:

I like 10 - 13 gr. of Alliant 2400 in my .357 Mag revolvers behind several different weight cast boolits. However, I don't think 2400 is the best choice for cast, and half as much Unique gives me excellent accuracy and all of the velocity I want right up to where leading begins. Over many years, this point has averaged around 1100 fps with my alloys and plain based boolits. With gas checks, I like 2400 and 296 for the extra velocity that the GCs will allow without leading. -Ed

[ShrinkMD]

Leading so far hasn't been an issue for me (unless I don't know its there!) I haven't used gas checks, and I've been zinging lead bullets out at up to 1250 in my 357 (14.5 gr of 2400 and a 158 LSWC) They are the Dardascast, BHN 16 or so. So far so good with those loads, I was just hoping to approximate a 125JHP without the expense of using jacketed bullets.

[ShrinkMD]

Well, I got a chance to shoot them the other day, and here is what I found. Overall I did not enjoy shooting them, they seemed off, and the accuracy wasn't so hot. I then switched over to a box of my 158 gr SWC over 14.5 gr of 2400, and they were all dead in the center of the target. I like the idea of cheaper bullets to simulate the 125gr JHP round, but these just didn't do it for me. They went faster than some loads I made up with Montana Gold 125 JHP, however!

New Starline Brass
Federal SP Primer
2400 powder
Dardas Cast 125 gr RNFP 0.358
686 4" barrel

10gr
High: 972.4
Low: 850.1
E.S.: 122.3
Ave.: 923
S.D.: 26.6
95%: 13.1

11gr
High: 1087
Low: 998.3
E.S.: 88.7
Ave.: 1045
S.D.: 26.8
95%: 13.2

12 gr
High: 1177
Low: 1044
E.S.: 133
Ave.: 1130.7
S.D.: 35.9
95%: 17.7

13 gr
High: 1243
Low: 1180
E.S.: 63
Ave.: 1208.9
S.D.: 20.4
95%: 16.3

14 gr
High: 1287
Low: 1158
E.S.: 129
Ave.: 1214.8
S.D.: 37.2
95%: 29.6

15 gr
High: 1319
Low: 1224
E.S.: 95
Ave.: 1260.7
S.D.: 36.6
95%: 29.1

15.5 gr
High: 1314
Low: 1251
E.S.: 63
Ave.: 1288.5
S.D.: 23
95%: 18.3

It's pretty funny that the lead bullets were going substantially faster than the jacketed rounds for the same weight, and a way lower powder charge! I shot some of the 125gr JHP bullets with 17.0 gr of 2400, and here is what they did:
High: 1290
Low: 1152
E.S.: 138
Ave.: 1232.2
S.D.: 30.2
95%: 14.9

I'm sticking with my 14.5 gr 2400 158 gr LSWC load. But it was fun to try.

[Wally]

I shoot the Lee 125 RNF bullet in the .357 Magnum and use 5.5 of Bullsesye..get 1,100 FPS in my pistols and 1,365 in a Marlin 1894C... I see no reason to push it faster--quite accurate and low recoil. One uses little powder with it making it a most economical load--great plinking load. As I recall years ago when I had to have hot loads--I used 9.0 grains of Unque---which was better than using Blue Dot or 2400.

[ShrinkMD]

Actually, the lower charges were more accurate than the faster ones. Which is odd, since my 158 swc loads seem to do better at 14.5 of 2400. And the same bullet is most accurate out of 38 special cases with only 2.8 of Bullseye. At that point I figure it's cheaper and less reloading time to just shoot 22lr from my 617 revolver.

I might order another box and try out your load.

[Wally]

IMHO a reloader should use tailored loads for the type of shooting that they want to do--for paper punching, use a WC...for hunting--use a heavy SWC type bullet, for plinking use a lighter bullet with fast burning powder..basically to save powder and lead.

I've used Bullseye for quite sometime--lately I have been using Red Dot more as I've found it to be 30% fluffier than Bullseye and I get less spread with it.

[GH1]

Typically lead bullets go faster than jacketed bullets, all things being equal. Lead is a little bit more slippery than copper and that accounts for the difference.
I use Dardas 158's in both my revolver and levergun and they seem to shoot OK. But you may be a little more demanding than me.
I didn't see a mention of any leading , did you have any?
GH1

[bcp477]

A clarification, not meaning to be a pain about it, but..... lead actually has a higher coefficient of friction against steel than does copper. It seems weird that this would be the case, but it is.

The reasons that better velocity is typically attained with lead than copper jacketed are two-fold : first, the lube used with lead bullets cuts friction substantially.....and second, lead alloys, being softer than copper,tend to obdurate and engrave at lower pressures and are thus "easier" to push down the bore. Of course, as everyone here knows, using un-jacketed lead without lube would cause severe leading in the barrel - so a direct, side by side test of this is impractical - but it is true.

Anyway, just to clarify.....those are the facts.

[MikeG70]

My plink/practice load is 4.0 gr of Trail Boss under the 125. Very accurate in my GP-100 with 4" barrel, very little recoil and about 1000 fps.