I Need Load Data for the NOE 155 gr. WC

[Treetop]

Last July, during NOE's sale, I bought a 5 cavity .360" 155 gr. mould. Now I have a large pile of beautiful boolits (3:1 SOWW:COWW) and I have some questions before I proceed. My boolits weigh 157 gr. as cast

1) Do you lubricate all of the lube grooves and crimp over the top of the boolit? or...

2) Leave the top groove dry and use it for a crimp groove?

3) I have Bullseye, Red Dot, and 231 available. Any powder charge recommendations?

These loads will be plinking loads for my S&W model 10, S&W model 27, and my Ruger BH. I will most likely put these up in .38 Special cases. Thanks, Tt.

[rintinglen]

I prefer to lube only one groove. Extensive testing back in the 60's and 70's showed that accuracy was generally better when only one groove was lubed, IIRC, E. H.Harrison wrote an extensive piece on his experiments. I usually crimp in the crimp groove, if one is provided. Otherwise, I crimp over the shoulder of flush seated WC's. IME, accuracy is better when the boolit projects into the throat of the revolver chamber, at least with cast boolits.

[MT Gianni]

Use data for any 148-160 gr wadcutter. With a good lube your best accuracy should be with one groove only lubed, bottom rather than top. Experiment if you wish by lubing 50 or more with 3 and then two grooves, Write down how long it takes to get a lube star. If you use a lower quality lube you may need 2 grooves. As a friend says "Lube doesn't matter until it does".

[Treetop]

Thanks guys, I had no idea about lubing only the bottom one or two grooves to improve accuracy! I'm glad I posted before I started lube/sizing! I use White Label BAC on everything. Tt.

[rintinglen]

For pure shooting bliss, try 2.8 grains of Bullseye or Red Dot, or 3.2 grains of WW-231 in your 38's. IIRC, the 358-155 NOE is virtually identical to the 358-495, but runs 10-12 grains heavier. Any starting load for that Cartridge/boolit comb should shoot great. 2.4 grains of Titewad will also be fine. For many years, the 38 button-nose Wadcutter was the standard against which all other loads were judged.

[UnderDawgAl]

Agree with rintinglen's post immediately above. I prefer 3.2 grains or so of W231 or Green Dot.