350 Legend and Cast Boolits

[P Flados]

Brewer,

Your bolt action allows much more flexibility and may help with feeding the 200 as compared to the typical AR.

My 357AR Max did very good with my custom 200 NLG (2 moa at 200 yards), but the gun seemed to like this bullet better pushed real hard (2050 fps and more pressure than my primers were happy with).

Hopefully you can find an accuracy spot closer to you desired velocity.

As for diameter, with PC there is no reason to go so big with bullet unless you have slugged you barrel and it is bigger than typical. If you have other sizers, I would go closer to somewhere between groove diameter + 0.0005" to groove diameter + 0.0015".

I ran Quickload with the Lee 200 and Unique to give you an idea of charge vs. speed.

Cartridge          : .350 Legend
Bullet             : .358, 200, LEE C358-200-RF
Useable Case Capaci: 24.853 grain H2O = 1.614 cm³
Cartridge O.A.L. L6: 2.070 inch = 52.58 mm
Barrel Length      : 16.4 inch = 415.9 mm
Powder             : Alliant UNIQUE

Step    Fill. Charge   Vel.  Energy   Pmax   Pmuz  Prop.Burnt B_Time
 %       %    Grains   fps   ft.lbs    psi    psi      %        ms
-50.0   34     5.00    985     431   11440   1108    100.0    2.074
-45.0   37     5.50   1043     484   13488   1200    100.0    1.924
-40.0   41     6.00   1098     536   15692   1291    100.0    1.796
-35.0   44     6.50   1151     588   18050   1382    100.0    1.688
-30.0   47     7.00   1201     641   20563   1472    100.0    1.596
-25.0   51     7.50   1249     693   23231   1562    100.0    1.515
-20.0   54     8.00   1296     746   26054   1651    100.0    1.444
-15.0   58     8.50   1341     799   29034   1739    100.0    1.381
-10.0   61     9.00   1385     852   32173   1826    100.0    1.324
-05.0   64     9.50   1427     905   35475   1912    100.0    1.273
+00.0   68    10.00   1469     958   38942   1998    100.0    1.226

[brewer12345]

Brewer,

Your bolt action allows much more flexibility and may help with feeding the 200 as compared to the typical AR.

My 357AR Max did very good with my custom 200 NLG (2 moa at 200 yards), but the gun seemed to like this bullet better pushed real hard (2050 fps and more pressure than my primers were happy with).

Hopefully you can find an accuracy spot closer to you desired velocity.

As for diameter, with PC there is no reason to go so big with bullet unless you have slugged you barrel and it is bigger than typical. If you have other sizers, I would go closer to somewhere between groove diameter + 0.0005" to groove diameter + 0.0015".

I ran Quickload with the Lee 200 and Unique to give you an idea of charge vs. speed.

Cartridge          : .350 Legend
Bullet             : .358, 200, LEE C358-200-RF
Useable Case Capaci: 24.853 grain H2O = 1.614 cm³
Cartridge O.A.L. L6: 2.070 inch = 52.58 mm
Barrel Length      : 16.4 inch = 415.9 mm
Powder             : Alliant UNIQUE

Step    Fill. Charge   Vel.  Energy   Pmax   Pmuz  Prop.Burnt B_Time
 %       %    Grains   fps   ft.lbs    psi    psi      %        ms
-50.0   34     5.00    985     431   11440   1108    100.0    2.074
-45.0   37     5.50   1043     484   13488   1200    100.0    1.924
-40.0   41     6.00   1098     536   15692   1291    100.0    1.796
-35.0   44     6.50   1151     588   18050   1382    100.0    1.688
-30.0   47     7.00   1201     641   20563   1472    100.0    1.596
-25.0   51     7.50   1249     693   23231   1562    100.0    1.515
-20.0   54     8.00   1296     746   26054   1651    100.0    1.444
-15.0   58     8.50   1341     799   29034   1739    100.0    1.381
-10.0   61     9.00   1385     852   32173   1826    100.0    1.324
-05.0   64     9.50   1427     905   35475   1912    100.0    1.273
+00.0   68    10.00   1469     958   38942   1998    100.0    1.226

PF, thank you very much. That is fantastic. I am planning on casting my plain base boolits out of softer alloy to up the chances that obturation happens at relatively low charges. If that doesn't work, I suppose I can either push the charge up on Unique or switch to a different powder. Was thinking 2400 would be a good choice, but really have no idea where to start on charges.

[P Flados]

I have seen 2400 data somewhere, but here is the QL prediction for mild to hot:

Cartridge          : .350 Legend
Bullet             : .358, 200, LEE C358-200-RF
Useable Case Capaci: 24.853 grain H2O = 1.614 cm³
Cartridge O.A.L. L6: 2.070 inch = 52.58 mm
Barrel Length      : 16.4 inch = 415.9 mm
Powder             : Alliant 2400

Step    Fill. Charge   Vel.  Energy   Pmax   Pmuz  Prop.Burnt B_Time
 %       %    Grains   fps   ft.lbs    psi    psi      %        ms
-30.3   53    11.50   1294     744   15926   2474     92.4    1.675
-27.3   55    12.00   1341     799   17485   2597     93.9    1.603
-24.2   57    12.50   1388     855   19150   2715     95.2    1.537
-21.2   60    13.00   1433     912   20925   2827     96.3    1.475
-18.2   62    13.50   1478     970   22816   2934     97.2    1.419
-15.2   64    14.00   1522    1029   24829   3034     98.1    1.366
-12.1   67    14.50   1566    1089   26970   3128     98.7    1.316
-09.1   69    15.00   1608    1149   29245   3215     99.2    1.271
-06.1   71    15.50   1650    1209   31661   3294     99.6    1.228
-03.0   74    16.00   1691    1270   34227   3366     99.9    1.187
+00.0   76    16.50   1731    1330   36951   3430    100.0    1.149
+03.0   78    17.00   1770    1391   39842   3488    100.0    1.114
+06.1   80    17.50   1809    1453   42910   3543    100.0    1.080
+09.1   83    18.00   1846    1514   46166   3599    100.0    1.049
+12.1   85    18.50   1883    1575   49622   3653    100.0    1.019  ! Near Maximum !
+15.2   87    19.00   1920    1637   53291   3706    100.0    0.991  ! Near Maximum !

Results caused by ± 10% powder lot-to-lot burning rate variation using nominal charge
Data for burning rate increased by 10% relative to nominal value:
+Ba     76    16.50   1780    1408   43213   3284    100.0    1.085
Data for burning rate decreased by 10% relative to nominal value:
-Ba     76    16.50   1656    1218   30749   3508     97.7    1.238

[cwlongshot]

As for charge weights, look at 357 Maximum data. Its loaded to lower pressures a d has SLIGHTLY less powder cap making its loads safe in the Legend.

I found unique dirty which is strange cause its not usually. My "slow" powder is Herco. I tried it simply cause I had no use and I had about four pound cans. Its been great.

I use Herco for my sub loads with a 270g cast bullet 7.3 gets me 1070 but 7.5 is more accurate at 1100+ Its trans sonic for me. And shoots almost touching @ 50y.

I was using a bit for with that Saeco 245g to reach 1400+ that I used on the deer.

CW

[brewer12345]

Thanks, PF. Looks like I would want to try 12 to 18 grains of 2400 as well. I think I need to find a source for 357 max data as well.

[P Flados]

You can find 357 Max data on line for Hodgdon, Accurate and Vihtavuori powders. A summary of this data is at:

https://shootersreference.com/reload...a/357-maximum/

[brewer12345]

You can find 357 Max data on line for Hodgdon, Accurate and Vihtavuori powders. A summary of this data is at:

https://shootersreference.com/reload...a/357-maximum/

Thanks. I have none of those powders on hand at all, heh. Figures. Well, my main interest is cast in this cartridge and in a bolt gun. I have an upper for it, but it shoots jacketed so well that I will leave well enough alone for the small amount I use it.

[cwlongshot]

Thanks. I have none of those powders on hand at all, heh. Figures. Well, my main interest is cast in this cartridge and in a bolt gun. I have an upper for it, but it shoots jacketed so well that I will leave well enough alone for the small amount I use it.

This is exactly what I do. My MSR gets all jacketed and isnt used allot. Its a hunting rifle. My Bolt is amazing and allot of fun with cast and heavy subs!

CW

[brewer12345]

This is exactly what I do. My MSR gets all jacketed and isnt used allot. Its a hunting rifle. My Bolt is amazing and allot of fun with cast and heavy subs!

CW

Great minds think alike!

[cwlongshot]

Great minds think alike!

I am VERY MUCH enjoying this with subs or transonic loads and heavy cast.

CW

[brewer12345]

I am VERY MUCH enjoying this with subs or transonic loads and heavy cast.

CW

I think I will too. I do similar with my 30-06, but resighting it every fall for elk season is a pain in the rear. I am going to have fun with a dedicated cast bullet gun in this cartridge. Hopefully brass comes back in stock eventually, because I think i am going to be shooting quite a lot of it once I get loads worked out. Won't burn up the barrel with coated cast, either.

[cwlongshot]

I have a multi point reticule mounted on my bolt and a dope sheet on the stock. So NO re siting in!!

I put a Bushnell Banner II 4-12 it was 89$ on sale and is great without breaking the bank!

CW

[brewer12345]

I have a multi point reticule mounted on my bolt and a dope sheet on the stock. So NO re siting in!!

I put a Bushnell Banner II 4-12 it was 89$ on sale and is great without breaking the bank!

CW

I have a Bushnell fixed 4X on my legend. I actually have a very nice bushnell 3x9-40 I could replace it with, but the fixed sight seems to do better in low light conditions (frequent when you hunt nocturnal animals) and 4X seems to be enough that I can make 50+ yard shots on a moving muskrat (think swimming squirrel). So maybe I will eventually put the bigger scope on, but for now I don't see the need.

[cwlongshot]

It was bought 90% for the reticule and cost. The higher powers are for the traget range and the lower powers for hunting.

CW

[tomme boy]

Those unique #'s are off a little . 7grs I got 1061fps and 9gr I did not write down. But it was about 1230 if I remember right.

[fastdadio]

Bumpity bump.
I finally scored a sleeve of small rifle primers and a box of Hornady 165 gr. FXT J-warts.
https://www.hornady.com/bullets/rifl...-165-gr-ftx#!/
Using Hodgdon data, The only suitable powder I have is w296. They only list load data for 147 gr. and 170 gr bullets.
So, I decided to average the data for starting and max for the 147 and 170 and I came up with;
Start = 25.5, and max = 27.4
For reference, the listed max load for the 170gr is 26.7, vel= 2221 @ 51000 psi. So what do you folks think? Am I going to blow myself up going this route and working off of averaged data from the two listed loads?
I'm starting with once fired Win brass and will shooting these in my BCA 18" AR.

[tomme boy]

25.8gr Lilgun with that bullet is 2238fps. I had some h110 loads but it they got misplaced. Hornady says to use the 170 data for that bullet.

[P Flados]

The 165 is pretty close to the 170 and not so close to the 147.

Please be careful. When I was working up my 357AR Max loads, I remember pressures seemed to get too high for the primers (flattened and/or pierced) before I got to loads that others reported as safe.

I ran Quickload with a bunch of 350L data and most of it does a very poor job of matching test data. Predicted pressures are way low and velocities are high compared to Hodgdon data for all of the powders.

For a lot of the load data out there my attempts at using Quickload are crude at best due to not having actual case capacity info or bullet length.

I did try to duplicate the 170 load (to match test velocity at 26.7 gr). I then estimated that the reduction in bullet weight to 165 gr (assuming the same seating depth) would allow an increase of 0.25 gr for your charge while maintaining the same pressure. Velocity went up 30 fps.

I then dropped the barrel length down to your 18", and saw the velocity drop to 2136 fps.

[cwlongshot]

Remember also and QL proclaims this. Straight wall predictions are NOT AS PRECISE!

My "best load" in my SCR is using 296 & a FTX 165. About your starting load next me 2300+ fps from my 24" Faxon bbl. You might think thats all because of the extra 4" over most. But truth with this bbl is it Dosent gain me much over 15-20 fps per inch. So at best I am 80 fps faster then a 16" and this bears out because my RARR also in 350 is a average if 2260 fps with that same load.

In the RARR its a MOA loading in the SCR its just over that and the most accurate I have found so for for the bbl.

170 & 180 bullets made for the 350 (NOT sized down) have not been as accurate for me. This FTX is a stand out. Only others that come close are the MP 200 & 220 that I cast.

CW

[fastdadio]

Hornady says to use the 170 data for that bullet.

Likely the best advice I'll get all day. I think I'm going to run with it.