I would recommend the LEE 158 RF @.358 and get the mold with lube grooves. You can still tumble lube them and then change to some other lube if you want to experiment. If you get the TL mold, all you can do is tumble. Well, I guess you can paint either one also.
ARMY Viet-Nam 70-71
cant use the tl mold with a lubesizer?
Ok then the LEE 158 RF @.358 it will be I guess.
Some bullets I TL, some I lubesize. Sort of depends on the application. I prefer traditional bullet designs with 2500+ lube for pushing bullets hard. For light field use and plinking, I use TL bullets. I use the Lee 148 TL and the 158 SWC TL. Honestly if I hunt with a pistol I use a caliber that starts with a 4.
Do yourself a favor and get the non TL mold. You can still use tumble lube with it just fine. If you decide to get a lube-sizer down the road you will be set.
Yes do that. All my molds are non TL now when possible, but I still TL
I have 2 TLs that I lube w/Darrs and they work fine. I just bought the 358-125 RF for the sake of casting 1 boolit for 6 loads.
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What velocity/powder/load?Originally Posted by Cherokee
No idea if the TL version is any good. Not a fan of TL.
Look at the sticky note on my target image for ONE good load. I also
have had great results with a little over 16 gr of H110/W296, check
your loading manuals for the exact load.
Bill
If it was easy, anybody could do it.
Do you shoot 357 mag with that bullet? You just load it to 38 special velocities?
I plan to shoot my 357 at 38spl speeds, it's just for paper punching. I don't need to kill the paper.
I'm in quebec, and here, you can only use pistols at approved restricted ranges. Cannot carry, cannot hunt. So they are basically collection items/ paper punchers.
If I want max loads I will probably just buy a box of plated bullets and load a few.
I have these 2 that are used for .357mag
358-158-RF
358-125-RF
Either would be a good choice depending on what your use case is.
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Depending on the brand, some plated bullets may not hold up to max loads in a 357. If you want to go that route, better to go with full on J-words, although a gas checked boolit with ACWW alloy or harder should do just fine. I havent tried the Lee 158 SWC-GC naked yet (been getting 3 MOA out of it in a 357 Handi with Max Herco charges) , but I don't see why it should work just fine at 800-850 fps for plinkers in a revolver with the option of crimping on a GC for max loads. Seems like a pretty versatile mold to me.
can you shoot 1200 fps without GC? might just try the 358-158-RF and see how fast I can bring it?
I have several. All shoot well when worked up. Ny current favorite is the LEE 140 gr. SWC.
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[QUOTE=Artful;2537376]My question before I answer is are you going to push hard enough to want a gas check design?
Actually I will give a partial answer - to save my lead I use Lee's 105 grain SWC in 38's and 357 loading - so that's one mold I recommend - I also use it in 9mm's
[/QUOE]
Like Artful, if just punching paper, save your lead and use the 105swc. If you plan on hunting get a good mold in the 165-180gr range. Besides, can a guy have too many molds?
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Sure, it just depends on boolit fit, alloy, lube, powder, your gun, tolerance for leading, and your accuracy requirements. 1200 fps without a GC is by no means impossible but you may have to work a little to get there. Read the stickies, buy a mold and get started!
I vote for the 158RFN as it fills out the mold really well compared to some SWC boolits. I have shot these lubed with Carnuba Red in a Marlin lever gun over 1,600 fps with no leading. If you need to you can invert a gas check and place it in the mouth of the case and push it in when seating the boolit.
It is accurate in my guns and really stops the big jack rabbits around here.Would not hesitate to use it for deer.
Last time out with the GP100 using 15grs of VV N-100 with the 158 TL SWC I got an average of 1332 fps and a little leading in the last 1 1/2" of the barrel. It appears you can push a PB TL boolit pretty fast...
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Everything they make (aside from the gas check version, which you shouldn't need) seems to be a bevel base - messy in a lubrisizer. I'd go with the 158 tumble-lube and tumble lube - or go with another maker if you plan to use a sizer.
WWJMBD?
In the Land of Oz, we cast with wheel weight and 2% Tin, Man.
I love the 358-158-RF. I tumble lube them in 45-45-10 from White Label. I load them in .38 SPL with 4.5 gr of HP-38 all the way to .357 mag with 14.5 gr of 2400. I lube, size to .358 and lube again. Great boolit from a great mold.
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| BR | Bench Rest | M | Magnum | RN | Round Nose |
| BT | Boat Tail | PL | Power-Lokt | SP | Soft Point |
| C | Compressed Charge | PR | Primer | SPCL | Soft Point "Core-Lokt" |
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| PSP | Pointed Soft Point | Spz | Spitzer Point | SBT | Spitzer Boat Tail |
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