Ooooooooo....Keith-style SWC's - brilliant! Which mold? What gun? How do they shoot?
If it was easy, anybody could do it.
We are like minded, except for the PC, which I have yet to try with 38 Spc and 357 Mag. Still, I load and shoot a heap of Keith-style SWC's as solids from Lee and Lyman, and solids and HP's from MIHEC molds. Some days I just like making them as the brass MIHEC molds offer four different registrations: solid and three different weight HP's.
During the lock down, and while recuperating myself, I had the opportunity to "get ahead" by molding a heap. Here's a mix of (mostly) 223's and 38/357's from February:
Last edited by Land Owner; 05-08-2023 at 04:15 AM.
If it was easy, anybody could do it.
I was handloading 38's in the front yard yesterday afternoon. These are some of the Keith bullets I loaded up in Remington brass.
That is the 173 grain Keith 357 bullet. it is what Keith used to work on the original 357 Mag loads, if I recall correctly.
I have the similar Lyman iron mould in a two cavity, never liked the crimping over the driving band to make 357 Mag length for the Blackhawk cylinder.
“There is a remedy for all things, save death.“
Cervantes
“Never give up, never quit.”
Robert Rogers
Roger’s Rangers
There are three kinds of men. The one that learns by reading. The few who learn by observation. The rest of them have to pee on the electric fence for themselves.
Will Rogers
I experienced boolit inertia in uncrimped 45 Colt Blackhawk ammo. That wasn't fun. I've since used a crimp when loading lubed 357 and 45 Colt BH ammo. A small crimp in a heavy Blackhawk load precludes boolit inertia lengthening the cartridge beyond the cylinder face.
Lyman 4th Ed.
357 Mag, 170 gr. SWC, #358429 mold, COAL is 1.553" [SAAMI max of 1.590"].
To achieve 357 MAG COAL [1.553" Lyman] in a SAAMI 38 SPC case that is 1.155", the boolit extension is 0.398".
From http://www.tmtpages.com/ the boolit is 0.755" OAL. Measured from boolit nose toward the crimp groove is 0.375". Thus, 40% of the way across the 0.055" crimp groove is where the boolit should be crimped. It is a "perfect" fit.
Lyman 4th Ed.
357 Mag, 170 gr. SWC, #358429 mold, COAL is 1.553" [SAAMI max of 1.590"].
To achieve 357 MAG COAL [1.553" Lyman] in a SAAMI 357 MAG case that is 1.290", the boolit extension is 0.263". This leaves just 0.002" for the crimp ahead of the forward driving band, which is pretty small.
To achieve 357 MAG COAL [1.590" SAAMI] in a SAAMI 357 MAG case that is 1.290", the boolit extension is 0.300". This leaves NOTHING for a crimp.
Last edited by Land Owner; 05-10-2023 at 06:57 AM.
If it was easy, anybody could do it.
What is the brand of the burner and frame work? How much weight will it withstand under heat?
The burner is the red regulator bayou shrimp turkey fryer from ace hardware. I try to keep hot load below two hundred pounds. I am (body weight) weighing at two hundred and thirty three pounds, jumping on top of it when it's cold, it does not move.
These pictures are fresh MP357125 hollow points still warm from the mold.
BP | Bronze Point | IMR | Improved Military Rifle | PTD | Pointed |
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" |
HP | Hollow Point | PSPCL | Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" | C.O.L. | Cartridge Overall Length |
PSP | Pointed Soft Point | Spz | Spitzer Point | SBT | Spitzer Boat Tail |
LRN | Lead Round Nose | LWC | Lead Wad Cutter | LSWC | Lead Semi Wad Cutter |
GC | Gas Check |