Hello folks, as you can see, I'm new to the forum but not new to shooting, handloading or casting. I would like some advice on a particular handload. I will give all the info I can so you can better help me.
The gun is a 7 1/2 inch single action .357 magnum. The bullet is Lyman's 358665 which is 158g semi-wadcutter with one lube groove and one crimp groove. I use homemade lube of 1/2 parifin and 1/2 toilet wax ring. I pan lube all the bullets and inspect each one before loading to make sure they are well lubed. The load is 7g of hp-38 in 38 special brass with cci small pistol primer. I know that's not a 38 load but I don't and won't own a 38 special handgun nor will I let anyone shoot my handloads besides myself. I recieved over 5000 rounds of 38 special brass free and I load it up to .357 power to shoot through my .357 guns.
Here's the problem, I only mold with 100 percent pure soft lead. Because I have probably 500 pounds of it and to me trying to tinker with alloying it up takes all the fun out of casting. I also don't use a sizer, I just load them the way they cast.
Anyway, I'm getting a ton of lead fouling. It is noticable even after one cylinder worth of shooting.
This load works fine in the wife's 2 1/2 inch barreled wheel gun but it leaves my bore looking like a sewer pipe. What I want to do is slow down. I'm going to start at the recommended minimum load for 38 special this week using the Hodgdon HP-38 and see how that goes.
My question is, what powder would you recommend for my particular situation? Do I need to go slower burning as in accurate #9 or Hodgdon H110? Or do I need to go quicker, toward the red dot end of the scale? Or do I just need to stick with HP-38 and load light?
The only purpose in the entire existance of this perticular revolver/bullet combination is to kill pop cans in the back yard. It's not going to ever be used for punching paper, hunting or self defense.
Thanks again guys, great site.