357 magnum

[barrabruce]

Well I made a mold of dubious quality.
It casts how I made it.
But it was a couple of thou small,so I have used a bastard file to knurl the diameter up to 0.3515"
Used some brown wrapping paper for 2 dry raps it’s up to 0.358"

Used a card from primer packet in case it gets debulleted and finger seated them in as fired cases.
Used a few loads from pretty wild and up there with aliant 410 and adi 2207.
Both made my shoulder cringe.
I need to find a second hand thong between me and the butt plate,or put a soft recoil pad on it.
The heavy loaded rounds grouped about 3-4" at 50 with or with out lube.

I tried a few golden powder loads with a little smokeless to set them off but they were too slow to see where they actually hit the target at 50 yrds.
IMG_1957.jpg
I will be playing with more loads Like these.
The one wild flyer is just that. The rest went into about an inch.
Nice and mild and should polish the bore up some I hope and take out the odd rough spots and hopefully lap it some.
That’s what I am hoping for anyway.
At 175 grain and a flat round point with a dimple I think they could be useful .
Cheers.

[Nobade]

Way to go! Self made equipment is so satisfying, and especially when it works well.

[barrabruce]

Thanks Nobade
Nothing beats homegrown, that’s for sure
It’s all that corruption …….. I mean inspiration I have found on castboolits that made me do it.

[725]

Being a round cylinder, how do you hold it while pouring the sacred silver?

[barrabruce]

Thoughts had crossed my mind like one fixed diameter holding mold handle for different molds,but it turned out I found my
special "ACME adaptable position holding circumferential tool "came into play.
Purchased separately

A.K.A. think mouldy old pair of generic vice grips.
Note they do get a wee bit warm in the bare hand after a while in a non gloved hand as real men do.

One day I may get a round toit .

[barrabruce]

Please note I used the same powder loads as the 200 grns pb soft lead bullets and the 175 paper patched loads of the same lead from the pot seemed to produce more boot and thump.
I suspect maybe they sealed and gripped the bore "real tight". Maybe more lube or even soaking in it Marge may help in that respect.
Cheers.

[725]

Ha, ha, I get it. Thanks

[jonp]

Thoughts had crossed my mind like one fixed diameter holding mold handle for different molds,but it turned out I found my
special "ACME adaptable position holding circumferential tool "came into play.
Purchased separately

A.K.A. think mouldy old pair of generic vice grips.
Note they do get a wee bit warm in the bare hand after a while in a non gloved hand as real men do.

One day I may get a round toit .

How about a small crucible tong? Amazon has some for $5 https://www.amazon.com/Moicstiy-Cruc...r_1_18?sr=8-18

[barrabruce]

How about a small crucible tong? Amazon has some for $5 https://www.amazon.com/Moicstiy-Cruc...r_1_18?sr=8-18

I don’t think they would hold up with me beating on the sprue plate.
I don’t think I could use the palm of my hand quick enough to swipe the plate open without howling to the moon.
Besides I would be tearing out middle divots in the in the base of the casting.

It is a pretty slippery mold and they pour with a ladle easy and by cutting the sprue in the vertical plane and extract by flipping over .The base pin retention weight pushes it out. Or by turning the mold the other way and letting gravity push the pin up.

I tuned it so the eject pin can eject the sprue also when it wants to stick every now and again..

Maybe one day I will make a cylindrical bore like Country gent and others with an adjustable nose form for different weights and form nose’s.
Obviously that would have a proper handle and various calibre inserts that fit between the sprue plate screw and plate holding screw.

Ohhh I can dream on.

[wmitty]

barra,

I must of missed it; went back and read this twice. Which rifle are you shooting this in? I have a microgroove Marlin in .357 and I will see if I can P P the RCBS

175 gr Sillywet boolit in it.

[barrabruce]

barra,

I must of missed it; went back and read this twice. Which rifle are you shooting this in? I have a microgroove Marlin in .357 and I will see if I can P P the RCBS

175 gr Sillywet boolit in it.

It’s a martini 357 magnum
The bore mikes at 0.351”ish inches and is rough.
The groove diameter is 0.359” and appears smooth.
According to my verified and calibrated 10th’s mic 30 years ago.
(Mics out a couple of tenths of calibration, but it don’t matter)
So no overall length/ feeding etc issues this end.

Let us know how you go with it.

Parchment paper here is quite thin and tough.

I’m only using mild loads probably pistol velocity’s out of the rifle at the moment.
Full snort 2400 loads left a green patch on my shoulder for a week or two and not the best accuracy.

I don’t know the velocity but they had a definite bark to them.