Lee 105 gr. SW

[BrianB]

I'm new to this site so if this has been covered, I apologize. Has anyone used the Lee 105 gr. SW mold for .38 Special? If so, does it need to be resized? I am currently using their micro-band wadcutter mold. The bullets are .360 diameter and work fine without resizing, but the 105 gr. SW bullet is a different animal. What about accuracy? I plan on using it for small game in a Handi-Rifle with a light load of Clays or Red Dot. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[GrizzLeeBear]

Do a search for "Lee 105", etc. and grab a cup of coffee.

I have shot that boolit sized to .358 and unsized (.360 from my mold) and tumble lubed in .38 spl. and .357 cases with equal results. Since your .360 WC works fine I would think the 105 would too.
Another thing, get the 6 cavity mold! They are much nicer than the 2 cavities. They do have some quirks (do some searching on getting them up to temp. etc) but once you get them going they can shuck out a pile of boolits fast!

Oh, and welcome aboard!

[azrednek]

Brian I used one years ago and wasn't really impressed with it. Long story short, I loaned it and several other items to a neighbor, he moved without returning it and by the time I tracked him down and got it back, he thoughtfully reamed the gas check base out of it. I haven't used it since and it is at least 12 years or better since I cast with it.

Best I recall they shot as accurate without any sizing or gas check installed as they did with a gas check and sized to .358. I don't believe I shot them with a load of over 3.0 grs of Bullseye. I never did testit on any game.

Recently I started using the Lee 125gr round nose with 4.0 grs of Bullseye and I'm totally satisfied with the results. It scores better on paper than my gas checked Lyman 38156 with the same 4.0 Bullseye load.

[BrianB]

Thanks AZ and Griz. That helps. My objective here is to get a light load for small game, which will require good accuracy at about 30 yards or so. I want to use the Handi because it is cheap and I don't have to worry about beating it up. I'm certainly not against going with a 125gr. bullet.

[jdgabbard]

What type of game we talking about? I've used the 356-124-2R in .38spl cases out of a Model 65 Smith to take jacks and dillows. Performed pretty well, as does the 158-SWC-TL. I would think that the 105g SWC would have equal or better results than the 124g-2R.

EDIT: Just a question, but are they offering the Handy in .38/.357 now??? If so I may have to look at buying one.

[GrizzLeeBear]

AZ, don't know what mold you are talking about, but the 358-105-swc is not a gas check boolit.

Brian, didn't think about it till now, but if that WC boolit shoots good to 50 yards or so, it would make a good small game thumper.

Also, don't rule out a heavier boolit like the 358-158-RF. Your rifle may like a heavier boolit, especially for a little longer shots. Any of these boolits with a light load going 800+ fps would be good small game getters. Just use what your rifle likes best.

[BrianB]

Squirrels and rabbits, mainly. Yes, they do offer the Handi in a .357, but it is on the shotgun frame. Which means if you buy it as a complete gun, you can't put any other rifle barrels on it. You can get the .357 barrel if you already have a Handi-Rifle for about $90. The list of accessory barrels is under customer service on the H&R website. I have no idea why it is buried under customer service, they should probably rethink that one. The problem right now is availability. What kind of groups are you getting with that 124gr?

[garandsrus]

Yes, H&R offers a Handi in 357 Mag. They also sell the barrel only in their accessory barrel program. Some folks are getting the Mag reamed out to .357 Max

John

[Lloyd Smale]

the 105 is probably the most accurate overall 38 bullet ive found. It even shoots well in any 9mm that will feed it. Uglier then hell though!!!

[BrianB]

Lloyd, are you resizing the bullet?

[DanOH]

Lloyd,
I tried to use that for my Keltec p11, would have a hangup in every magazine.
Those that chambered shot great. Any secret OAL to shoot for? Long, short?
thanks,
Dan

[Leftoverdj]

No experience with the Lee 105, but I've shot a mess of stuff through a .357 Max Handi. Nothing beats 148 grain WCs in .38 Special cases. They'll give 1" to 1.25" 50 yard groups, but range estimation becomes critical in small game hunting. The Lee .356-102- 1R does pretty good if you get a mold that casts big enough. It and the various 125s that I've tried shoot noticeably flatter over 50 yards.

Handies like fat bullets, though. Below .358 is hopeless, and .360 is none too large.

[jdgabbard]

What kind of groups are you getting with that 124gr?

Out of my Model 65 I get about 0.75" at 15 meters. Out of my SP-101 I get about 1.75-2" But in a handy rifle I sure you would be able to do much better. You have to remember that those are two fixed sights guns. One with a 2" barrel, the other with a 4". Not to bad in my book. The 158g is also a dandy. Here is a .80" group with a flyer out of my Model 65 - with the 158g.



Its a 158g SWC-TL over 4.2g Unique and a Wolf SP Primer. Lube was "Old NRA Lube" Now I'm using LLA, but it really hasn't made a difference Neither leaded the gun, and neither required much cleaning up. The NRA a little more then the LLA, as it does have a wax in it. In the SP-101 it was a very Brisk load, but the M65 handled it very well. Very mild in it. But that Unique sure is dirty burning. Its not like bullseye, it does leave a little soot. But not too bad if you get the pressure up a little. This is now my go to round for target shooting. Probably for just about any small game. For moderate size I'll drop it in a .357mag case and add an additional 2.0g Unique to bring it up to a total charge of 6.2g, as that is my magnum load.

[Lloyd Smale]

I size them to 358 ofr the 38s and 357 for the 9s. Seated in the crimp grove they ran great in my gun but it was a 1911 in 9mm.

[Echo]

I never had good luck with light boolits in the .38 Special, or .357 Mag. I load the Lee 105 SWC for popcorn loads for kids and ladies at our range. Three grs PB, and not disturbing to shoot - at short range...

[BrianB]

Well I really appreciate all the info. I guess I'll get the mold and play with it vs. the wadcutters for accuracy. Either bullet should remove the head of a squirrel for me. Now all I have to do is convince H&R to start making rifles. It's really frustrating after you've saved up money for something and then find out it is not available anywhere. Next battle will be getting Lee to make a 180gr. RF point for deer. Those Hornady XTP's are getting a little too pricey for me these days, not mention hard to locate.

[Wally]

I use it in my .38 Specials..w/4.5~5.0 grains of Bullseye--great plinker load especially with steel cans. It works well to about 50 yards, but it is not the best load for longer ranges. I size to .360". Also, works well in my 9mm Lugers with 3.5 grains of Bullseye--great plinker load.

[GrizzLeeBear]

Next battle will be getting Lee to make a 180gr. RF point for deer. Those Hornady XTP's are getting a little too pricey for me these days, not mention hard to locate.

Brian, if you decide you want the Lee 180 RF post a WTB in the Swappin' and Sellin' section. They did a group buy on this one several times. Someone might have one they are willing to sell.
Also, check out the C359-190-RF at ranchdogmolds.com (he is a frequent visitor here). The nose is probably too long for a revolver (its designed for the 35 Rem.) but I bet it would work nicely in the longer throat of the Handi rifle.
The Lyman 358429 would also be a good heavy hunting boolit and doesn't need a gas check. Again, some revolvers have a problem with the nose length with this one, but won't be an issue with the Handi.

[GrizzLeeBear]

I size them to 358 ofr the 38s and 357 for the 9s. Seated in the crimp grove they ran great in my gun but it was a 1911 in 9mm.

When I had a Kel-tec PF9 I sized the 105 SWC to .358 and seated to the crimp groove also. Loaded with 3.2 gr. of Win. 231 they ran fine in the little gun.

[DanOH]

Lloyd/Grizz,
Thanks for info. I think I might have been seating them too deep-c.o.a.l. too short.
Will try seating to crimp groove next time.
Great bullet in 357 mag for plinking by the way.