Bret4207
At the casting bench in the sky. RIP Bret.
If you're happy with it, good enough!
Advice for newbie
- Thread starter glassparman
- Start date
richhodg66
Well-Known Member
Saw a guy on a page who powder coated his shotgun slugs, the kind Lee makes to go in a shot cup. OK, at that point, it really was apparent that it really is just about pretty colors, what possible benefit could powder coating something encased in plastic do?
Yeah, not a believer, probably never will be.
Yeah, not a believer, probably never will be.
hollowoutadime
New Member
Agreed! My range scrap bullets hover around 10 BNH and never had a leading issue in 38 Special or even lower end 357 mag.The only gripe I have with the bevel base of the Lee bullet in question is I find my Lube A Matic applies a nice smear of lube on that bevel base. Makes a mess in the container. Otherwise they are a great bullet and my Blackhawk will stack em on top of each other all day long.
Dimner
Named Man
Ha! Great minds eh?
Last night I decided, for nostalgias sake, finger lube some big ol NOE311299 clones. I like this design because the lube grooves will be shrouded by the neck in my 30wcf cases. I have the RG4 mold and cast these as FN so I could get some velocity estimates at the range today. Trying 2400, Shooters World Buffalo, Rx7, and H4198. Looking for 1700-1850 fps. End goal will be the same velocity with cup point versions.
Quickload estimates Rx7 will have the best case capacity and pressure at the velocity I'm looking for. However, my money is on Buffalo. It's the European equivalent of Accurate 5744 and I find it does great in almost anything I try it in.
These are 3%sb/2%sn alloy air cooled. No idea what BHN. This is the alloy I use for higher velocities when I want those sb/sn to cross link (I think that's the term?) when impacting game so the bullet doesnt shatter. When casting the cup points, I'll goto my 1.5/1.5 alloy. Which is basically 50/50 CWW&PurePB with a touch of Sn added.
All in all though, I still don't miss wax lubes
glassparman
"OK, OK, I'm going as fast as I don't want to go!"
Got the new Ruger that I mentioned in this thread!
My first real DA
My first real DA
Petrol & Powder
Well-Known Member
One of the BEST DA 38/357 revolvers ever made.
glassparman
"OK, OK, I'm going as fast as I don't want to go!"
I took it out to the canyon last night because . . . well because I can! And because the shooting canyon is like 1.5 miles from my house.
I had loaded some 357 and some 38 last week using some store bought cast bullets.
I noted two things.
1. I was surprised that the cylinder rotated counter clockwise compared to a couple 22 SA revolvers I have.
2. The 38s were sweet and the 357 were stout! I like the power and feel of the 357 better!
Mike
I had loaded some 357 and some 38 last week using some store bought cast bullets.
I noted two things.
1. I was surprised that the cylinder rotated counter clockwise compared to a couple 22 SA revolvers I have.
2. The 38s were sweet and the 357 were stout! I like the power and feel of the 357 better!
Mike
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Glaciers
Alaska Land of the Midnight Sun
THIS!!! ^^^^ Enough said! Period.
I like the GP 100 but it’s massive. Makes a good cabinet or drawer gun.
Petrol & Powder
Well-Known Member
The Ruger DA's and S&W cylinders rotate counter clockwise as viewed from the shooter's perspective.
Colt's rotate clockwise.
Glad to hear you like it.
Bret4207
At the casting bench in the sky. RIP Bret.
Great minds think alike...
Petrol & Powder
Well-Known Member
OK, the GP-100 is a bit "big boned" but it really is the competitor for the L-frame S&W, not the K-frame.
Get rid of the full underlug, maybe put a tapered barrel on it, bevel the frame a bit more, Titanium trigger housing? ....
Get rid of the full underlug, maybe put a tapered barrel on it, bevel the frame a bit more, Titanium trigger housing? ....
Bret4207
At the casting bench in the sky. RIP Bret.
"Tank" is the correct word! People complain about the N frame Smith being bulky, Ruger must have taken that as a challenge. I've held a Redhawk a few times. Reminded me of trying to hold a worm drive skilsaw out ahead of me with one hand! And yet, people somehow break them!
Petrol & Powder
Well-Known Member
Smith & Wesson introduced the L-frames in 1980 and Ruger introduced the GP-100 in 1985. The L-frames addressed the problems with the magnum K-frames. And when Ruger discontinued the DA Six series guns in 1988, the GP-100 became the de-facto replacement for the Service/Security Six series.
The DA Six series guns had frames roughly the size of S&W K-frames, the GP-100 is roughly the size of a S&W L-frame.
There was a little bit of overlap from 1985-1988 when Ruger made DA-Six’s and the GP-100 but after 1988, the GP-100 was your only Ruger option in that class. The SP101 came out in 1989 and became the other choice but it is in a different class.
If you see the GP-100 as the competitor for the S&W L-frames – it seems to be about right. When you look at the GP-100 as a replacement for the DA Six’s, it seems bulky.
The DA Six series guns had frames roughly the size of S&W K-frames, the GP-100 is roughly the size of a S&W L-frame.
There was a little bit of overlap from 1985-1988 when Ruger made DA-Six’s and the GP-100 but after 1988, the GP-100 was your only Ruger option in that class. The SP101 came out in 1989 and became the other choice but it is in a different class.
If you see the GP-100 as the competitor for the S&W L-frames – it seems to be about right. When you look at the GP-100 as a replacement for the DA Six’s, it seems bulky.
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Mitty38
Well-Known Member
Just found this thread. So coming to the party a little late.
I know I am new, but I have been pretty Buisy with .357-38 special these last couple years.
I have shot every kind of lead from 30/1 to Lyman #2 thru my .357. Using different lubes, XLox, Bll, pan lube, powder coat.
I have yet to have experience leading. Accept for two instances.
1: I sized it too small.
2: I used Lyman #2 in the pistol.
As far as expansion my knowledge is limited .... But for a non hollow point bullet, I have found a Kieth style bullet expands pretty well in .357 with pretty much anything softer.then hard cast.
My current pistol alloy is basically hard cast mixed 50/50 with 30 to 1. Works in just about anything .35ish with under a 8 inch barrel.
I love the ..35 calibers, especially .357.
Because there's a lot of combinations that work well. As long as you do not run it too hard or size too small. You could basically pick up any chunk of lead you can mark with your fingernail. Make bullets, lube them with anything slightly slippery, and make that work IF NOT WORK WELL, 90 % of the time.
Plus revolvers just have that nastalgia presence, that just makes them fun to shoot and load for.
Ps. @glassparman nice wheel gun by the way.
I know I am new, but I have been pretty Buisy with .357-38 special these last couple years.
I have shot every kind of lead from 30/1 to Lyman #2 thru my .357. Using different lubes, XLox, Bll, pan lube, powder coat.
I have yet to have experience leading. Accept for two instances.
1: I sized it too small.
2: I used Lyman #2 in the pistol.
As far as expansion my knowledge is limited .... But for a non hollow point bullet, I have found a Kieth style bullet expands pretty well in .357 with pretty much anything softer.then hard cast.
My current pistol alloy is basically hard cast mixed 50/50 with 30 to 1. Works in just about anything .35ish with under a 8 inch barrel.
I love the ..35 calibers, especially .357.
Because there's a lot of combinations that work well. As long as you do not run it too hard or size too small. You could basically pick up any chunk of lead you can mark with your fingernail. Make bullets, lube them with anything slightly slippery, and make that work IF NOT WORK WELL, 90 % of the time.
Plus revolvers just have that nastalgia presence, that just makes them fun to shoot and load for.
Ps. @glassparman nice wheel gun by the way.
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Bret4207
At the casting bench in the sky. RIP Bret.
No argument that they are workhorses. My preference comes from having to carry these things more than from the car to the range bench. Ounces add up.
Bret4207
At the casting bench in the sky. RIP Bret.
As I understand it, both from playing with the harder alloys (up past 30Bhn once!) and from what gurus like Fiver and Ian write, you have to alter you loading/sizing as you go up the Bhn scale. Unfortunately it's not as simple as adding more powder behind a harder bullet. The real hard stuff was a waste of time for me since I could take 15-16Bhn designs up over 2-2200 without much problem in stuff like the 35 Whelen, 8x57, 303 Savage, 30-30 and 308. Smaller bores I think seem harder for me. Others may have more success. Read Ians and Fivers stuff if you want to see the why's and how's for playing with the Bhn a bunch, or if you want to try going over the 2k mark significantly. PCing is rumored to make this easier too.
In the 357 I've played in the 1350+ area with the 358156. Again, 15-16Bhn, traditional lube and not a lot of problems. It's not that hard if I can do it, but it's loud and not as fun, or needed IMO, as something a couple hundred feet slower. There isn't much you can't do with a 32, 35, 36, 40, 41, 44 or 45 cal handgun bullet moving along at 950-1200 fps, at least in my neck of the woods. If grizzly/brown/polar bears were my concern or I was trying to snipe prarie dogs at 200 yards it'd be different I suppose. I would worry a lot less about Bhn and a lot more about FIT, which has Bhn as an element, but it's down the list quite a ways.
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