Lee 358-200RF

Ian

Notorious member
I have most of a cardboard half-kegger of Herco that just hasn't ever been as useful to me as all the other powders right around it. It performs well but meters like biscuits and leaves a flakey black residue inside the brass. Longshot and HS6 were bigtime handgun favorites of mine until I discovered True Blue, now that gets the nod for anything slower than Unique and faster than 4198. The thing about TB is it is so consistent and accurate even when loaded down to pressures where it is very dirty. It won't give you the maximum velocity that 2400 or 296 will, but quite close and on the other end it will give single-digit SD in a .38 Special.
 

waco

Springfield, Oregon
I see TB on the regular at my local Cabelas. I might have to pick up a pound to try out.
 

waco

Springfield, Oregon
Found a new old box of R-P 38spl brass that will fit the bill for testing this 200gr Lee bullet in my Rossi 92. I got around 170-190 Bullets cast last night. Brad was nice enough to offer some QL info for me. I need to get some of these powder coated and wait to see what Brad has to say for load data. 1773D73A-ED00-4A15-8056-661184F8B698.jpeg
 

waco

Springfield, Oregon
I mocked up a dummy round and crimped it in the crimp groove for an AOL of 1.625" and it feeds like butter in the Rossi.:)
 

Brad

Benevolent Overlord and site owner
Staff member
This is essentially a wildcat situation. Using 38 special brass at 357 mag pressures.
It should be possible to get into the 1450 FPS range in a 20” carbine barrel with H110.
 

waco

Springfield, Oregon
My Rossi has a 16" tube. The wife's Marlin has a 20" barrel. I'll try the dummy round in her gun. My Marlin has a 24" barrel but it doesn't want to feed this thing in a 38 case.
 

Brad

Benevolent Overlord and site owner
Staff member
Figure 25-50 FPS less for the shorter 16” barrel. The 24” Marlin is the bomb.
 

waco

Springfield, Oregon
The Lee 200 might feed better in a mag case. I think I'd have to crimp over the drive band for it to feed. Wish I had extra 357 dies to put in my single stage press.....
 

Brad

Benevolent Overlord and site owner
Staff member
I have 2 sets of 357 dies. Two live in toolheads for the Dillon, one for 38 special and one for 357 mag. Same reasonI have 2 for 44 mag/special too.
 

fiver

Well-Known Member
you might be able to make use of some older 38-44 data.
it was 38 special cases run up into the 357 pressure zone for one of the old S&W revolvers.
six grrrs. of like herco or bout there would probably work well enough to make holes in paper at 100 or so.
 

waco

Springfield, Oregon
The PC took care of the slightly undersized Bullets. They are now a nice round .358”
Note some blue specs of PC from the basket. F7FAF013-AA2A-46BC-BFAC-A709A01F0041.jpeg
 

S Mac

Sept. 10, 2021 Steve left us. You are missed.
To the casual observer that bullet looks a lot like the RCBS 200 I use in my 35 Whelen. Works in it really well.
 

Ian

Notorious member
It's real close.

I got the Lee upon Glen Fryxell's recommendation and found it excellent in my Marlin .35 Remington.... powder-coated and gas-checked of course. Getting right at 2200 fps from a 20" barrel using H-335.
 

fiver

Well-Known Member
they copied it about the time they copied the RCBS 22-055s.
both are close-nuff.
 

waco

Springfield, Oregon
I’m loading these without gas checks to start. BTW these JUST fit I’m my Taurus .357 revolver. Better hope the Bullets don’t jump crimp. No room for error.