.357 magnum 158gn lead projectiles

iagbarrb · Nov 4, 2015

y folks

Even if I reload 9mm 223 and 308 for a long time, I have not so much experience with revolver loads.
Where I live good projectiles are not so easy to find, or are just unexistent.

I've reloaded .357 magnum loads, 158gn round nose lead, 1250 fps dan wesson 8 inch barrel. No overpreassure signs I would notice.

With this issues. Nice lead deposits in the barrel and the projectile of the 5th or 6th round trend to flip out of the shell causing that the drum will not rotate because the projectiles nose touches the barrel.

Is there a way to avoid this lead deposits so you do mot need to brush so long after firing?

The second issue might be a crimp problem. How much crimp?

Thanks in advance for your posts. Sorry for my bad english.

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stubbicatt · Nov 4, 2015

Welcome aboard, jagbarrb.

With cast bullets size matters. There is no easy way around it, you must know the dimensions of the chamber mouths of your cylinder, and the groove diameter of your rifled barrel. With this information you can determine what size bullets you will need.

In close second, in my opinion, is a good bullet lube. If your bullets are sized correctly, and lubed with an appropriate grease, all will be well in Bolivia.

Schwing · Nov 4, 2015

The number one reason for leading is bullets that are too small in diameter. You really need to sluge the barrel of your gun and then make sure that the bullets are at least .001 or even .002 larger in diameter.

As far as them sticking out beyond the cylinder, it sounds like the OAL is either WAY to long for these bullets or your experiencing bullet creep. This is where the bullets actually move as a result of heavy recoil. Too much or improper crimp is to blame. They need to, most likely, be seated deeper and have a proper roll crimp applied.

The last issue is proper lube. What kind of lube are you using? If it is alox or 45/45/10, it may just not be sufficient for those speeds.

Walkalong · Nov 4, 2015

You need good neck tension and a good crimp to keep bullets from moving forward out of the case under heavy recoil and stopping the cylinder from turning.

Poor neck tension can be from thin brass, a sizer that is too large, an expander that is too large, two of these together, or all three of these. Too much flare to get the bullet started while seating can hurt neck tension as well.

A good crimp to help stop bullets from moving forward under recoil will be into the deepest part of the cannelure or properly placed in the crimp groove on a lead bullet. Too much crimp can start buckling the case and hurt neck tension and the crimps holding power though.

A couple of crimp pics.

RPegram · Nov 6, 2015

One thing to add is powder choice. I've loaded thousands of 158 gr lswc with one powder and get great results and no leading, try another powder just to see how it works and get horrible leading of the barrel.

sniper5 · Nov 8, 2015

All the above and I've switched to Missouri Bullet .357's 158 grain SWC with the Hi-Tek coating in Brinell 18. I'm shooting 14 grains of 2400 and I'm getting virtually no leading. Don't know all the engineering magic behind the coating, but it's working for me.

bluetopper · Nov 8, 2015

Pure lead bullets will lead up at 1250 fps. You need a #2 alloy mixture in your lead, with tin and antimony, and they need to be lubed well. I don't know what type of bullets you have access to in Bolivia.
Lead bullets is all I shoot in my handguns and I never have a problem with lead and I've never slugged a barrel in my life.

joem1945 · Nov 8, 2015

Mostly I shoot cast lead from Mo Bullet Co. I buy brinell 18 SWC for .357 mag, .38 spl. and RN for 9mm. I was loading Bullseye and got leading until I switched to a slower burning powder.

.357 magnum 158gn lead projectiles

iagbarrb

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