Need Info On Cast Bullets

[bigdawg86]

These are the various bullets I have... Ranging from 122-150 grains give or take.

They are all in nondescript boxes with no descriptions. The only one with a name (far left) is from "Western Nevada Bullet". The others are anyone's guess. I got them from my grandfather, he got them from a late friend. Only God knows their age haha.

[Whiterabbit]

I shoot cast bullets out of a 7x57 at 2000 fps using LLA and NO fouling. At. All.

It is a very very different story with pistol. Seems harder to find "the load". Maybe I just got lucky with the rifle. But that's not important. The point is that its possible to shoot lead cast in a bottleneck rifle cartridge supersonic and get no leading.

[ns3v3n]

Best to find out what diameter those 38/357 bullets are, leading is no fun to clean out.

[bruce381]

I use 3.4 gr WW 231 in a 357 case for someting like tall SWC in your picture.

Weight them to see what wt they are and plug in load data from whatever powder web site that you will use.

Unique is Allant they have a website.

also go slow start with low starting loads and shoot 100 or so checking for leading.

The cast ones maybe ok the knureled wad cutter is maybe hornday and soft so go at slow speed with it.

[johnny1290]

Cool looking boolits!

I shoot mostly lead in my 9mm. I've been casting my own. If I were you I'd load them up(light), shoot them, and see how the barrel leads. That's what you're fighting. You're trying to find a load that shoots nice and most importantly doesn't load the heck out of your barrel.

Lead is really NO FUN to get out.

You don't need to slug your barrel. Shoot them and see how it goes

[msand951]

After I shoot lead that I casted for my hanguns (38super,45,38spc,357mag.) I end my session with fmj bullets . I have no leading to clean out I think my last rounds clean it out for me. Or im just lucky, or a damn good caster reloader which im not.

[9mmrevolver]

U are prolly gunna shoot them for fun so just load them shoot them and then clean. Most people just punch paper so casting your barrel really isn't need.if it were for a match and u usually score in the top 3 then I could see doing all that other crap.

[9mmrevolver]

Beleigh my last if u start using cast for rifle or glocks

[CalTeacher]

Cool looking boolits!

I shoot mostly lead in my 9mm. I've been casting my own. If I were you I'd load them up(light), shoot them, and see how the barrel leads. That's what you're fighting. You're trying to find a load that shoots nice and most importantly doesn't load the heck out of your barrel.

Lead is really NO FUN to get out.

You don't need to slug your barrel. Shoot them and see how it goes

Slugging your barrel is a great way to figure out the proper boolit diameter for your barrel. It prevents the whole trial by error thing.

As for removing lead...it's actually quite quick and easy. Simply take a copper chore boy scrubbing pad, rip ribbons of copper from the pad, wrap those strands of copper around your bore brush and run it down your barrel. The copper will slice the lead out very quickly and leave your barrel shiny clean.

[bigdawg86]

Thanks! So if you had the choice... would you load as 38 special rounds or .357?(I have a .357 and .38 special and plenty of brass for each)

I am only punching paper....for now.

[thomashoward]

Thanks! So if you had the choice... would you load as 38 special rounds or .357?(I have a .357 and .38 special and plenty of brass for each)

I am only punching paper....for now.

I would load and shoot the button nose SWC until you are good at it.Then load them up a a little.Then go to the full SWC in .357
Check the printed recommendation and start slow and work up
My .38 special load is 5 grains Unique
My .357 load is 6.5 grains of Unique
These are my loads only.your gun may be different

http://data.hodgdon.com/cartridge_load.asp

http://www.alliantpowder.com/

Recommended reading

http://www.amazon.com/Lyman-Cast-Bullet-Handbook-Edition/dp/B004DWBKQY

[Whiterabbit]

Thanks! So if you had the choice... would you load as 38 special rounds or .357?(I have a .357 and .38 special and plenty of brass for each)

I am only punching paper....for now.

Easy, 357 all the way. by the time you are done with your can of powder and learned a bunch about what you gun likes and doesn't like, as well as the reloading process for pistol and how it differs from your 223 loading, how that affects real world results....

you'll have intimate knowledge of 357 and YOUR gun and how they get along. Rather than intimate knowledge of loading rounds that are super cheap and ubiquitous anyways.

[AJD]

Slugging your barrel is a great way to figure out the proper boolit diameter for your barrel. It prevents the whole trial by error thing.

+1 On slugging the barrel and I will also add it's actually just as important to slug each and every cylinder on a revolver as well. If you have tight cylinder throats, which are smaller than diameter of the cast bullet you're using, you will just be sizing the bullet down before it ever reaches the barrel. It only takes one tight cylinder to cause problems with cast bullets.

Since the op has already purchased his bullets, he'll have to load them up and see what results he gets. I would consider doing the following however: Don't use a Lee Factory Crimp die as it can post-size the cast bullet smaller. Make sure the case is belled enough so it doesn't shave the bullet down. Try to seat the bullet as straight as possible as cast bullets can be distorted. Many people recommend a Lyman M expander die for prepping cases used for cast bullets.

It looks like the HBWCs are made by Hornady. Those will work great seated flush with the case mouth or sticking out about an 1/8" and used with light charges of powder. Most of the data you'll find for the HBWC will be for .38 special. Speer #11 did have data for .357 mag and HBWCs. Good luck!