Click on the image to get a full size version, use this for input if you are interested. Now, if you design something your gun doesn't like to shoot, that's another story. More info and test results are coming soon! It's a good thing that mould drops some fat bullets! Right now when using the rifle FCD, it looks like the best setting is for custom die to touch the shell plate, then add 1/2 turn for non-magnum load or 3/4 turn for magnum loads. Those results are needed before either of these will be given the green light. That's one reason the 358-429 shoots so well.
7 Accurate No. Hang out on the TaurusArmed.net and you'll get a different story. The Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook list 1.553 as the minimum. Fact or Fiction in a handgun? Or a +p load? 44 Rem. I would try for something in the 1000fps range. However for a given nose and lube groove configuration, a longer bullet will weigh more. P.S. My new custom 358-429 shoots as great as bullets cast from the NOE and Lyman moulds. Poll: Where are you finding reloading primers and powder? Larry. I was given a large amount of Bullseye and it became my "go to" light load powder. It's incredibly accurate. I always try a few loads loaded short, or near the minimum length for the given recipe. The rifle FCD is adjusted to touch the shell plate on the press. If you have a preference which should happen, post your comments. The 669 has big throats, and likes the .360+ bullets unsized, so I'll walk you through how I determined that fact, and other key steps to getting superb accuracy. For the new readers, this is my secon... For folks that can't seem to get a 358-429 mould that drops full diameter bullets, here is one great solution.
Working up a lighter load, and more testing to refine the full house loads will be the priority for next year. Accuracy at 25 yards, rested and measured with calipers to .01 inch tells me that they can all shoot equally well. They took some load development for my revolver, just as it would for your revolver. hurt enough for me. I plan to work with that new mould, and to dust off a 200 grain SWC from NOE. Another surprise to me is that 700X was outdone by Bullseye, as they say: It is what it is. 38 Special +P. Also, in the chamber, a bullet like the 358-125-RF can be loaded enough to bump up against the rifle's throat. Not painful, but a newbee to shooting may not enjoy it as much as 13.5 or the 5.4 grains of Unique. Closed Group Buy: Lee 358429.
Now, let's take a look at ladder test results using this bullet and Alliant 2400. If it worked, I would then run the same test on 358-429 bullets from my new Mountain Mold (see prior posts for more details). It's tough to tell the differences, but it's the best shot I was able to get. Have fun shooting those tight groups! This now drops at 168 grains, with the soft & heavy alloy. 2400 is nasty too. To better indicate the differences, each group is 10 rounds. Based on that simplification, a heavier bullet is usually longer than a lighter bullet. These FCD's will not work on 38 specials, the cases aren't long enough. If you look back at prior posts I actually do mention that fact it's really about length, and also weight.
Contact ultimate reloader by clicking here. Alliant 2400 for 357 magnum reloading question, Re: Alliant 2400 for 357 magnum reloading question. Jacketed handgun bullets weren't used (or rarely used) in revolver ammunition back then. To get a custom mould from Lee is $205. 32 H&R Magnum. The 357 bullets I'm using don't extend through the die like that, but has the four collets further down in the die body. Campfire Regular. My Python wouldn't do that well. I'll be following up with those results shortly! The plan that's taking shape as I gather data (more than I might need because safety) is to start right at a 10gn charge and creep upward.
I had the Dillon XL-650 setup for 357 Magnum, so I thought I’d give this powder a try. It'll basically be a 6 cavity version of the 180 custom Keith. This load likes the bullet to push through the throats with finger pressure. I used 15.0 2400 with a 160 GCSWC in a Rossi Puma carbine for several years without issue. Pressure figures in contemporary published manuals are likely more accurate than they were years ago. It's as simple as adding lead to make a bullet longer has to make it weigh more. The follow group is rifle crimp die adjuste 3/4 turn. It could be the low round count, or that gas checks aren't needed. That's pretty special in my book, rarified air IMHO. One of my favorite mould manufactuers. I just didn't believe that so I contacted the powder company . I would recommend staying between 9 to 11 grains with regular small pistol primers, and see whats accurate in that range. All shots fired without incident even with my lightened trigger springs (some harder primers don’t fire reliably in this revolver. I use this with cast, plated and jacketed bullets. It surpasses the accuracy and performance of the others, to make it into the top three bullet moulds. Why we all have more than one ref point. There will be more pictures coming, so stay tuned as I continue to ring this combination out. Even with max magnum loads there is no concern of a dangerous high pressure situation due to compressed case volume. 22 Hornet. I'm looking forward to getting back to the range! As I continue to shake all this out and refine this die, and 2400 charges, I'll post final crimp results. The 125-RF likes to be loaded long (1.597-1.600), with the crimp below the crimp groove and right on the middle band. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts, 9MM, 357, 44AMP, .45ACP, .223, .308, .458SOCOM, Hornady LnL AP - 45 ACP, 9mm, 357Mag; PW 375 - 12ga, 20ga, .45ACP|9mm|.380ACP|.44 Mag|.223|7.62x54R|30-30|30-06. Good accuracy, reliable functioning, no flattened primers. Alex- thanks for sharing- have you had any trouble with incomplete combustion or particles in the air with 125 grain bullets? I've got regular and magnum primers, so I'm leaning toward saving the magnums for full on magnum rounds. The basic rule for shooting cast is for the throats to be bigger than groove diameter, whatever they actually measure is less important, in my opinion. Wow, that's dramatically different. The Greenhill formula is one that has been used for years. The last couple of Lyman 358-429's that I bought cast .356-.357 bullets. Conventional wisdom says yes, this crimp die however, says no. That's almost as much as my gun! In reality the potentially most accurate charge from this test is between 5 and 6, at 15.5 grains. I smoked a couple of primers & changed to a magnum rifle primer to solve that. In my opinion there are a few criteria: The bullets must be capable of less-than one inch groups. I am indeed shooting out of revolver, 5 inch barrel. I haven't tested a Freedom Arms, because they are out of my price range. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast, Press J to jump to the feed. It's expensive, but the best bullet I've shot in any gun to date. Overall, I’m impressed with Alliant 2400 so far. Several people that post here and even a few gun mag writers claim that 2400 has a " faster " burn rate than when developed in 1933 .
One of the first groups of 6 shots from 30′ (freehand) grouped within 5/8″ – a demonstration of the manageable recoil! Very accurate, and a great load that anyone can shoot. Just as I wanted. An $800 or $1,200 revolver is one great revolver, it just doesn't outshoot a $400 revolver. !function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)? 2 - Primers. Perhaps my bore was marginally tighter? Using my favorite soft alloy of 98% lead and 2% solder (lead free), the Lee custom bullets drop at 178-179 grains, so I round up and call them 180's.
Then adjusted for the diameter my guns want, with my alloy. Pushing the bullet as far into the throat as possible has become almost second nature. I'm making a change to the minimum number needed, to 7. You have found THE powder used by Elmer Keith for his heavy loads. Hell if those perform well enough I might even stay right there, this isn't a couple of weekends worth of rounds.