[shu]

having recently acquired a GP100, i have a mind to build some 357mag loads with 180gr bullets. there is no special purpose here other than just learning. i am looking at speer's #13 manual, which of course touts speer bullets, but i was thinking of hardcast lead (which i have never used before).

who would make 180gr hardcast lead for 357mag?

as to powders i would start with bluedot (my on-hand 'slow powder' of choice) then maybe AA#9 (which i have used in 357sig) or H110 (which i have used for 357mag 158gr). i would probably start at or below what speer #13 recommends for these powders, watch the speeds and watch the primers and cases.

might be a good idea to use the cases just once for this.

[mtnbkr]

Lots of 180s on the Internet. Nationalbullet.com is one. I use jacketed 180s because I got tired of leading.

You can use your cases more than once. Just make sure to trim them when they get long. I have brass that's been loaded 3-4 times with my 180@1200fps load (same load would drive a cast bullet to over 1300fps). I use H110 for mine. If you use H110, don't start too low.

Chris

[Erich]

Beartooth makes good ones, but why stop at 180-grainers? :) They go up to 210-grainers . . . :eek:

http://www.beartoothbullets.com/bulletselect/index.htm

[mtnbkr]

For that matter, I have 230gr wadcutters loaded up. Not semiwadcutters, full wadcutters. :D

6gr of Unique gets them into the 950fps range. Soft shooting too.

Chris

[griz]

Hunter Supply makes a lead bullet that is 190 grains. They have a wide flat point but rounded sides that feed well in a lever action. I haven't tried mine at 357 velocities but they worked great in 38 cases at about 800 FPS from a revlover.

[Ben Shepherd]

Try out www.pennbullets.com for a good 357 heavyweight.

[Big Daddy]

http://www.pathfindersports.com/p/pathfindersports/default.asp?S=E3&Document=Bear+Creek&NID=19588

These guys make nice bullets. They are also moly coated or polymer coated, some type of coating to reduce leading. In addition they will pay shipping on orders over $70.

[SASS#23149]

As long as you stay witin max load range,your cases can b e used until they split,basically.They are after all .357 Mag cases,and are designed for sstandard magnum loads.(how's that for an oxymoron? )
trimming straight wall cases is not as big a deal as bottlenecked cases,as they dont 'grow' like bn's do.Good idea to mike 'em and keep 'em in spec though.
The 180grainers are fun to shoot,and i shoot 'em 'just because they are there.' :)

[Zeke Menuar]

Oregon Trail makes a 180gr cast lead bullet. That is what I used in 357 back when I still had a revolver.

ZM

[LAH]

We sell a couple. You can find them at www.creeker.net