180 grain MBC 357 experience

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sequins

sequins

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CAUTION: The following post includes loading data beyond currently published maximums for this cartridge. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK. Neither the writer, The High Road, nor the staff of THR assume any liability for any damage or injury resulting from use of this information. (Note: The published max is 15.0gn but that's for a Nosler Partition, because there isn't specific data for MBC and I'm getting their published velocity from a 4" shorter barrel I'm posting the warning)

I have loaded a lot of MBC 158gn LSWC and 148gn DEWC, but hadn't shot much of the 180gn WFN yet. I had some Hodgdon Lil'Gun lying around and decided since it's no good for 125gn but gets good velocity I'd try it in the heavier bullet.

I'm using GFL brass on it's third loading, 180gn WFN MBC coated lead bullets, CCI small pistol magnum primers, and 14.5gn of Hodgdon Lil'Gun. I shot 45 of these loads through my Ruger GP100 6" barrel and measured velocity with a Labradar chronograph. The target is bag rested and assisted by a 6 moa viper vortex red dot at 25 yards.

Here are my results:

COAL: 1.600
CHARGE: 14.5gn Hodgdon Lil'Gun
PRIMER: CCI Small Pistol Magnum
PROJECTILE: 180gn MBC WFN

upload_2021-6-6_16-4-12.png

BBL LENGTH: 6"
AVG VEL: 1251
HIGH VEL: 1330
LOW VEL: 1197
SD: 29
ES: 133
NB SHOTS: 45

setup.PNG
target.PNG


Recoil was mild, report wasn't much either. No trouble with extraction. I think I'll go to the full 15gn max load as published by Hodgdon (albeit with a different bullet) with a small batch and see how it does, the velocity was impressive and I think I might need some more crimp.
 
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Those numbers are similar to my results with Accurate 36-180F in 6"; 1,253 but with 14.1 gr. Lil Gun. I experienced sticky extraction at 14.7 of Lil Gun behind the Cast Performance WFNGC. it ran about 1,232 and didn't group that well. Your accuracy is on point. How's the wear on the forcing cone so far?
 
So far no appreciable wear on the cone. I'll monitor though as I have 150 or so of these rounds left to shoot and after these results I think I'm pretty happy with the powder and bullet combination. If accuracy changes for the worse with more velocity I'll back it off but im pretty happy so far and typically these MBC bullets do better the harder I drive them.
 
THR or I am not responsible for any use of this unpublished data.

I've pushed as high as 15 grains of LilGun using GFL brass.
But I settled on 15 of H110.
It did a number to this charging hog at 5 yards.
The bullet entered below the eye and exploded the heart and lungs.
IMG_20210209_122209.jpg
 

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sequins said:
CAUTION: The following post includes loading data beyond currently published maximums for this cartridge. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK. Neither the writer, The High Road, nor the staff of THR assume any liability for any damage or injury resulting from use of this information. (Note: The published max is 15.0gn but that's for a Nosler Partition, because there isn't specific data for MBC and I'm getting their published velocity from a 4" shorter barrel I'm posting the warning)

I have loaded a lot of MBC 158gn LSWC and 148gn DEWC, but hadn't shot much of the 180gn WFN yet. I had some Hodgdon Lil'Gun lying around and decided since it's no good for 125gn but gets good velocity I'd try it in the heavier bullet.

I'm using GFL brass on it's third loading, 180gn WFN MBC coated lead bullets, CCI small pistol magnum primers, and 14.5gn of Hodgdon Lil'Gun. I shot 45 of these loads through my Ruger GP100 6" barrel and measured velocity with a Labradar chronograph. The target is bag rested and assisted by a 6 moa viper vortex red dot at 25 yards.

Here are my results:

COAL: 1.600
CHARGE: 14.5gn Hodgdon Lil'Gun
PRIMER: CCI Small Pistol Magnum
PROJECTILE: 180gn MBC WFN

View attachment 1003128

BBL LENGTH: 6"
AVG VEL: 1251
HIGH VEL: 1330
LOW VEL: 1197
SD: 29
ES: 133
NB SHOTS: 45

View attachment 1003115
View attachment 1003116


Recoil was mild, report wasn't much either. No trouble with extraction. I think I'll go to the full 15gn max load as published by Hodgdon (albeit with a different bullet) with a small batch and see how it does, the velocity was impressive and I think I might need some more crimp.
Click to expand...
I've been curious how accurate those bullets are with such a flat nose. But at 25 yds. they look accurate enough. 2400 or 300-MP would probably good too. That's what I keep in stock. Should do really good out of a rifle. :)
 
Hog hopping is a technique I don't want to have to practice in the field. Good to know these 180gn pills punch a hog as good as the paper.
 
Bfh_auto said:
THR or I am not responsible for any use of this unpublished data.

I've pushed as high as 15 grains of LilGun using GFL brass.
But I settled on 15 of H110.
It did a number to this charging hog at 5 yards.
The bullet entered below the eye and exploded the heart and lungs.
View attachment 1003234
Click to expand...
Reminds me of the story I read one time. Guy up in Alaska on a elk hunt had a bear charging him. One shot dropped the bear. But I believe he had a 30.06.
 
sequins said:
Hog hopping is a technique I don't want to have to practice in the field. Good to know these 180gn pills punch a hog as good as the paper.
Click to expand...
No joke. They are faster and meaner than I am.
I've been pleasantly surprised by the accuracy to 130 yards and it's killing ability.
The female pit is 90 pounds and wanted no part of that boar.
It did make 2 big ice chests full of bacon, steaks and sausage.
 
I have a NOE version of the 180-ish grain RF for 357, a 4-cavity with 2 each plain base and checked. I played with it some a few years ago, I need to get it back out.


Bfh_auto said:
The female pit is 90 pounds and wanted no part of that boar.
Click to expand...

Years ago I had a male Brindle Pit that probably would have met that boar halfway at full speed. That dog lived for adventure.
 
sequins said:
hadn't shot much of the 180gn WFN yet.
Click to expand...
I've been tinkering with the MBC coated pugnose WFN a bit, the ones I have have a gold powder coating. The bullet's base are not perfectly square to the bearing surface of the bullet so my expectations for accuracy were not very high, given that I plodded on. Weighing these bullets I found them to be 185gr and not 180gr.
My goal for these bullets was to find a load that worked well with a Ruger Security Six w/a 2.75" barrel and a Rossi 92 w/a 20" barrel, my expectations for accuracy were with the handgun if I could hit a clay at 15 yds and I could hit a clay at 75 yds with the The Rossi. These expectations were met with this load,
Rossi 92 20" barrel
Brass R-P
Primer CCI-500
Powder/charge 11.2gr of Alliant 2400
Bullet MBC 180? gr WNFP pugnose
COL 1.587"
Case trim length 1.278"
H= 1504 fps
L= 1473 fps
AV= 1484 fps
SD= 12
Shots recorded X 5
temp. 60 F
Ruger SS 2.75" barrel
Brass R-P
Primer CCI 500
Powder/charge 11.2gr of Alliant 2400
Bullet MBC 180? gr WNFP pugnose
COL 1.587"
Case trim length 1.278"
H=1072 fps
L= 962 fps ??? Not sure about this but round hit 1.5" high and 2" right from the group.
AV= 1034 fps
SD=45
X5
temp 60 F
I will load 20 at 11.0 gr and see how that goes, the 11.2 gr load showed no signs of over pressure.
Other powders I have tested with these bullets and the above mentioned firearms are Accurate #9, Lil-Gun and H-110.
 
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