158gr SWC for 35 Remington?

[The_Next_Generation]

Hey everyone,

I've scoured the internet several times and haven't found what I'm looking for.

I'm trying to come up with a good starting load for my Marlin 336 in 35 Remington using a 158gr SWC w/ gas check. The powders I have are IMR PB, H335, and Win 748. I'd like to stick with these powders.

These loads are mainly for plinking, but I I'd like them to be a little "punchy" because water jugs blow up better that way ...

Any ideas? I was thinking 25grns of H335 or so, but then I read some forum somewhere and decided that it would be better to check here and see what you folks think.

 

[Salmoneye]

I use Red Dot myself, and I use a 158gr truncated cone with data from here:

http://www.gmdr.com/lever/lowveldata.htm

Sorry...Does not look like there is any data there for your chosen powders...

 

[Bailey Boat]

I used to play with my 35 Rem using pistol bullets and got good results on 'yotes using JHP's. It is my understand that cast lead and Micro Groove barrels don't get along well.

My old Speer #10 manual shows loads for 125 and 158 grain SP's and JHP's using RE7, 680, 4895 and 3031 but nothing for the powders you mention.

 

[Salmoneye]

It is my understand that cast lead and Micro Groove barrels don't get along well.

Slug your bore, and size your bullets a minimum of .001" over groove size, with .002" being better IMNSHO...

I can make my Micro-Groove .35 Rem chambered 336RC and .44 Mag 1894S shoot cast just fine...

 

[horsemen61]

Good info guys thanks

 

[MichaelK]

IMR4895 is very close to the burn rate of H335, and Speer's tenth edition manual lists 35.0 grains of IMR4895 as their starting charge for their 158 grain jacketed soft-point. I would guestimate that the starting weight of H335 would be within 1-2 grains of that. Assuming you wanted to reduce that by an extra 10%, I'd suggest a starting charge of 31-32 grains of H335.

 

[BCRider]

Hodgdon, who makes the powder, doesn't list any loads for bullets that light. But the STARTING load for the 180 grain is 34gns. And the max is only 3.5 gns higher at 37.5gns. That suggests to me that it's a powder that wants to see a fairly high minimum pressure in order to get a proper and complete burn. Going with a load as light as 25gns behind a lighter bullet might not let the powder generate the sort of pressure it requires to burn clean and consistently.

Based on this if you want to shoot the bullet at up around 2000fps it appears that starting with that same 34 to 35gns would be OK and then work up from there until the accuracy tightens up. But likely you would not want to go past around 38gns based on the lighter bullets you're using.

 

[coyote315]

i made a cheap practice round for my .35 rem 760 (and a couple of my friends) using 158 cast lead RN bullets, and 11 grains of H110. They're accurate to about 65 yards before the rate of twist makes them suddenly shoot a "pattern" instead of a tight group. No recoil, low noise, fun to shoot. YMMV

 

[GooseGestapo]

The DuPont aka IMR PB will do what you want to do. Use data for such as Hod. Clays. PB is a little slower burning than clays and will work at the same level.

I'd suggest a start load of 5.0gr and probably not go over 11.5gr.. My Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook says with a 150gr cast bullet;
start 8.5gr 1,310fps
max. 11.5gr 1570fps

I'd save the H335 for jacketed bullet loads. H335 being a spherical mid-range burning rate powder won't ignite well at the reduced loads you'll need to use with the lead SWC. Ditto the Win748. I loaded some excellent cast bullet loads with #748, but they were at levels equal to jacketed bullet loads.

Also, you might not get good accuracy with the .358" pistol bullets, especially if they are sized .357". My .35Rem shoots really, really well with cast "boollits" sized .360 but not so well with .358".

If you can get some Round-Nose, these will work better than the SWC. My rifle dosen't feed well from the magazine with SWC. your results might be different.

 

[The_Next_Generation]

Thanks for all the input guys!

I think I will try 6 grains of PB and 31 of H335 and see how it goes. Goose, I'd love to hear what your 748 loads were (although I'm guessing they were with heavier boolitz).

For me, "plinking load" is somewhat of a misnomer as I sometimes load my 45 "plinking" ammo hot..its "funner" that way

 

[mbopp]

I have a Contender in 357 Herrett (a bit smaller case than a 35 Rem.) I use 18 gr of I4198 and a Missouri hard-cast 158gr SWC. Cases are flared with a medium Lyman .35 "M" die.

 

[GooseGestapo]

I was using the Hornady 200gr RN and Win748. IRRC 38.5gr was very, very accurate. I ended up going up to 40.0gr for just about 2,100fps.

I switched to the superior 200gr Remington CorLokts. I bought a large quantity before they experienced a huge price increase in '08. They "were" the cheapest and best bullet you could get for the .35Rem. They aren't available or haven't been recently and are more expensive than the similar 200gr Sierra RN, which is my bullet of choice behind the CorLokt.
I've switched to H4895 for the .35Rem. I'm getting 2,250fps with a heavier than published load. I've tried the Hornady 200gr FTX but the lot# I have won't expand at .35Rem speed;(I've "drilled" two bucks with them. Both were 3/8" in and out. Would have lost both deer if shots weren't perfect heart shots from close range ~25yds). I'm shooting them up in a .358win I've aquired.

I won't be buying anymore .35 jacketed bullets as I've got an RCBS 200gr FNGC mould to be delivered by FedEx on Friday. I'll probably be using that in the .35Rem for deer this year. I much prefer the Marlin 336 to the BLR'81 as the Marlin has a much, much better trigger. Accuracy is in the Marlin's favor and the power potential isn't as great/different as I once thought it would be. With the velocity limitation of the cast bullet, there's no reason for the slightly larger case of the .358.
If the .358 hadn't been my best friends favorite rifle, I'd probably have sold/traded it off. It's really too pretty to hunt with !!!

 

[The_Next_Generation]

Well, I FINALLY got around to trying out some 158gr bullets in my 35Rem yesterday! I used 158gr JHPs by Montana Gold over 35gr of H335 and was pleased by the accuracy of the load. I also tried 38gr of Win 748 as well, but it wasn't as accurate. I have more testing to do, as I only had time to load/shoot 5 rounds of each. The H335 load made a. 95" group at 50 yards. I saved the last two for shots on the 8" gong at 200yds. I managed to hit it both times, using only a rest and Kentucky windage (much to my spotter's amazement). The shots landed a little high, 4" apart. Not bad for buckhorn sights, I say! I was holding about 12-14" high.

Given the drop from a 50yd zero, and given a BC of .185, my software says the velocity is around 2000-2100 ft/sec.

I won't be able to test the cast SWCs until spring when I get a break from school.

Edit: 666th post, hehehe

 

[The_Next_Generation]

I loaded up the gas-checked 158gr SWCs over 8gr of IMR PB. I went with 8gr because 6gr seemed like it wouldn't offer much for velocity. The bullets are 22BN, so they should be able to handle it.

I'll post grouping data once I get back from the range tomorrow!