Help needed

[garth64]

I will be reloading copper plated 146gr wadcutters for 357 Mag. The Lee relaoding manual has a range of from 3.0 to 3.4 gr of Hodgdon HP-38 for the lead wadcutter. I asked the bullet manufacturer for their recommendation for the copper plated bullets and they said it should be more than for the lead bullets due to the increased friction, but wouldn't give me a number. Anyone have any experience? I was going to start with 3.4 gr of HP-38 for fear that 3.0 may be too low.

 

[Walkalong]

I would start in the middle of that. Say 3.2 Grs. He is right as far as needing a bit more powder to get the plated bullets going compared to lead.

 

[garth64]

Thanks Walkalong!

 

[justdoit]

hi garth64, if you are loading for 357mag and not 38spl i would start a little higher, my book shows 146gr jacketed bullet at 6.0gr hp38 with velocity at 1153. that should be ok for plated bullets, they need a good crimp also, not so much that it cuts into the plating but tight.

 

[RandyP]

Plated generally state to keep the fps below 1200 and to use the high end of lead - low end of jacketed data.

that's what I use for mine anyway - Berry or Ranier plated.

 

[janobles14]

i would agree to keep them under 1200. much more than that and you'll start peeling plating.

 

[rcmodel]

You need to I.D. what type of wadcutters you are asking about.

If they are 146 grain HBWC (hollow-base wadcutters) you need to keep them way slower then 1,200 FPS!!

The 1,200 FPS plated bullet rule is for solid base wadcutters and regular plated bullets only.

Hodgdon data shows a Lead HBWC with HP-38 as 3.0 start for 845 FPS, and 3.4 MAX for 908 FPS.

The 3.4 load with plated HBWC will give you at least 850 FPS without danger of blowing the skirt out in the forcing cone.

rc

 

[Walkalong]

Yep. Definitely not suitable for .357 velocities or pressures if hollow base. Not a good chice for .357 mag velocities if they are solid either.

I load .38 bullets at light .38 Spl velocities in .357 cases all the time, which is what it sounds like he wants to do.

A light taper crimp won't hurt, but they don't need any crimp at all, just remove the bell.

 

[garth64]

These plated bullets I have have a cannelure to crimp to; it will give me an OAL of about 1.32"; I can't use load data for a jacketed bullet with this OAL without creating too much pressure, correct?

 

[Walkalong]

I would stick with no more than 75% of jacketed data with a solid 148 Gr plated WC, if there is any for 148 Gr jacketed WC's. I have never seen one, only lead and plated.

They are intended for target loads anyway.

I always load them flush, or near flush, with the case mouth.

 

[justdoit]

with the col you stated, that is for 38spl, 357mag should be around 1.55, are you using 357 brass or 38spl?? also what barrel lenth will you shoot

 

[garth64]

I'll be using 357 brass, 4" barrel.

 

[justdoit]

garth64, what brand bullet are you using, as you can see there is alot of different data based on the bullet.

 

[garth64]

I'm using X-treme copper plated bullets.

 

[justdoit]

ok, i looked on x-treme website and see a 148gr plated wadcuter
my manual shows 148gr wadcutter using hp38 at a start load of 3.0gr and max at 3.4gr both below 1000fps and col at 1.29.
i think you could use the max load of 3.4gr to start, and adjust from there, the col i stated is minimum so you can have itout to the 1.30s.
i would load a few and test and go from there with powder and col adjustments.

 

[garth64]

Thanks for the responses.