Still Trying

[MissouriCrowinMass]

Last week, I got some good advice on working up .38 Special & .357 Magnum Loads.

1. I'm supporting the barrel on an adjustible rest when testing......not my rangebag. I have support under my hands. The GP 100 isn't in a vise but it's very well braced.

2. I'm leaving the Rainier 148gr. DEWC's out of the .357 cases and NO buldges in the cases when setting the bullets. This is 1.450" OAL on the
.357's. When I set the .38 Specials flush....I got 2 or 3 buldges out of 100 or so. I crimp with a Lee Factory Crimp Die which resizes them anyway.....they are chamber fine after crimping.

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Today, I tried Bullseye Powder. I put 2.8 grains in the .38 Sp and 4.0 grs in the .357 Mags. I had a great time shooting but I'm disappointed in my work with this bullet. My groups are much smaller when I shoot LRN 158 gr bullets in Win 231.

With Bullseye today, the .357's definitely shoot tighter than the .38 Specials.

Any advice? Do the crimps look decent? I used the LFC Die on the .357's but I wasn't cracking the plating. I was pretty careful.

I'm wondering if the pistol might not just like .358 lead bullets better?

 

[Walkalong]

Do the crimps look decent?

Here is mine.

Just a light taper crimp. I ended up seating them about .105 out of the case. Still tweaking the powders and weights. Getting close. Not sure I like the Berrys 148 Gr HBWC any more than their 148 Gr DEWC.

 

[MissouriCrowinMass]

Walkalong,

Thanks. I have an RBCS 9mm die set. One of the guys said that I could use the Setter Die on it to Taper Crimp .357 & .38 Special Cases. I've got 250 more of the Rainier plated DEWC's.....I can experiment quite a bit more.

I'd like to try to approach something like this with 158 gr. LRN and Win 231. I shot these off my Rangebag at 50'. I wasn't even supporting the barrel on rest. If I can't get the Rainier's to do better.....I'm going back to lead. The Rainiers seem about the same as Factory Lead......not as good as lead w/ Win 231.

Plus, I noticed yesterday that about one out of 10 shots with the .38 Special was a real flyer. It'd be 6" off POA. At first I thought it was me but after 3 or 4......I'm thinking it's the load? Although 2.8 grs of Bullseye for 148 gr. wadcutters is a well known recipe.

 

[Walkalong]

I can experiment quite a bit more.

That is part of the fun of reloading. When results (good results of course) continue to repeat themselves, you know you have a winner.

 

[NVMM]

Very nice shooting.
Looks like your gun likes the 3.8/231 load.
If thats what your looking for, I'd use that load.
Accurate and I'm sure soft recoil.