bullet casters

[DickyRivers]

Took the new mold for a spin. I definitely prefer a 6 cavity over the 2... not just for the speed but for the mass that stays warm and the more weighted feel... but I managed to churn out a nice little test batch of those Lee .358 RFs. I like the way they look. High hopes for this being a good all around bullet for a little bit of everything.

 

[medium187mph]

Nice job DickyRivers

Did you use COWW or already processed bars?

 

[DickyRivers]

Nice job DickyRivers

Did you use COWW or already processed bars?

Just a couple COWW ingots I made with a dash of my own range scrap from my rubber mulch box I shoot in that had some bought hard cast bullets for a little more antimony (I assume). Also about 6” of somewhat fine 50-50 solder in a 1/4-1/3 full 20 Lee Pro pot. Water cooled.

I’m very much in the messing around and experimenting phase to try and see how what I use and do affects hardness.

I need to get a couple tweener pencils to figure out the hardness better. They’re at least harder than 14-15 BHN (my HB pencil). Next hardest pencil I have is a 2H and they’re *not* 26-28. I should have gotten a different set that had more of the H pencils and less of the Bs. Going to go fix that this evening and order an F and H pencil to cover the 16-18 and 20-22 realms. Hoping to eventually load these over some 2400 and send them with some authority and them not lead on me. They’re my first 158s! The “right” weight for my .38/.357... though those little 105s are awful efficient with the lead use.

I’ll Alox them tomorrow and maybe make it out to try a few Sunday. If not... next weekend.

 

[EMC45]

Took the new mold for a spin. I definitely prefer a 6 cavity over the 2... not just for the speed but for the mass that stays warm and the more weighted feel... but I managed to churn out a nice little test batch of those Lee .358 RFs. I like the way they look. High hopes for this being a good all around bullet for a little bit of everything. View attachment 3163368 View attachment 3163369

It's an amazing bullet. 3gr Bullseye is my plinking load, but all the other fast-ish pistol powders have worked well for me too, from mild to slightly wild.

 

[DickyRivers]

It's an amazing bullet. 3gr Bullseye is my plinking load, but all the other fast-ish pistol powders have worked well for me too, from mild to slightly wild.

I load mostly my .38s with Bullseye (still am using my last pound that was my late fathers. I have some more new stuff I bought, but it’ll be a sad day when it’s empty, and it won’t be much longer when that day is here)... though I do have some Unique and Universal. I’ve used Unique for some medium speed (900-ish FPS) bullets and haven’t opened the Universal yet. Did a couple dozen bought 158 hard cast SWCs just to experiment with 2400 and chrono a range from 13-14 gr and see how my gun took to it. I think I’d like to try some a few different things across the board. Eventually I’ll try and get a 6 cavity 158 SWC mold for the fun of it, though I’ll still probably shoot piles more of the 105s since I get 3 bullets to every 2 158 I’d cast lead-wise.

This bullet just *looks* mean and had some good buzz over at cast boolits. Honestly, I wonder if there’s such a thing as a bad .38/.357 boolit fired through pretty much any decent gun. They’ve always kinda been a sure thing for me at the ranges I tend to shoot at (25 yards and under) and given my limited ability. Maybe if I ever got a lever gun and reached out to 100 yards I’d see issues and limitations, but anything off the bullseye at my ranges is firmly the cause of the trigger man.

Maybe I’d try to stretch out towards 50 yards in a whim. I think I’d simply be pretty happy to keep most the shots on a 8.5x11” paper target. Goals.

 

[DickyRivers]

There was a few Lee molds in stock at Midway today. Just snagged a TL358-158-SWC 6 cavity. So now I’ll have a standard weight SWC. They had 200 grain .358s earlier today... though I let ‘em pass. I didn’t figure they’d fit unless loaded in .38 cases in my 627. Might be a heck of a bullet out of the right sized revolver or a lever gun.

 

[medium187mph]

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/101021623?pid=789762

I’m tempted to snag these

There was a few Lee molds in stock at Midway today. Just snagged a TL358-158-SWC 6 cavity. So now I’ll have a standard weight SWC. They had 200 grain .358s earlier today... though I let ‘em pass. I didn’t figure they’d fit unless loaded in .38 cases in my 627. Might be a heck of a bullet out of the right sized revolver or a lever gun.

 

[DickyRivers]

I went back and snagged the 6 cavity SWC for a .45. The 4 die sets were in stock earlier today but are out right now but they pop up often. The main thing I lack is suitable brass/primers. I have SPPs... but all my unfired factory ammo is LPP. Apparently some 45 ACP takes smalls. I got a pretty nice .45, my first one, a couple years ago that I’ve only taken out a few times but loading for it would likely make me go for it more often. I figure I’ll cast a few... snag dies eventually and either get some SPP brass from one of a few nearby friends or buy some online if I have to. It’d probably be easier/cheaper than finding LPPs anytime soon.

 

[DickyRivers]

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/101021623?pid=789762

I’m tempted to snag these

...and I do like that bullet. I like the looks of it even more than the SWC I got... I just had a harder time casting with the 2 cavity vs the 6 for whatever reason. I think it was mainly getting it to/holding temp as I was fooling around the first time.

 

[DickyRivers]

It’s Christmas!