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EDP wrote:[...]Lastly, the.357mag rounds I am going to start on next - I want to use the PPU copper-jacketed bullets in the PPU cases (as I find their factory rounds are great in my lever action) so I won't have any leading issues anyway with that calibre, but I'd be very interested in your suggestions re: powders and primers to get as accurate as I can with them?

Ramshot True Blue is a great powder to use for .357mag. It's a ball powder that meters very nicely and in my experience have shot well with 158gr lead bullets and 125gr jacketed bullets. I've only ever used Remington and CCI small pistol primers (non-magnum) and they work fine based on shooting ~3,500 rounds through my Marlin.

http://www.ramshot.com/wp-content/uploa ... _Web-1.pdf

For gallery loads I've used Alliant Bullseye with 158gr lead bullets in order to keep my velocity down.

The key with loading these rounds for a lever action is making sure the overall length isn't too long. If my memory serves correctly, my Marlin doesn't like to be fed anything longer than 1.600" so I load mine to around 1.590" and they feed really well. In my experience I haven't had any problems with leading; I've only ever cleaned my bore when I've shot jacketed rounds.

Ramshot True Blue is a great powder to use for .357mag. It's a ball powder that meters very nicely and in my experience have shot well with 158gr lead bullets and 125gr jacketed bullets. I've only ever used Remington and CCI small pistol primers (non-magnum) and they work fine based on shooting ~3,500 rounds through my Marlin.

http://www.ramshot.com/wp-content/uploa ... _Web-1.pdf

For gallery loads I've used Alliant Bullseye with 158gr lead bullets in order to keep my velocity down.

Many thanks WelshShooter, out of interest my gallery club doesn't allow magnum rounds (I use them at the outdoor ranges I attend) - what would be your suggestion for 158gr round nose first point lead 38sp (not sure what make but from Hannams, going into PPU cases)?

Leading is caused by undersized hard cast bullets---soft is better in a rifle. Much of the handed down knowledge comes from ex-pistol shooters who were concerned with soft bullets "setting up" in the throats of their revolvers and causing lead spitting and lead plated forcing cones. Rifles are different.

No, I did read his post FredB - I don't seem to be able to find soft lead bullets for sale anywhere near me, nor any labeled as soft online at the suppliers I know of, hence my comments about not wanting to start making bullets yet. Do you have a brand of soft, oversized bullets/suppliers you could suggest? Any recommendations are gratefully received.

By the way, I've not fathomed how to get the text input/quote method working quite right on my tablet yet, apologies!

quote is bottom right of each post

EDP wrote:Many thanks WelshShooter, out of interest my gallery club doesn't allow magnum rounds (I use them at the outdoor ranges I attend) - what would be your suggestion for 158gr round nose first point lead 38sp (not sure what make but from Hannams, going into PPU cases)?

I used .38special load data but put into a .357magnum case for a 158gr lead truncated bullet (I believe these were Hannam's also). From the load manual I linked to you, the starting charge for .38special is 5.0gr of Ramshot True Blue with a max load of 5.6gr. I settled on a load of 5.6gr as this showed excellent accuracy when shooting from a bench (with scope) at 25m. The picture below shows four rounds grouped nicely with one flier. The maximum load of True Blue in .357 for the same bullet is 9.8gr so plenty of room to play with.

It's worth noting that the case mouth exterior is a little sooty from this light load.

Thank you very much WelshShooter! Great info!

EDP wrote:Leading is caused by undersized hard cast bullets---soft is better in a rifle. Much of the handed down knowledge comes from ex-pistol shooters who were concerned with soft bullets "setting up" in the throats of their revolvers and causing lead spitting and lead plated forcing cones. Rifles are different.

No, I did read his post FredB - I don't seem to be able to find soft lead bullets for sale anywhere near me, nor any labeled as soft online at the suppliers I know of, hence my comments about not wanting to start making bullets yet. Do you have a brand of soft, oversized bullets/suppliers you could suggest? Any recommendations are gratefully received.

You will be lucky to get decent soft lead bullets commercially. Commercial bullet caster promote hard cast bullets because the travel better, soft lead bullets get damaged easily during transport unless very carefully packed, i.e more cost, this all adds to the hard bullet myth which originates in shooters minds because they try and apply condom bullet thinking to cast which of course is inapplicable.

As I said in my previous post and as has been supported by the few on here that know about such things, bullet fit is key, undersize bullets lead, undersize hard cast bullets lead even more.

If you are serious about cast shooting them casting your own is the only way to go as commercial cast bullets rarely shine although some may be adequate at normal pistol ranges if you firearm happens to agree with the undersized commercial offerings.


This is also more than just "opinion".

Thank you dromia, so I'll be best to assume I can only get to a certain standard using "bought" lead bullets until I feel competent enough at the actual loading processes to start casting my own bullets. I do understand what you wrote earlier about bullet fit and the softer alloys but was not really aware of the difficulties re: procuring commercially available soft lead heads. I thought I was using the wrong search terms of something.

You may be lucky and find commercial bullets that fit your gun, if so be happy. No two guns are the same even if they are called the same, look the same and and are sold the same.

Lead heads?????