plain base bullets in .38/357 rifles?

[rhill]

I have had two leverguns in the past that I no longer have and could never get good accuracy out of them with plain base cast. I never tried gas checks in them, but jacketed shot fine. Is this common in .357 rifles and is there a need to shoot gas checked bullets only in these? I never pushed them over about 1100fps. I am thinking of buying a Henry .357. Thanks!!

[GasGuzzler]

1100 is very slow for a .357 rifle. Not much more speed before I'd want gas checks powder dependent. There are way too many other variables to figure out your previous issues.

[rhill]

I know 1100 is slow, but for range use that is all I need. I thought the accuracy issues may have been a pressure issue after trying several different boolit molds with no luck. I tried a range of powders from fast to medium, no luck there either. Tried sizing at .357,358 and unsized at 359-360. I will get my new gun to shoot plain base, not giving up this time.

[GasGuzzler]

The rifling is very lazy at 1:30". That and give us some more info on your previous loads was my point. I'm sure there's a PB cast you'll like.

[rhill]

Sorry, I cannot give any specifics on the loads I tried. All those records went in the trash when those guns were sold off 6 or 7 years ago. I will just start fresh with my new rifle and go from there. I have more options now, a bigger variety of lubes to use,and I am using Hi-Tek coatings now on a lot of my cast handgun ammo with great results, this may work well in the rifle.

[Ohio3Wheels]

So far my 20" 92 seems to shoot commercial cast plain base 180s. These are all sized 358 and I'm using H110 at upper level loads. So far it hast like the Penn 180 and a very small sample of Oregon Trail, wish they sold in less than 500 quantities as I'd like to try some load development with them. Also plan to give Missouri bullets 180s a try as I can get 100 round samples in both conventional and Hy-Tech.

Happy New Year and
Make Smoke,

[johniv]

FWIW 14.5 gr of 2400 gives me 1200 fps from a 3" bb; revolver . My standard load of 13.5 gr 2400 shoots well from my revolvers and my 16" mod. 92 with no leading and though I haven't chronographed it from the rifle , I am sure it is above 1100 fps. Boolit is 158 gr cast H&G #51 plain base .
John

[rhill]

I never had much of a leading problem, I just could not get decent accuracy

[johniv]

Accuracy is satisfactory. The sights on my 92 are only 9" apart, so I aint shooting no MOA groups, but it seems to handle the cast as well as jacketed.
John

[Moon Tree]

What kind of accuracy are you looking for and at what distance? When I first bought my Rossi 357 4 or 5 years ago, I was shooting target type load at 25 and 50 yards to get used to iron sight and old eyes. As my skill level improve and with the discovery of peep sights, I moved to deer hunting loads. That's the reason I bought the the rifle. I'll look up some of my earlier experiment. Also I'll be competing against 15 or 20 friends at the end of March for a Ultimate Rifleman's Challenge. I'm considering using my iron sight .357 Rossi for that challenge. So, I'll be playing around with various cast bullets for that shoot. As weather and time permits, I'll post the results.

If It don't post something in the next month, shoot me a message. I'm old and forget stuff. haha.
Dave