While I have some acceptable hunting loads, I've had some perplexing results. Here are pictures of the bullets:
Four of the bullets work pretty well for me. Here is a list of loads that give me acceptable groups. I am shooting these in a Bergara BA13 single-shot.
1. Lee 358-125-RF. I have some subsonic loads using 38 special brass and 4 grains of Trail Boss. I seat the bullets to the top of the crimp ring (I don't crimp because I use these in a single-shot). I'd seldom use them beyond thirty yards. Nice and quiet too, travelling at around 1000 fps. I've also loaded these bullets with 5.7 grains of Trail Boss (in magnum brass), but this means I can't fully seat them. This load gives me pleasing accuracy and a velocity of around 1160fps. Using up to 7.4g of ADI AP70N powder (similar burn rate to Unique), I get up to around 1500 fps. I don't shoot many of these in one session, but I've never noticed any leading from them. These worked well in my Rossi 92 also. I shot a feral goat with one of these faster loads and the result was impressive.
2. Speer RN 158grain. These factory-made bullets shot well out of the Rossi and my Bergara. I only ever loaded them at subsonic speeds, mainly using about 4.2g of Trail Boss. Not my first choice for a hunting bullet, but they do the job when used carefully.
3. Lee C358-200-RF. These possibly give me my most accurate .357 load. But only at one speed, and they didn't work in the Rossi (they went sideways). I use 4.8g of AP70N which gives a velocity around 960 fps. Faster or slower than this the groups open up. When I found this accuracy I thought I had an ideal, quiet cartridge for hunting around inhabited areas. However its terminal performance on my first hunt with it was just awful. The goat I shot didn't seem to know it was hit and just walked away. I had to follow it into the thick, thorny scrub and shoot twice more. I'd have been better off with my .22 and Winchester subsonic ammo which I have used successfully on goats many times. The meplat on this bullet is smaller than the meplat on the 125g RF. If I had to pick one of my current bullets for rabbit shooting accuracy to maybe 75 yards, this would be it.
4. Cast Bullet Engineering (Australia) 360-210-SWCPB (plain base). This mould was relatively expensive, but it is heirloom quality. Simply beautiful. Never have to hit it with a stick, I simply nudge any stuck bullets with the finger of an old leather glove and they fall out. These bullets sit quite deep in the case, but I can fit 12.5g of ADI AR2205 under them (closely related to Hodgdon H110). Using standard small rifle primers, this load gives me about 1300 fps and although I haven't shot a lot of groups, they seem to shoot under a two inch group at 55 yards.... which is great for bush stalking. This is my serious hunting load. It makes a heck of a bang though.
I'd like to be able to use these 210g bullets at subsonic speeds, but they don't group nearly as well.
All the other bullets shown in the photos have not grouped well enough for me. I've been a target shooter, but I realise that I will be too frustrated if I will only settle for target accuracy with my hunting bullets. So I've told myself that anything under 4MOA is worth pursuing. 2MOA or less would be wonderful.
I think it is odd that my C358-200-RF groups so well at 960 fps and won't group well at faster speeds. Yet the 210g SWC groups pleasingly at 1300 fps while it is rubbish at slower speeds.
I also like the look of the Lee 358-158-RF with its nice big meplat. I've shot some good groups with it, but not every time I try it. I wish I knew why.
If anyone has any thoughts on achieving better accuracy with either the 210g SWC or the 158g RF, I'd love to read them.
The poor old three-legged boar in the photo below was shot with a 358-125-RF powered by 5.7g of Trail Boss. It was too tough for human consumption so I boiled it up and cut into small chunks for pet food.
Best wishes from New Zealand... Stephen Coote.
