The lee 125 gr cast bullets in the 92

[Johnnyjr]

I understand that this is a good
bullet for the 92.
My question is what do you find
to be the best alloy to use.
I cast a bunch today with the bhn
Of about 10. Have not loaded any
yet.
Do you all think this is going to
be to soft. Mainly for target shooting.
thanks for any information.
Be used in 357 as well as 38s...

[mr surveyor]

I don't remember trying any 125 gr cast bullets in my 16" R92, but recently tried some 125 gr Hornady XTP's with AA#9 .... they shot a pattern - not a group. I won't be wasting any more primers and powder on the 125's when cast 165 gr, LHP, GT Bullets shoot 1" groups at 50 yards (Bench rested).

I was really disappointed in the 125's.

Just my experience.


jd

[COSteve]

Both of my R92s, a 20" Carbine and 24" Rifle shoot 125grn Zero Jacketed SPs very well, even out at 200 yds.

[GasGuzzler]

I don't measure the hardness of my lead but I don't think 10 is a problem unless the fit is poor or you are really pushing them. I don't have any use for well underweight bullets in any cartridge. A 125 grain .357 is basically a 9mm bullet.

[Johnnyjr]

Gonna try it no matter what. Can always shoot them in my 686 revolver..thanks for the replies..

[Gunny268]

I've been shooting 130 gr (Poly coated) RNFPs in 357 mag cases that are approx. 18 BHN. With some CFE-P powder I've pushed them up to 1500 fps out of a Ruger Blackhawk 6 1/2" barrel. Out of my R92 with a 16" barrel they were screaming at 2100+ fps with excellent accuracy. I've since dialed them back down to about 38 Super velocities which is just above 1300 fps (pistol) and 1900+ fps (carbine). These are only plinking rounds and I'm using open sights so a 3-inch group at 100 yds is about the best these old eyes can do. If you're casting a plain based bullet at a BHN of 10, these velocities will most probably give you a leading problem.

[LexsLavrov]

I don't measure the hardness of my lead but I don't think 10 is a problem unless the fit is poor or you are really pushing them.

I support that.
With Rossi's 30" twist alloy hardness is not a problem at all.

[alaskamike]

I shoot a plain base 125 grain SWC (Accurate #36-125K) through my 92 all the time with excellent results, both in .38 special loads as well as full power .357 loads. I think my alloy is a little harder than 10 BHN (maybe 12ish), but I don't think that matters much.

I think fit is much more important.

[Jeff H]

I shot a lot of the LEE 358-125RF in my 16" Rossi 92 and the gun doted on the load.

"Hardness" would have been about in that range and maybe a little more or less, using straight air-cooled wheel-weights or 50/50 wheel-weights/pure lead and tumble-lubed with 45-45-10. No leading and excellent accuracy for a nice, general-purpose, 'round the homestead load. I probably shot more of this bullet from that gun than all others combined.

The load I used is one I've used for years in various revolvers and rifles and can be verified in the Lee's Modern Reloading, Second Edition, as a max load of 5.5 grains of HP38 (I use W231 interchangeably) for a "125 grain lead bullet," on page 553.

Even though it's listed a a "max load," it has been relatively mild in anything I've shot it from. Brass does not suffer and the report is not excruciating, especially with the rifle or carbine. I never chronographed the load, but always assumed I was getting a bit over 1200 fps from the 16" barrel. I experimented with any brand of standard small pistol primer or standard small rifle primer I could get my hands on to ensure I would not get locked into anything too specific and had excellent results with all.

With lead being more and more difficult to obtain, there's less of it to experiment with and we cant be as picky as we once were about what we do get. This bullet goes easy on the lead stash and the softer alloys seem to get along just fine with the slow twist. Also, the groove diameter in my 92 (circa 2009) was. 355" and I pushed .258" and.359" bullets through it with no problems. Traditional lube, filling the lube-groove, is not necessary, no gas-check needed. In other words, this seemed to be a near-perfect all-'round bullet for the 92, short of deer-hunting. Varmints, vermin, goofing off - it filled the bill nicely.