Making Bullets ...

[JimT]

The other day I noticed I was getting low on my .357/.38 Special Semi-wadcutters, so I fired up the lead pot and cast a couple hundred. I used my old Saeco 4-cavity 160 gr. mold. It has been in use for more than 30 years and still makes nice bullets.

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Sized to .357" and lubed with Paco's Apache Blue lube

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These have always been accurate .. IF I do my part!

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From the rifle ..

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[Bill in Oregon]

Jim. I agree they are accurate bullets. Nice shooting!

[marlinman93]

My Saeco molds are some of the best molds I own and use! Not just the design, but how nicely bullets drop from them. Back when Barry Darr ran the mold design at Saeco I was buying a lot of Saeco molds. I still do on occasion, but sure miss his input when I called to discuss a bullet mold.

[samsi]

8 grains of Unique is pretty sporty, any idea how fast that's running?

I picked up an old 6 cavity H&G51 mold at a yard sale a couple years ago, supposedly it's the original Phil Sharpe 357 bullet design. Problem is that this one's a bevel base and the bevel is so pronounced that you could load it backwards and pretend it's a truncated cone. Need to get it reamed out to a proper flat base.

I found this article on 38/357 bullet history pretty interesting -

https://americanhandgunner.com/ammo/38- ... ld-makers/

[JimT]

8 grains of Unique is pretty sporty, any idea how fast that's running?

No, I've never checked. I would guess around 1200 fps. But that's just a guess.

[Griff]

8 grains of Unique is pretty sporty, any idea how fast that's running?

No, I've never checked. I would guess around 1200 fps. But that's just a guess.

Jim, you might wanna check... Quick Load doesn't list that specific bullet, but another 160 grainer SWC in the .357, is showing about 42K psi @ 1580 fps. QL has been known to overcalculate, but... that's quite a jump. I'm certain the Rossi can handle it... but I'd avoid that load in a pistol.

[JimT]

OK .. thanks. I will dig out the chronograph and see. The 160 gr. Speer jacketed SWC with 7.5 gr. of Unique was about 1150 fps and the jacketed bullet produced a lot more friction than the cast bullet. Seating depth also affects things.

[TraderVic]

Jim,
What do you have for a Ruger 357 Flattop ?

[JimT]

Jim,
What do you have for a Ruger 357 Flattop ?

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Made in 1958

[Ysabel Kid]

Jim - two questions.

(1) Has that flattop been refinished? Mine's frame has turned to a plum color.

(2) What bullet lube do you use?

Thanks!

YK

[Griff]

OK .. thanks. I will dig out the chronograph and see. The 160 gr. Speer jacketed SWC with 7.5 gr. of Unique was about 1150 fps and the jacketed bullet produced a lot more friction than the cast bullet. Seating depth also affects things.

That Speer JSWC is in the database, and at 7.5 grains is a much more reasonable load, pressure down to ~34K, but, velocity in a 20" bbl is still 1507fps. And yes, seating depth is very critical. I'm sure QL simply uses the data on that someone provided on bullet design & layout.

[JimT]

Jim - two questions.

(1) Has that flattop been refinished? Mine's frame has turned to a plum color.

(2) What bullet lube do you use?

Thanks!

YK

No, it's factory finish. Missing in spots.
I only use Paco's Apache Blue lube. He has not made any since about 1995. But he made me two #10 can's full. I still have about a half can left. Unless I live too long it should last me.

[Ysabel Kid]

Jim - two questions.

(1) Has that flattop been refinished? Mine's frame has turned to a plum color.

(2) What bullet lube do you use?

Thanks!

YK

No, it's factory finish. Missing in spots.
I only use Paco's Apache Blue lube. He has not made any since about 1995. But he made me two #10 can's full. I still have about a half can left. Unless I live too long it should last me.

I hope you live too long!

[JimT]

Well ... I appreciate that and I wouldn't mind as long as I could still go shooting and do some reloading now and again. I have no desire to live sucking on an oxygen bottle while laying in bed messing in a diaper.

[Ysabel Kid]

Well ... I appreciate that and I wouldn't mind as long as I could still go shooting and do some reloading now and again. I have no desire to live sucking on an oxygen bottle while laying in bed messing in a diaper.

I feel exactly the same way.