How fast to drive lead.

[Ball Caster]

I bought a lever gun in 357/38sp. It seems to prefer my 1400 ft/sec. commercial jacketed bullets over my 700 ft/sec. Cowboy loads.

So, can I drive the 125 and 158 grain lead SWC to 1400 ft/sec?

[runfiverun]

yep,, 2400/H-110/AA-4100 anything along those lines should easily get you there.
well,,,,,,,, you'd probably over shoot the 1400 with H-110.

[sghart3578]

1400 fps is very doable with several powders.

Your rifle and alloy will differ from mine but in my Marlin 1894CS I can safely shoot plainbased cast bullets up to about 1350-1400 fps without leading and with great accuracy. If I want to go faster than that, say 1600-1700 fps, I have a gas check RCBS mold that works very well.

[Griff]

Just make sure your bullet is about .002" over the groove diameter.

[MT Chambers]

What Griff said, but also it should be hard cast and with a gas check at those speeds.

[stubbicatt]

Before I went too far with my experiment, I'd make sure the SWC will chamber easily in your rifle. Some won't.

As far as hardness of the lead, I've shot 20-1 RNFP plain based alloy through my 357 magnum rifle sized .002" over groove diameter using 13.3 grains of 2400 and it shot as well as ever it did, did not lead the bore. YMMV.

[runfiverun]

I size to 358 for my 357 lever gun. [430 for the 44,452 for the 45]
no gas checks.
no super alloy consideration. [ww's and soft added]
no water dropping.

just, cast, load, shoot, I try to keep things simple.

[Griff]

I size to 358 for my 357 lever gun. [430 for the 44,452 for the 45]
no gas checks.
no super alloy consideration. [ww's and soft added]
no water dropping.

just, cast, load, shoot, I try to keep things simple.

Yep, although I tend add in sizin' and lubin'... (I use straight WW, keeping any pure lead for muzzloaders... For just about anything that's driven faster'n 1400 I add Lino to the WW and for stuff over 2000fps, then I'll GC.

[OverMax]

You can rely on the info prior commented. As for me. I don't take a chance. I hate dealing with rifle bores that are lead streeked. I developed a habit long ago of gas checking all lead bullets no matter their BHN factor shot over a thousand fps. (rifle or pistol) Reason being some molds can be purchased to drop cast right at 357 dia. That same mold can also be purchased in larger diameters like .358 & .359 too. Those not knowing a little bit larger cast drop say a .358 or 359 in a 38 cal bore are no doubt tighter fitting to the bore but too less troublesome bore leaders do to that little bit of additional oversize.(less flame cutting area is exposed.)
TIP: Before you load up any cast always remember to measure one or more of your lead bullets diameters. You'll be surprised how many bullets are outside your preferenced dia. be they cast by your hand or a professional casters.

[EDK]

I water drop and size to 360, and then use a gas check for the hotter loads. I have a NOE 360 180 WFN that I like in my MARLIN COWBOY RIFLE...mould is 4 plain base and 1 gas check cavity.
You might take a look over at marlinowners and see what they recommend. The consensus is a 357 with 180 grainers is a big leap in performance.

[AZ Pete]

I shoot plain base 158 g. Bullets in a 20" barrel Rossi. It is my pistol load of 4.7 g. Unique. If I recall, I clocked this load at a little over 1,500 fps. Very accurate and no leading. Home made lube, sized to .358, wheel weights, air cooled. Gas checked bullets with 12.5 g. 2400 clocked a little over 1,800.

[gundownunder]

If you are expecting jacketed accuracy with cast bullets I think you may be disappointed. My group sizes opened up about 50% from factory ammo to cast.
I have no issues shooting a 175gr plain base at 1750 fps in my Marlin cowboy. I size .3575, and my bore slugged .356.
I used to start noticing a little leading after a couple hundred rounds but nothing a quick scrub wouldn't shift.
I ended up getting a PB check maker to recycle all my empty beer cans and that improved my group sizes by a 1/4" and eliminated the leading all together.
My lead is COWW + 2% tin
The biggest factors will be the right size bullet and the right lube recipe.

[robg]

158gcswc rcbs mold 13.5 gr 2400 =1550fps in my trapper.