Cast bullets

roger1shot · September 4, 2006, 06:49 PM

Old cast bullets

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Hi,
I'm new to reloading cast bullets.
I was given a box of .357 Chadco Lead cast bullets 158 grs. made in Houston Tx.
The .357 cast bullet has a blue ring around the bullet.
Is this blue ring a gas check on the lead bullet?
The box has 158 gr.SWC stamped on the box.
I've loaded some bullets with 5.9 grains of Bullseye powder.
What do ya'll think of this load?
Thanks

clayking · September 4, 2006, 07:26 PM

that blue stuff is lube. not to worry.................ck

918v · September 4, 2006, 08:32 PM

Did you load them in a 38 Special or a 357 Mag?

JJB2 · September 4, 2006, 08:45 PM

that loads fine in a .357 mag case but hot in a .38 spl case...... the hottest i'll go in my n frame smith is 6.2 grs. of bullseye under a cast 150 gr. swc bullet.....

roger1shot · September 4, 2006, 09:13 PM

Hi,
I loaded the bullets for my Ruger Scurity Six 357 Mag
Where can I get a good loading book for cast bullets?
Thanks

918v · September 4, 2006, 09:33 PM

Lyman.

roger1shot · September 4, 2006, 09:49 PM

Hi,
The bullets that I have do not have a disk crimped on the bottom of the bullet.So they are not gas check bullets.
But this load would be ok from a reloading book to shoot,right?
Are the gas check bullets, better than plain lead to shoot?
My bullets must have a lube around the bullet,that's the blue stuff
on the bullet.

918v · September 4, 2006, 10:12 PM

Gas checked bullets lead less, and are more accurate at high velocities. Your load is below max and a good starting point. It may lead, depending on bullet hardness, though. Watch the leading. Also, try all four brands of primers. One will be more accurate than the others. Increase and decrease the charge weight too.

OLD LOADER · September 5, 2006, 10:29 AM

In my many years of casting and loading , hardness will not stop leading.LYMAN # 2 cast bullet is best,wheel weights are not only hard but will lead the barrel you NEED tin .I still have 10-20 lbs of pure tin.Read lymans reloading book.

JJB2 · September 5, 2006, 08:07 PM

i've never loaded any gas checked bullets and the ones i've cast are from range lead a friend and got when we cleaned out an indoor range trap a couple of years ago.. as for accuracy we have shot ihmsa silhouettes with these reloads and good accuracy at 200 yards on the rams... so i'm thinking they are just as good as gas checked there.... they probably do lead your bore more so that might be be a consideration..... i did buy some 180 gr bullets once at a gun show and they had the hard blue lube you spoke of.... they shot just great over about 5 grs. of bullseye....

T. O'Heir · September 6, 2006, 12:35 AM

"...6.2 grs. of bullseye..." That's 2.6 grains over max for a 150 grain cast bullet. 3.6 grains of Bullseye is max for a 150 grain cast bullet. 3.5 is max for a 158 grain cast bullet with Bullseye.
"...loading book for cast bullets..." Lyman.
Gas checks are metal cups on the bottom of the bullet.

918v · September 6, 2006, 09:00 AM

Look at Alliant's load data. They call for 6.5 grains.

BigO01 · September 6, 2006, 09:10 AM

Your load is under the 6.5 grains of Bullseye max load according to the powder companies max loading with a 158 gr LSWC. http://www.alliantpowder.com/reloade...15&bulletid=28

http://www.alliantpowder.com/

I noticed in my newest Speer manual you load is over the books max load . then I noticed in very small print in the book and in parenthesis it states that (these are not necessarily the max safe loads for lead bullets)

I think more and more places will give you a lower max load to assist you in preventing a leading problem with these bullets . Perhaps a leaded barrel will begin producing higher pressures over time I don't know , and well to be frank people are lazy and they could be afraid of an attempted law suit if you manage to hurt yourself with a true max load , and I doubt that even what Alliant lists is a true maximum load .

I have been using the data from powder manufactures for awhile now with all bullets in my reloading , I still have all my fingers , eyes and other body parts , as well as the fact that all my guns are just fine .

Here are links to several other powder makers

http://www.accuratepowder.com

http://www.hodgdon.com/

http://www.imrpowder.com/

http://www.ramshot.com/powders/home.php

http://www.vihtavuori-lapua.com/

Be safe and work up to maximum loadings with care , or better yet do what I do and always stay at least a half a grain under a max loading for any caliber , a few extra FPS isn't worth your health .

September 4, 2006, 06:49 PM	#1
roger1shot Senior Member Join Date: July 20, 2005 Location: TEXAS Posts: 102	Cast bullets Old cast bullets -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hi, I'm new to reloading cast bullets. I was given a box of .357 Chadco Lead cast bullets 158 grs. made in Houston Tx. The .357 cast bullet has a blue ring around the bullet. Is this blue ring a gas check on the lead bullet? The box has 158 gr.SWC stamped on the box. I've loaded some bullets with 5.9 grains of Bullseye powder. What do ya'll think of this load? Thanks

September 4, 2006, 07:26 PM	#2
clayking Senior Member Join Date: January 29, 2006 Location: Florida Posts: 796	that blue stuff is lube. not to worry.................ck __________________ Never argue with an idiot, they will just drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.

September 4, 2006, 09:13 PM	#5
roger1shot Senior Member Join Date: July 20, 2005 Location: TEXAS Posts: 102	.357 Mag Hi, I loaded the bullets for my Ruger Scurity Six 357 Mag Where can I get a good loading book for cast bullets? Thanks

September 4, 2006, 09:49 PM	#7
roger1shot Senior Member Join Date: July 20, 2005 Location: TEXAS Posts: 102	Hey JJB2 Hi, The bullets that I have do not have a disk crimped on the bottom of the bullet.So they are not gas check bullets. But this load would be ok from a reloading book to shoot,right? Are the gas check bullets, better than plain lead to shoot? My bullets must have a lube around the bullet,that's the blue stuff on the bullet.

September 5, 2006, 10:29 AM	#9
OLD LOADER Member Join Date: May 31, 2004 Location: stone mountain ga. Posts: 55	Leading In my many years of casting and loading , hardness will not stop leading.LYMAN # 2 cast bullet is best,wheel weights are not only hard but will lead the barrel you NEED tin .I still have 10-20 lbs of pure tin.Read lymans reloading book.

September 4, 2006, 08:32 PM	#3
918v Junior member Join Date: September 25, 2005 Posts: 1,372	Did you load them in a 38 Special or a 357 Mag?

September 4, 2006, 08:45 PM	#4
JJB2 Junior member Join Date: December 14, 2005 Posts: 558	that loads fine in a .357 mag case but hot in a .38 spl case...... the hottest i'll go in my n frame smith is 6.2 grs. of bullseye under a cast 150 gr. swc bullet.....

September 4, 2006, 09:33 PM	#6
918v Junior member Join Date: September 25, 2005 Posts: 1,372	Lyman.

September 4, 2006, 10:12 PM	#8
918v Junior member Join Date: September 25, 2005 Posts: 1,372	Gas checked bullets lead less, and are more accurate at high velocities. Your load is below max and a good starting point. It may lead, depending on bullet hardness, though. Watch the leading. Also, try all four brands of primers. One will be more accurate than the others. Increase and decrease the charge weight too.

September 5, 2006, 08:07 PM	#10
JJB2 Junior member Join Date: December 14, 2005 Posts: 558	i've never loaded any gas checked bullets and the ones i've cast are from range lead a friend and got when we cleaned out an indoor range trap a couple of years ago.. as for accuracy we have shot ihmsa silhouettes with these reloads and good accuracy at 200 yards on the rams... so i'm thinking they are just as good as gas checked there.... they probably do lead your bore more so that might be be a consideration..... i did buy some 180 gr bullets once at a gun show and they had the hard blue lube you spoke of.... they shot just great over about 5 grs. of bullseye....

September 6, 2006, 12:35 AM	#11
T. O'Heir Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 12,453	"...6.2 grs. of bullseye..." That's 2.6 grains over max for a 150 grain cast bullet. 3.6 grains of Bullseye is max for a 150 grain cast bullet. 3.5 is max for a 158 grain cast bullet with Bullseye. "...loading book for cast bullets..." Lyman. Gas checks are metal cups on the bottom of the bullet.

September 6, 2006, 09:00 AM	#12
918v Junior member Join Date: September 25, 2005 Posts: 1,372	Look at Alliant's load data. They call for 6.5 grains.

September 6, 2006, 09:10 AM	#13
BigO01 Senior Member Join Date: February 9, 2006 Posts: 138	Not According to Alliant it isn't... Your load is under the 6.5 grains of Bullseye max load according to the powder companies max loading with a 158 gr LSWC. http://www.alliantpowder.com/reloade...15&bulletid=28 http://www.alliantpowder.com/ I noticed in my newest Speer manual you load is over the books max load . then I noticed in very small print in the book and in parenthesis it states that (these are not necessarily the max safe loads for lead bullets) I think more and more places will give you a lower max load to assist you in preventing a leading problem with these bullets . Perhaps a leaded barrel will begin producing higher pressures over time I don't know , and well to be frank people are lazy and they could be afraid of an attempted law suit if you manage to hurt yourself with a true max load , and I doubt that even what Alliant lists is a true maximum load . I have been using the data from powder manufactures for awhile now with all bullets in my reloading , I still have all my fingers , eyes and other body parts , as well as the fact that all my guns are just fine . Here are links to several other powder makers http://www.accuratepowder.com http://www.hodgdon.com/ http://www.imrpowder.com/ http://www.ramshot.com/powders/home.php http://www.vihtavuori-lapua.com/ Be safe and work up to maximum loadings with care , or better yet do what I do and always stay at least a half a grain under a max loading for any caliber , a few extra FPS isn't worth your health .