.357 or .45LC?

[Tlee]

Dave-

Take a look at this thread:
http://www.steelchickens.com/forums/vie ... f=7&t=5838

- Tim

[Daveb43]

Thanks Tlee! Guess I'll take a look at Lil'Gun as well. I got some 185 gr RNGC bullets for Jim to play with this winter. I'll be seeing him at our match this Saturday so I'll give them to him. I shot a few of he same 185 grainers out to 200 meters the other day using the same 14.0 gr. load of H-110. I found that I could use the same sight setting that I normally use for the lighter (158 gr.) Berry's bullet. Haven't checked on the knock down ratio yet. In reading the info Jim posted about my 357 loads- he thought I was using 4227- which I had mentioned at one point but my actual load was 14.0 gr. H-110. Kind of like the idea of using a cast 180 gr. and will be doing a little playing with them as well this winter. Like a lot of shooters- I'm still looking for that perfect load. Take care out there.

[Tlee]

Dave -

I've shot a lot of H110/W296 over the years and still do occasionally, primarily to compare "known loads" with similar loads in LilGun.

What I'm finding, almost without exception, is the comparable velocity LilGun load typically isn't nearly as primer brand/type "tenth of a grain" sensitive as H110/W296. Whilst I can usually get great groupings with H110/W296, I usually have to tweak the load a tenth or two if I change primer brands or sometimes even lot numbers of the same brand/type. I've yet to have to do any load tweaking for different brand or types of primers using LilGun. Plus, I've yet to see any pressure signs with LilGun, and I regularly see some flattening of primers with H110/W296 even with mid-range loads.

another .02,

-Tim

[bugabob]

Mary - am very interested in your 45Colt load data if you please. Thanks.

Bob

[glen ring]

Dustin
I have owned a 45lc marlin Cowboy and couldn't get the accuracy out of it at 100 yards and beyond. I have a 357 cowboy and it will occasionally ring a ram, but so does my 30-30. I shoot a 180 grn Nosler bullet over a good charge of 296 in the 357 and it's accurate. I shoot a 150 grn Hornady bullet over a good charge of 3031 and it shoots well for me but has much more recoil . I am currently shooting a 38-55 cowboy. A 250 grain bullet at about 1000fps has mild recoil, is accurate and knocks over every ram it touches.

[dustinflint]

Glen,

Thanks for the reply. I went with a Marlin .357 a while back (the same one you saw at the Texas state match) and have been VERY happy with it. I just need to get up to Oklahoma City and see if I can shoot it as good as you!

Dustin

[glen ring]

Dustin
The 357 is a winner, when you find one that groups. It's an easy round to load for. I look forward to seeing you in Kansas. Kevin puts on a very nice match .

[Daveb43]

Well, now that everyone has their loads worked up- I'll throw "a fly in the ointment." I'm one of those shooters who is never satisfied with a specific load and have been looking for that "perfect" 357 load combination for decades. I recently ordered some Berry's Hardcast 158 grainers and- since I have a 5 pd keg of Trail Boss to use up, I mated starline brass, Wolf Small Rifle Magnum primers, 4.5 grains of Trail Boss with those bullets. The powder charge weight (4.5 gr.)is near the lower side according to load data. I don't have any data on velocity but its probably subsonic. On a fairly calm (but hot) day I set up a 1/2 size ram target at 100 yards, put my Rossi M92 with 24 inch octagon barrel on sandbags with a Williams FP (with Merit adj.) rear sight and a gold bead front sight. I fired 3-4 rounds for fouling purposes, let it cool for about 5 minutes then fired 5 rounds at the ram target. When I saw only one significant hole in the target I took my calipers and mic'd the group at .725 inches CTC! There was minimal recoil. Of course I saved that target for bragging purposes. I have checked for signs of leading and increased pressure- none. I fully realize I can't even begin to hold that steady, off-hand but at least I know that bullet will go exactly where I aim.