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Casting/powder coating/ loading questions

as for casting 158 gr .357 bullet. rcbs, lyman, and or lee molds work well. i use them all, round nose/flat point/semi wad. for size go one size up on what your barrel slugs out to. as for powder coating i do the shake and bake powder coating. i size my powder coated pistol bullets after powder coating. my rifle bullets i size before powder coating, i put on the gas check while sizing then powder coat.
 
I have yet to powder coat gas checked bullets. They shoot fine lubed. Non-gas checked, I powder coat (shake and bake) and I do run them through the sizer after coating. Little to no smoke when shooting, only powder smoke that is. Barrel stays much cleaner than with lead lubed boolits. Solved all leading problems I was having with a couple of guns that all of the suggestions online didn't cure.

Rosewood
 
here is two powder coated loads that i use in a marlin 1894cb in nra metallic silhouette pistol cartridge matches. the green rounds are 158gr rcbs bullet and the blue bullets are 158 gr lee bullet. i like the flat point the best and have started working up a match load.
20200214_094711.jpg
 
here is a picture of a 180 gr rcbs silhouette bullet that i am testing in the 357 mag to knock down the full size ram at 200 meters using a marlin 1894cb. so far i am getting a 60% knock down rate. not good,
20200212_095749.jpg
need 95% or better in the matches. i put the gas check on after the powder coat this time. don't know why, i normally like to powder coat the gas check.
 
here is a picture of a 200 gr lee bullet for the 35 remingtion rifle that i am testing in the 357 mag to knock down the full size ram at 200 meters using a marlin 1894cb. so far i am getting a 60% knock down rate. not good,View attachment 2561130 need 95% or better in the matches. i put the gas check on after the powder coat this time. don't know why, i normally like to powder coat the gas check.
Are gas checks 100% necessary?
 
pistolpat, my answer to the gas check is: yes and no. you will have to test your gas check bullet to see if it will shoot good in your weapon, with or without the gas check.
 
here is a picture of a 200 gr lee bullet for the 35 remingtion rifle that i am testing in the 357 mag to knock down the full size ram at 200 meters using a marlin 1894cb. so far i am getting a 60% knock down rate. not good,View attachment 2561130 need 95% or better in the matches. i put the gas check on after the powder coat this time. don't know why, i normally like to powder coat the gas check.
200 meters is a long way for a 357 mag isn't it? Even in a rifle. I use a Lee 200 grain gas checked in my CVA 35 remington, but I swear the profile on mine is different than yours. It really puts the smack down on hogs. Got a
two-for with it a couple of years back. I have also used it in a contender 357 mag.

Roseewood
 
rosewood you are correct about the bullet. it is not the lee bullet, it is the rcbs 180 gr silhouette bullet. that is what happen when you make a lots of cast bullets running tests.
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200 meters is not far for a 357 mag rifle for what i am using it for. i shoot nra lever action silhouette. the lever action big bore match the rams are at 200 meters, turkeys are at 150 meters, pigs are at 100 meters, and chickens are at 50 meters. many are using the 357 mag in the game. i use a marlin 336 cb in 30-30 for the matches, but i am working to get the 357 mag to work. in silhouette it is all about knock down and the best grouping. we shoot standing unsupported with open sights on the clock. 200 meter ram with a very good hit,,,,,but it is still standing. we call that a "ringer". a "ringer" does not count, same as miss.
 
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