I was just wondering if anyone has tried SNS Castings bullets before, and what was your experience? Looking at 44 and 357. Local store has them and wondering if anyone knows how hard they are? Thanks!

Right diameter for your chamber mouth is more important than hardness.Don't let the sole criteria of hardness guide your choice.You can have very hard bullets that will fill your bore with lead as surely as a bottle of whisky will fill a party animal!
Qc

I'll drink to that!

I use their 210 FP in 44 special.
44 Mag 210 Gr RNFP
Has a nice sharp meplat and works well in newer guns with .429 or .430 chamber throats.
I see they now have coated bullets.
I would try those.

__________________
NEMO
"Everything 44"

I've used several thousand of their coated bullets for 9mm, .38/.357, and .41 Magunum. Excellent product. Their website says...

"All of our bullets are from certified 92/6/2 alloy with a Brinell hardness of 16-17."

Bullet Information

I've shot their coated bullets and wasn't overly impressed. They must be doing something wrong in their curing process for the coating, as I've experience pretty heavy leading when using them with the same powder charges that I use with Bayou or MBC coated bullets that have no leading problems. They did good enough until I got to around 1000 fps or higher with the loads. That was with 9 MM, 357 and 44 Mag bullets. So I stick to shooting Bayou or MBC coated bullets nowadays as I have yet to lead up a barrel with their coated bullet offerings.

Of course, YMMV and you have no problems.

I've used sns casting coated bullets in 9mm and 38. All the coated bullets I've used have a smell when fired similar to an electrical fire or something but sns smells the worse, and that smell to me is awful.
I have settled on Black Bullets International because they smell the least and the prices on their website includes shipping. Buying them in bulk saves a good deal of money.

Last month I took the plunge into the casting and powder coating world.
My first batch was .357 magnum, using a Lyman mold that throws a 148 gr bullet (with #2 Lyman alloy)

The powder coating was simple. I put together a couple of vids for my sons since one day they'll probably want to do it.

I used a simple Lee Sizer for the .357 and 45-70 405 gr rounds, with my home brew case lube, AFTER powder coating. No Alox!

I tested a few batches and the barrel is clean as a whistle, accuracy was excellent, and attached is the recipe I used with CFE pistol powder.
First castings:
Edit: Can't link a vimeo link I guess?

First powder coating:
Edit: Can't link a vimeo link I guess?

Attached Images

357 MAG.jpg (106.8 KB, 7 views)

I'd look into those except they only make auto calibers and 38.
Still looking for a flat based real Keith 44 wadcutter that is coated.
There are quite a few 44 SWC but they all have a very pronounced bevel base.

__________________
NEMO
"Everything 44"

I never experienced that, but 95% of my loads would stay below 1000 fps. Maybe this is why they are in the process of changing their coating.

Maybe so, glenwolde. They were supposed to be using the same Hi Tek coating from Australia that the others are using though. As long as I didn't push them too hard I didn't have much problems with leading, but if I hotted them up a bit I would get significant leading. I never even thought about running them out of my Rossi rifle as I see quite a bit higher velocity out of it as compared to my revolvers with the same load and rounds that wouldn't lead in my pistols might have started leading the barrel on the Rossi. I've shot some 140 grain MBC bullets out of the Rossi at over 1900 fps without any leading though, so the Hi Tek coating isn't the problem.