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Old 07-12-2017, 08:03 PM
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Default Your most accurate SWC 38/357 bullets

What is your most accurate 38/357 SWC Bullets

I found that Lyman 358447 was the most accurate in my revolvers using Unique and 2400, outshooting the commercial std Magma 158 gr SWCs.

Speer 158 gr LSWC were also very accurate with 38 Spl +P loadings and Power Pistol.
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Old 07-12-2017, 08:11 PM
rockquarry rockquarry is offline
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Hensley & Gibbs #51, 160 grain SWC, the original .357 Magnum bullet. Also quite accurate in the .38 Special.
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Old 07-12-2017, 09:45 PM
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Lyman 168 gr swc w/ 1 lube groove......All I shoot in 357.....Has killed deer and hogs..........
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Old 07-12-2017, 10:18 PM
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The Hornady swaged SWCs have always been very accurate for me
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Old 07-12-2017, 10:19 PM
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Western NV/West Coast Bullet - now called Xtreme - 158LSWC
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Old 07-12-2017, 10:23 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Calliope View Post
The Hornady swaged SWCs have always been very accurate for me
I just bought some of the 158 grain swc. Loading them very light and hope they won't do much leading.
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Old 07-12-2017, 11:55 PM
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Only considering accuracy. I like Lyman 150 gr. SWC and load it with the same charge of Bullseye that I use with 148/150 wadcutters. For a more serious activity I use a stiff load of 2400, which I won't post here as it is on the North side of what is recommended. 50 years ago it was below max and I have always had good luck with the load. Truth is most loads will shoot better than I can hold, at my stage of life.
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Old 07-13-2017, 07:20 AM
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Hands down the 359640 bullet cast from a Mihec mold. The bullets come out .359" from the mold with nothing more than range scrap for the bullet alloy. The bullets are a rnfp design (round nosed flat point) with 2 crimp grooves. The penta point & large round hollow point bullets cast at 158gr and the solid nosed bullets weigh 170gr.

The 3.3gr of bullseye/158gr mihec bullet or 3.5gr of international clays prints bugholes. These are not hand picked targets by any means. These were the actual targets used while testing loads with that mihec 640 bullet. They are only tested @ 50ft. But I was only looking for a load to shoot shotgun shells @ 50ft.
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Old 07-13-2017, 07:39 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 38SPL HV View Post
.............

Speer 158 gr LSWC were also very accurate with 38 Spl +P loadings and Power Pistol.


What velocity are you getting?
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Old 07-13-2017, 07:45 AM
Wee Hooker Wee Hooker is offline
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Most shoot better than I can. I am enjoying the cleaner shooting X-treme plated 148gr WC these days allot though.
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Last edited by Wee Hooker; 07-13-2017 at 07:46 AM.
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Old 07-13-2017, 09:28 AM
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Most accurate .359 158gr SWC for myself: Hornady's Frontier Lead.
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Old 07-13-2017, 09:39 AM
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In a lswc a flat base Lyman 150 grain works with lots of powders.
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Old 07-13-2017, 10:23 AM
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For me, RCBS 38-150 SWC is right there at the top. Very similar bullet to the Lyman 358477 and so far I've not found a . 38spl or .357mag that doesn't shoot well with them.
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Old 07-13-2017, 10:27 AM
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Lyman spec'ed the 358477 with several different cherries over the years. I have a 4 cavity that I really like that has a longer nose than some I have seen. Push that to 950 and it is very accurate.
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Old 07-13-2017, 11:17 AM
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Depends on the gun as like people they have different preferences . I use alot of the Keith designed 358429 & Thompson designed 358156 gas checked . The H&G 51 & 358477 also shoot well . Many other similar molds by Saeco , Mihec , RCBS etc . For pure paper punching it's hard to beat a swaged HBWC or a H&G 50 FBWC . The 158 - 160 RN will also group well @ target velocity .

Last edited by boatbum101; 07-13-2017 at 11:19 AM.
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Old 07-13-2017, 11:33 AM
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I have found that it is not just one bullet that is accurate but.....
the speed at which it is driven and by what make up.

Some bullets can be accurate at low, medium and full bore but
a lot of mine will have a target speed and if lucky a medium
factory speed.

I only have a few bullets that like all speeds but then they might
be FMJ or lead and useable for just special cases.

My 38 J snub likes 148 lead for maximum accuracy while my 6"
barrel loves a 158gr lead at 755fps and my 357 magnum does
its best with a 125gr JHP at 1250fps.

Accuracy is a wondering mist.
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Old 07-13-2017, 01:42 PM
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"Your most accurate SWC 38/357 bullets"

Well after some great thought and study. it clearly must be the bullets I do not have!.
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Old 07-13-2017, 01:55 PM
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Bullets cast from the Lyman mould # 358432 160 grain version or
the NOE #360-160-WC-PB Its NOE's recreation of the discontinued Lyman mould. Over 2.8 grains of Bullseye, that's a keeper !

Gary
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Old 07-13-2017, 02:22 PM
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While I prefer the H&G #51, Lyman #358429, #358439, and #358156 are probably just as accurate. I've cast for all of them, but have never done a real comparison. I'm sure there are copies and /or similar bullets by the many custom mould makers we have today that will shoot as well, maybe better.

From what has been posted here, it may be hard to go wrong with quite a few SWC designs in the 150- 170 grain range.
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Old 07-13-2017, 05:56 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rule3 View Post
"Your most accurate SWC 38/357 bullets"

Well after some great thought and study. it clearly must be the bullets I do not have!.
Ha ha now I know what my problem is
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Old 07-13-2017, 06:03 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TomkinsSP View Post
Most accurate .359 158gr SWC for myself: Hornady's Frontier Lead.
That would be .358?
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Old 07-13-2017, 08:14 PM
Eddietruett Eddietruett is offline
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When I was shooting lead, I found the swc from Berrys to be as accurate as any as well as zero swc's. I've since gone to plated using Berry's 158gr Target HP instead of swc. They are as accurate as cast in all the guns I've tried them in and more accurate in a few. I like the plated for the clean shooting. I use 3gr Bullseye in all my 158 gr swc or plated bullets for target shooting.
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Old 07-14-2017, 07:32 AM
Forrest r Forrest r is offline
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The most accurate swc for the 35cal's has been the cramer #26.

I've owned several versions/molds of the lyman 358477 & 358429 along with h&g #51 molds. The cramer #26's flat out shoot.
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Old 07-14-2017, 09:28 PM
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I recently picked up some coated 158gr SWC's from Missouri bullet company that have really surprised me. I am not sure what mold they use to cast them, they are sized to .358.
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Old 07-15-2017, 03:29 AM
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Quote:
I use alot of the Keith designed 358429 & Thompson designed 358156 gas checked
^^^^These^^^^^

Bruce
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Old 07-16-2017, 10:25 AM
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For 38 Special I have been casting and using 358311; 158 gr. +/- for more than 50 years. A close second is the long discontinued 357443 SWC. In 357, all makes of guns, I use 358156
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Old 07-16-2017, 09:18 PM
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I cast and shoot a lot of 160gr bullets out a Lyman #358156 mold. Cast out of air cooled wheel weights, fitted with Lyman gas checks and sized to .358", they shoot very good to great out of any revolver I've ever tried them in.

In one particular M19 that I have, this bullet shoots into an inch or less at 25 yards (from a solid rest, of course), and that's better than I can shoot offhand.

I have other molds that I use in 38 Special loads (due to cost of gas checks) where, due to lower velocities, gas checks aren't needed. But, in my 357 Magnum (or HEAVY 38 Special loads) #358156 is my favorite bullet.

If I could only have ONE bullet mold for my 38/357 shooting for the rest of my life, I could get along very well with this old Lyman.

TRE
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Old 07-17-2017, 02:14 AM
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Default Hornady and Speer for me.....

Not being a caster I can grab a box of these and get very accurate loads w/o a lot of fine tuning. Low velocity also helps keep those groups tight.
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Old 07-18-2017, 03:47 PM
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Yes, those Speer 158 gr LSWC at 38 Spl +P velocities are a favorite of mine. 975 fps (Speer +P data) range ideal in my revolver and a great general purpose round.
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