Have a Model 28-2 and want to load some 170-180 grain WFNGC bullets to carry in it while sharing a Huckleberry patch or Trout stream with some of our local wildlife.

These will be used in the 28 and a Marlin 357 interchangably. The load has to be less than 1.60 inches COAL. Someone else has probably been here with this criteria, would like to know what others are using.

Animals commonly encountered in our neck of the woods are Cougar, Wolves and Black Bear. Grizzlies are usually found to the North and East of us. Wolves are becoming common and also Cougars. Not too concerned with Black Bear. Thanks for your replies.

Cast Performance sells a great 180gr WFNGC bullet I load for woods carry. The gas check allows for pushing them as hard as you want and they are extremely hard hitting, especially in a Carbine.

I tried a full charge of 2400, W296/H110 and Lil'Gun and the Lil'Gun delivered the most velocity followed by W296. I fired them from a M686 and a Ruger Vaquero and they are easier on the hand in the Vaquero. They feel soft in the Marlin Carbine.

I highly recommend that bullet for what you want to do...

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I load a Cast Boolits forum group buy bullet that is very similar to the Cast performance WFN linked above. From my alloy, lubed and checked it weighs 185 grains.

In .357 magnum Remington brass with CCI magnum primers, 14.5 grains of Lil' Gun makes 1,137 fps average in a 4 inch 686 and 1,732 fps in an 18 inch 1894C.

In the handgun, accuracy is only fair. In the Marlin, it is the most accurate lead load I have found to date.

Because of the short cylinder in the model 28 you will have to use 38 special cases with that bullet. I've used the 173 gr Keith since the 60's with 13.5 grs of 2400. This is a very powerful load & needs to be labeled correctly so its only shot in 357 maggie's. You don't want one of them finding their way into a J frame gun. A heavy for caliber cast slug doesn't need really high velocity to work.

Dick

Check with Rimrock bullets, I think they have several WFNGC bullets.

Thanks guys for all your replies. Because I own a closet full of 38s I'm going to stick with Magnum cases and see if I can find a short nose flat point.

I have K frame magnums, 2 L frames and 1 N frame in 357 and a 640-1. All the loads assembled for the J and Ks are assembled in brass cases and all the L and N loads are assembled in Nickel cases. gives me something to do in my retirement.

There are some 200 grain hard cast bullets around my neck of the woods. Alaska Backpacker loads them. Here is a little blog about them..................Since we were traveling light, I took along my .357 Mag SP101 and my old 1911A1. Don't worry about ammo...you can find seriously-heavy handgun loads at the local WalMart. I grabbed an 18-pack of “Alaska Backpacker” .357's using a 200 grain hard-cast, gas-checked LBT.

Upon returning home, I chronographed a few and found them to produce 970 fps from the 2 ¼” SP101. Recoil was noticeable but not unbearable. The load's velocity didn't impress me much- until I started shooting things with it. It easily bored through a 3 inch seasoned oak limb, digging an inch groove in the trunk behind. It shot through an old mower deck- that .45 hardball only dents. This load grouped into about 2 ¼ “ at 25 yards, and the point-of-impact with the little Ruger was only 3” high at that distance. I do believe Alaska Backpacker's 200 grain .357 would shoot through a bear's noggin' and that's about all you can ask of a pocket gun. Truth be told, I would have preferred some of Buffalo Bore's Heavy .357 as it produces better velocity from short barrels. I wouldn't run from CorBon either but neither was available when I was looking for them.

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Try Illinois Bullet Co. I've loaded both his 170 and 180gr gas checked cast bullets. They shot flawlessly out of my 27 and Marlin 357 mags.

Thanks guys I will check the alaska and Illinois connections out.