I've just got hold of some 205 grain RNFP cast pills (Ten Ring) for my Ruger 96/44. I loaded some over 26 grains of ADI AR2205, which should give me around 1900 fps or better. Groups at 100 metres were around 10 inches wide and all over the place.
At 50m from a bipod with a 4.5 power scope I couldn't get any better than about 4 inches. Leading was also a factor. I'm using a moderate roll crimp, and have heard in some circles that this can contribute to poor accuracy. The rifle is capable of far better accuracy than this with jacketed pills. I was keen to use cast pills for pigs, but thus far I'd be flat out hitting an elephant. :mad:

If it's leading, crimp isn't going to help, or hurt for that matter. The bullets are too soft, or the lube isn't up to the job. Start backing the loads down till leading goes away, and see how they shoot then.

Undersized may be an issue, as well, but sometimes if you get the velocity/pressure just right, it can be overcome. If you can get something soft, like a muzzleloading roundball, slug the barrel & compare it to the bullets with a caliper / micrometer.

My 357 won't shoot plain based bullets worth a hoot unless they are going barely over cowboy velocities. I don't care what dose the pistol shoots, they plain cannot be used with a slow pistol powder. I would try out a whole new approach and dive down into the 1100 to1200fps range with a new powder. Not sure the speed of that one, but I am sure it must be slow! Sizing also important, but the check, or lack there of speaks to me!

I was hoping to use them for hogs - no good if they are slow. I'm not too put out, as I use lead pills for fun loads with shotgun powder behind them. Looks like its jacketed pills for me then. I might try a couple of the full power ones on pigs anyway, just to see how they perform. Maybe I'll get a mould and cast my own. I like the look of the Lyman Devastator.

'Slower' doesn't mean 'thrown by hand'.....

Seriously, it may only need a reduction of 100-200 fps, perhaps a bit more, to get the groups considerably tighter. Worth a try (and if you didn't get all of the copper out before loading them, that's certainly contributing to the problem).

If you're gonna get a mould, I'd suggest moving to a heavier bullet, maybe the 250gr. range.

I'd also suggest the gas checked variety.

I'll try throttling them back just a little.

Other than for plinking, plain based bullet are pretty much useless in rifles. The longer barrel increases friction as well as velocity. A gas checked design is pretty much mandatory in rifles.