Hi Group,

Does anyone know (especially from experience) how fast you can shoot a 180gr .357 out of a rifle without leading the barrel?

I'm interested mostly in bullets with NO gas check- I know the gas check is of great assistance with the "no leading" problem- they're also twice as expensive as the same bullet without a gas check- and I shoot a lot! I'd also like to hunt with this bullet inside of 125yds and I'd like to practice with what I hunt with.

To wit: if you look at Buffalo Bore's website they show a 180gr bullet with phenomenal (relatively) velocity, like between 2200 and 2500 fps. Fine, but will it lead the barrel? Do they use a gas check bullet? Probably.

I read once on the old Marlin Talk that the max velocity without leading the barrel was ~1550 fps, but at the time didn't think to ask the poster why (he thought or knew) that might be the case.

Thanks for your time. Premeditated or unwitting attempts to hijack this thread are welcome- long as I can get some good feedback on my question. :)

Thank you,

1x2

1x2 I'm no expert, mind you, but 1550/1600 fps is thrown around as the top end for plan base bullets. I have some PB for my 32/20 that I'm going to test out this summer and I'll let you know what I find out then. There are 2, A 115 gr pb from BTB and a 120 gr PB from a guy I know on the Marlin board. Both of these are Hard Cast 20-22 B. I have shot the 120 gr., out of my Ruger at 1400 Fps with no leading ( that I can see ). Hope this helps.

Not an expert on cast bullets by any means, but...................

Condition of the barrel is gonna have lots to do with just how much lead it attracts.

Bullet hardness enters into the equation.

Specific types of lube seem to be better than others at withstanding higher velocities/temps.

All said and done - will agree that pushing PB cast bullets much over 1600 fps is risking leading, no matter the hardness, lube or bore condition.

Not an expert on cast bullets by any means, but...................

Condition of the barrel is gonna have lots to do with just how much lead it attracts.

Bullet hardness enters into the equation.

Specific types of lube seem to be better than others at withstanding higher velocities/temps.

All said and done - will agree that pushing PB cast bullets much over 1600 fps is risking leading, no matter the hardness, lube or bore condition.

If you are shooting these in a .357 mag rifle the best yhou could get regardless of what type of bullet would be something less than 1500 fps anyway. In my max I have shot some 158 gr. hardcast with no GC at about 1600 fps and they leaded up quickly in my barrel. This is a Shilen match grade barrel...no question about the quality.

Thanks, folks, it also dawned on me that Marshall addresses this in his book, ~1500 which jives with your comments.

I push plain based 250 grain keith semiwadcutters at 2000+ FPS out of my 444 marlin and get no leading. Theres a million factors that come into play, the most important ones being bullet sizing, lube, hardness and barrel condition. Starting with a clean barrel, a hard bullet properly sized and lubed, i see no problem with 2000 FPS if you could safely load that high.

This is disturbing news- but only because I thought I had an answer- and now, this. Thanks, Jeffro.

1X2:
I just checked the Buffalo Bore site. They list their 180 grain bullet, from a Marlin carbine, at 1851 fps. That is a lot easier on a bullet than the 2200 to 2500 fps that you were considering.

Darrel

Yup, Tio, thanks. I misremembered and misposted; it's their lighter 158gr and 125gr .357s that they say move at 2000+ fps.