[Nathaniel]

I came into a quantity of factory cast .357 bullets. There are some Speer 148 grain bevel base wadcutters, (#4605), and 500 Hornady 158 grain SWCs.
Two questions, (keep in mind both boxes of bullets are over 20 years old):

1- Are these bullets "pre lubricated", or do I need to lube them, (neither have the lube grooves I've seen on other lead bullets).

2- Can I drive them at mild velocity, (750 FPS or so), without worrying about leading?

These bullets are not made for gas checks - I'm a newbie to lead, and I assume that if the bullet was cast as a flat base, you cannot affix a gas check to them, (if I'm incorrect, please tell me so).

I have a "recipe" I pulled off the internet for home made lube - doesn't sound too difficult to tumble lube if I need to.

I'm shooting them out of two S&W snubs - a 337 and a Model 38.
I'd also like to shoot them out of my EMF M92 carbine, but that might bring more leading concerns - correct?

Lastly, can I shoot them from 357 Magnum cases out of the carbine at lower velocity, (how low do I need to keep them), without leading?

Any help/info you old salts can throw my way would be apprieciated.

Thanks in advance.

 

[mattsbox99]

Yes, use these bullets at 800 FPS and under and you'll be happy. I like 3.0 grains of Clays. You don't need to lube them, they are actually lubed already with a thin ALOX type coating.

You are right, these bullets are not made for gas checks.

I would not use them in a rifle, the velocity will be too high and you'll have bad leading problems as these bullets are very soft.

 

[wildhobbybobby]

Mattsbox is right, you do not need to lube either of the bullets you have. I use similar bullets all the time in my revolvers and also an Uberti 1866 rifle. The wadcutters will do well with a charge of 2.7 grains of Bullseye. Seat them flush with the end of the case mouth. The SWC's will work well with 3.5 grains of Bullseye. These are standard (mid range) loads that should not present any leading problems in either your revolver or rifle. If you try to soup the loads up, you will get heavy leading with these soft bullets. Keep them at the mid range level and you will be fine.

Both bullets will work well in the revolver but the wadcutter will not feed in your rifle. However I have shot many of them in mine by single loading them into the chamber.

Some rifles feed SWC bullets and some don't. The toggle Link rifles seem to do OK with them (mine does), and I have also had them work OK in Marlin Model 94's, but YMMV. Using .357 brass may result in better feeding due to the longer OAL.

Just load 'em and shoot 'em.

 

[unclenick]

Sounds like they are Hornady swaged (not cast) lead bullets. If the bearing surface (the cylindrical part that is full groove diameter) has a cross-hatch pattern rolled into it, then it is definitely Hornady. Those are waxed and have motor mice (silvery white powder) that is impressed into the wax. That is the lube.

As you inquired, they are fine for target level loads. 2.7 grains of Bullseye or 2.9 grains of 231. You can use 2.0 grains of Clays for a slower and cleaner load, but because of the tiny space left in the case under a flush-seated wadcutter, it is easy to get to overpressure with that powder. It is better suited to the 158 grain SWC, where, as suggested, 3.0 grains of Clays will be right in the middle of the max pressure range.

 

[mattsbox99]

Clays is pretty dirty at low pressure, I'm actually loading a 125 grain bullet with that load.