Good Cheap 357 Magnum Bullets?

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Overkill777

New member
What's a good source of an inexpensive 357 magnum bullet that can be pushed to magnum velocity without leading up the barrel?

These are just going to be for fun so I was looking for something cheaper than the normal jacketed hollow points I buy for magnum loads. I normally shoot plated for target loads but I don't think these will hold up to magnum velocity. I'm thinking a nice hot load of H110 out of my 4" Ruger GP100.

i have been looking at coated bullets but I'm not sure how well these hold up so I'd like to pick your brains.
 
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chris in va

New member
Powdercoated hardcast lead? My 9mm exits the CX4 carbine at 1300fps and no residue, just standard wheelweight alloy.
 
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SHR970

New member
Not all plated bullets are the same. Even within brands some have regular and thick plate.

Some have what seems to be a wisp of copper on top of a nearly dead soft core.

Some have a thick plating on top of a harder alloy core.

You don't think plated can stand up to full house magnum velocities??? Better look at Speer Unicore and GoldDot bullets... they are PLATED bullets. You don't believe me? My Speer #13 tells me so on pages 416 & 417.
 
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TMD

New member
You don't think plated can stand up to full house magnum velocities??? Better look at Speer Unicore and GoldDot bullets... they are PLATED bullets. You don't believe me? My Speer #13 tells me so on pages 416 & 417.
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Plated, yes.
Inexpensive, No.
 
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TimSr

New member
I shoot a 6" GP100. My inexpensive practice loads are Missouri Bullet 158gr SWC 18 BRN, no coatings, over 8gr Unique or 17gr 296/110. Based on my poor memory, I think I was getting about 1200fps from the unique load, and about 1350 from the 296/110 load. They both match the accuracy I get from 158gr XTP bullets, and I don't have leading issues.
 
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mikld

New member
Good, cheap, magnum velocities? Mebbe not. I bought some 124 gr. JHP "blems" for my 9mms relatively inexpensively from Rocky Mountain Reloading. I found plated bullets to be "in between" for me; I have good home cast bullets that don't lead and when I want higher velocity I use jacketed. One bullet I had good luck with at all velocities is Precision Reloading coated (Hi-Tek), but I don't remember the costs. Loaded a bunch in my 9mms and 45 ACPs and I used some in my "hot" .38 Specials, but used a taper crimp...

http://precisionbullets.com/
 
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T. O'Heir

New member
Good and cheap don't normally go together. However, powder coating is just paint. Plating it ain't. And plated bullets use cast bullet data.
For seriously daft, mucking around, screamer, H110 loads you want a jacketed bullet, not powder coated or plated.
Midway has jacketed Hornady XTP's on sale right now. 125's are running $15.99 per 100.
Graf's has Prvi 158 grain HP's on at $15.29 per 100.
Don't think you'll beat those prices.
 
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WIL TERRY

New member
JUST remember this : GOOD and CHEAP are mutually exclusive and CHEAP is always too damned expensive.
And so it goes...
 
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Overkill777

New member
Is there ever a reloading topic where everyone isn't constantly contradicting the person above them?

I shoot a 6" GP100. My inexpensive practice loads are Missouri Bullet 158gr SWC 18 BRN, no coatings, over 8gr Unique or 17gr 296/110. Based on my poor memory, I think I was getting about 1200fps from the unique load, and about 1350 from the 296/110 load. They both match the accuracy I get from 158gr XTP bullets, and I don't have leading issues.
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This is what I was looking for. I am going to try the same bullets but with the coating. I just don't like plain cast lead bullets.

Thank you
 
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mikld

New member
Fortunately this forum is open to all opinions, whether they are right or wrong, as long as they are presented in a normally socially acceptable manner. There have been some poor, foolish members that contradict my posts, but that is acceptable as long as they understand the superiority of my answers and are open to see the error of their misguided opinions...;)
 
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TimSr

New member
Fortunately this forum is open to all opinions, whether they are right or wrong, as long as they are presented in a normally socially acceptable manner.
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I'll disagree with that statement right out of the box!
 
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SHR970

New member
T O'Heir wrote: Good and cheap don't normally go together. However, powder coating is just paint. Plating it ain't. And plated bullets use cast bullet data.
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Plated bullets use cast data if the manufacturer of said plated buullets advises it. Some advise Mid Range Jacketed velocities or data.

Berry's says
We do not research or publish the load data, but you can use any published load data for a jacketed or lead bullet as long as it is the same weight bullet. Any of the load data books or the powder manufacturers’ website should have that information for you, as long as you keep them under 1250 fps for our standard bullet or 1500fps for the bullets designated as TP (thick plate).
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As I posted earlier.. not all plated are made the same. Who says plated can't stand up to full power 357?

My standard load for many years in 357 is an Xtreme 158 gr. plated SWC, Starline brass, 13.5 gr. AA#9 and CCI SPP. This is a Full Throttle load. Both my GP100 and RBH shoot these just fine with very good long range accuracy.

There is so much misinformation and generalities floating around concerning plated bullets. This is where people get themselves in trouble.
 
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5whiskey

New member
I know the OP stated he doesn't want to use plain lead... but I use Dardas cast bullets properly sized (.001 over) to my slugged barrel for .357. No plating, no powder coating... just lubed cast bullets. I push them pretty hard with HS6 (not a perfect powder, but pretty decent when you push it hard in .357). 8.5 grains of HS6 is perfect and yields virtually no leading and no unburned powder.

If you use a quality, properly lubed, hard cast it will withstand .357 velocities. You're touching the top of a plain cast bullets ability, but it will take it if you don't start exceeding max pressure.

EDIT: Dardas is hard cast and is not pure lead. Pure lead cannot withstand .357 mag pressures. Properlt sized and lubbed hard cast can.
 
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rightside

New member
I agree with TimSr. The Missouri cast bullets can be selected by hardness.. An 18 BHN doesn't lead in my Dan Wesson, either.
 
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Machineguntony

New member
Question: can 9mm 115 grain bullets be used in a 357 magnum? I thought the 9mm projectile and the 357 projectile were interchangeable, but the Accurate Arms guide doesn't show as such.

I have lots of plated 115 gr projectiles, which I use in my subguns, that I plan on loading for my 357 magnum revolver, and I have lots of AA5. The AA guide only lists 110 grain and then jumps to 125 grain bullets.

If the two are interchangeable, that'd be really cheap.
 
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TimSr

New member
I'm guessing that is a "tongue-in-cheek" reply.
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Nope. Not at all.


There is so much misinformation and generalities floating around concerning plated bullets. This is where people get themselves in trouble.
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The problem, as you eluded to, is that there is no standard for "a plated bullet". Plating thickness can vary from a coloring film to almost a jacket, and the core can be anything for soft lead to hard cast. Every plated bullet has it's own recipe, and nobody who makes any of them (other than Speer, Hornady, etc.) supplies any reloading data for their particular bullet.
 
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