For the Skeeter fans

[03RN]

What brand/mold bullet are you using?

https://rimrockbullets.com/xcart/-38...per-800-1.html

[Zeke38]

Thanks 03RN, being a fairly close neighbor to Rimrock I've shot thousands of his "pellets" both WC and the above mentioned SWC, good bullets and great service.

[entropy]

https://rimrockbullets.com/xcart/-38...per-800-1.html

Thanks much. I have a “quantity” of Matt’s 158gr and have to see how the measurements match up to the rimrock before I start stuffing them in cases with big charges of 2400...😳

[358156hp]

Cooper's Red Dot load was 5 grains and a 158 grain hard cast bullet which gave a true 1000 fps out of a 2 inch barrel. This was or is for steel frame guns only. If you desire to experiment, I suggest sizing down the bullet to .356.

I correspond with a gentleman who has pressure testing equipment. He discovered that the Skeeter load mentioned above was on the high end of 357 Mag pressure. I shot this load and like it but used N frames and Ruger single actions.
Even if such loads won't blow up your guns, eventually they will stretch frames in revolvers not designed to handle them.That statement may not apply to later models to the extent that it once pertained to revolvers made as recently as 25 years ago. Many of us were shooting proof loads and didn't know it. Keith advocated using 8 grains of Unique with his 168 grain bullet in 38 Spl cases. No thank you.

I shot Coopers 5.0 gr Red Dot load through a Chiefs Special years ago, in such a light gun it was like having a decent sized firecracker go off in my hand (ahh, youth!). It was nowhere as bad as shooting full power 357s through a S&W 360. That hurt! My small revolver now is a .357 mag 649, and it has enough mass to make Coopers load manageable. My bullets are also slightly lighter than normal SWC designs. I have a number of 38/357 hollowpoint moulds from different manufacturers. For some reason I actually enjoy casting with single cavity Ideal and earlier Lyman moulds, especially on a rainy, or snowy day. One other thing, Coopers load is exceptionally accurate in everything I've shot it in. Just like Skeeters load is.

[Dave T]

As I remember it Cooper suggested 5g of Red Dot behind Speer's 3/4 jacket 160g SWC. That's what I loaded and carried in my first off-duty weapon, a Model 60 S&W. The little booger kicked like a miniature mule. My biggest problem with it was my hands are too big to comfortably shoot any J-frame, let alone one loaded with that stuff. When the department let me start carrying a Government Model I paired it with a Commander (the alloy frame version) as my off duty weapon. Traded the M-60 off for something or other and never thought of Cooper's load again till this thread came up.

Dave

[OlongJohnson]

My biggest problem with it was my hands are too big to comfortably shoot any J-frame, let alone one loaded with that stuff.

If you ever feel like trying again, the old ('80s era) Sile grip can often be found on fleabay for about $12-15 shipped. Works well enough for my X-frame size hands.

[358156hp]

Pachmayr Compac Professionals take the fight out of most rambunctious J frames for me. I renew my plea for somebody to start making them from G10 or wood, please?

Okay, pretty please?

[entropy]

I took a caliper to the 158’s I have from Matt’s.

The OAL is very close but the base to crimp groove is about .110” less, so in theory I have a bit more space in the case. I’m not planning, nor do I desire to cram more powder in there, but figure the extra space may lower pressures a bit.

The only other difference I see is the hardness of the lead. Rimrock states 15, while the Matt’s show theirs as 11. The plan is to load a few up in a range using 2400 and see how it goes.

[jtcarm]

FWIW, Skeeters 358156 load with 2400 in 38 Spl cases is probably the most accurate load I've tried in a 357 revolver. It outshoots the same load in 357 cases for me somehow. I'd kind of like to get a 38 Spl GP100 for dedicated use of that load, but it seems counterintuitive somehow.

K-Frames need to stay on the porch for this one. No offense, but I had to have an M65 and an M66 refit after a couple of years with that load. Jeff Coopers 38 Spl. Red Dot load seems even worse.

I used to run that same load using the Lee C358-158-SWC in hollow point (the poor-man’s 358156).

It was indeed wicked-accurate from my three-screw BH. I cast from 50/50 COWW/pure lead.

Another goodie from back in the day was the 358429 over 13.5 of 2400 in .357 cases (seated over the front driving band.). I tried that one again recently from a six-cavity MP mould, but no luck duplicating the accuracy from my previous life, and it showed signs of excessive pressure.

[entropy]

On the to-do list for the next days off.