Reloading for pistol caliber rifles

[flatwins]

What's the general consensus on reloading for pistol caliber rifles? Lead bullets ok? Jacketed\plated better to use than lead?

The reason I ask is that I've seen lead reloads perform less than stellar in Marlin levers (such as the .357). A jacketed bullet seems to perform much better.

What say you?

 

[ldp4570]

IF your going to reload lead bullets, you need to get hardcast or use a gascheck to keep the leading down. Or your other option is jacketed.

 

[flatwins]

Thanks Leighton. I've got a few hundred rounds of hardcast 250 gr for 45LC. Going to see how my Win 94 likes it. For my 38 SPL lever I've loaded up some plinkin' ammo with some plated bullets I had around

 

[Old Fart]

About the only rifle round I load for that is also a pistol round is 357 mag.
I always use either jacketed or gas checked home growns.

 

[ldp4570]

There are some hardcast around that won't lead to bad as long as you keep the velocities down some. Good rule of thumb is to gascheck on lead. I think its made by Speer, but they have a half jacket that when loaded looks just like a LSWC cause you don't see the jacket. I know they make it in .44 and .41, not sure about .357.

 

[Old Fart]

You are correct, good hardcast or reasonable velocities and you'll be fine.
Biggest reason I use the gas check in that's the only 158gr mold I have.
Some of my rifle molds aren't gas checked, like the 45-70's.
Keep them under the speed limit and you'll be fine.

 

[1mathom1]

If I am not mistaken, some of the Marlin's had micro groove rifling and did not shoot center fire cast bullets well.....that's why they went back to a more standard rifling when cowboy shooting began to get more popular. My 1894CS has standard rifling. In .22's the micro groove rifling is OK.

 

[dlbleak]

as flatwins said, the micro groove barrels don't like lead unless you push it pretty hard. my marlin in 44 is all over the place with plinking loads. if i push them to the gas check point, its gets much better.

 

[criticalbass]

My only pistol caliber rifle is a Ruger .44 carbine. The literature on that gun said that lead bullets will foul the gas system, so I only load jacketed or plated bullets for it. CB

 

[44minimum]

If you're going to make your own or reload with lead bullets, you need to match the hardness of your bullet with the velocity you're going to push them at and make sure that they fit your bore correctly. This site will tell you all you ever wanted to know about it----

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