To make this long round flat nosed bullet work, I have to use 38 Spl brass. With that brass I get a very good match on on the first Micro Band lube groove and can use it as a crimp groove.
As luck would have it, I didn't get to work on the project on day one beyond the planning stage as our microwave oven caught on fire, nothing a ranch dog can't handle, but it redirected me to house duties for the day.
Yesterday, I started again but was running short on the day so I just went straight to the max load of Lil'Gun that QuickLoad suggested, 15.0-grains, loaded three and went up to the range. I shot the 3 rounds at 25 yards and was less than impressed. I expect the bullets to touch at that distance and they looked more like a 100-yard target that I would work find acceptable. I sat there looking downrange at the target and thought "these bullets need to be pushed harder to tighten them up with the 1:30 rate of twist".
I walked back down the hill to my room and loaded twelve cartridges with 15.5-grains despite the QuickLoad recommendations. I went back up the hill, didn't bother to set a target at 25-yards again, going out to 50-yards, shot three and said "Wow!" They were darn near touching. I shot three at 100 yards and was extremely happy!
You have to love that long flat 190-grain nose! This bullet is being used with 38 Spl brass loaded to 357 Mag pressures.
Something about this cartridge's looks that tells me it will make the 357 Mag a hog knocker!
The bullet's first Micro-Band lube groove is a perfect match for a 1.600" OAL. The length and long tapered nose of the TLC359-190-RF makes it feed like it has been greased!
Three shots at 100-yards, good enough for me! I made a final scope correction of 2 clicks up and right and didn't bother to shoot it again. The next step is to chronograph it. Quickload says the 15.5-grains of Lil'Gun is going to generate 1770 FPS.[hr]
It was a few minutes before dark and I hadn't left the ranch so my dog and I walked up to the highway which is about 350 yard away. We didn't get there as this is what we found about 100 yards from my house.
It seems that the previous night the hogs had their way with portions of my quail habitat project. Well, in my next topic I will tell you what I did about it!
