Rossi Rifleman

I'm still fighting the accuracy issue for 50 yards. Then it dawned on me,is my bullet to soft to get a good grip on the rifling? All my bullets are .359. Some with gas checks. My question to you experts is. Are you using a hard alloy or soft. And will 180 gr function thru the action. If I try them. Everyone says it has to be a soft bullet for deer hunting. Appreciate your help on this issue..

180s work well as long as you push them due to the twist rate.

I use 180's that I used to get from Penn Bullet, but with the owner recently passing I'm rationing what I have left. I found that a heathy dose of H110 or Lil'Gun keeps them straight to 100 yards.

Make smoke,

I have a few 180s I got from a local guy. What velocity do you think your running. I got to thinking maybe my crimp is to much,if this is possible. I use the lee factory crimp die. Appreciate your reply. John

Johnnyjr wrote:I have a few 180s I got from a local guy. What velocity do you think your running. I got to thinking maybe my crimp is to much,if this is possible. I use the lee factory crimp die. Appreciate your reply. John

You NEED some crimp, you don't want the bullets getting pushed back inside the case the pressure of the magazine spring. If you are also using these bullets in a revolver heavy recoil can pull bullets that are not crimped in place. You don't want to squash the bullet to sub caliber size but you generally need some crimp for lever actions or pumps with tubular magazines, most semi autos and possibly for heavy recoiling loads.

If you are using cast bullets, go hard alloy.

I use Hornady XTP 180 gain hollow points with H110 powder.
They are crimped - really seriously crimped.
For the same reason Archer said, but also to hold onto the bullet a bit longer and let the powder get burning well. H110 has a reputation of being hard to light, and keep lit.

But that, I believe, was in revolvers with larger gaps...
The powder would ignite, push the bullet into the forcing cone, which opened up the gap,
and go out! Then the next round would fire into an obstructed barrel. Bad news.
And a bad rap for a very good powder.

Still, crimp the snot out of them.
I believe that's the secret to the low SD here - (For H110 powered heavy bullets)

Here are my chrono results for that load...
(All Lee dies on a Dillon 550C)

I settled on the 13.2 grain load because . . .

And the results . . .

That's got mine all beat to hejj.im impressed. Guess I'll have to cast up some hard ones and try them. Appreciate it.john

How hard are you casting your bullets?

GasGuzzler wrote:180s work well as long as you push them due to the twist rate.

You keep reminding me that I still have not started working the bullets I got from you... years back.

Johnnyjr wrote:That's got mine all beat to hejj.im impressed. Guess I'll have to cast up some hard ones and try them. Appreciate it.john

How hard are you casting your bullets?

These 180s are Hornady XTP - FMJ.