Advice on .356 GNR

[meshugunner]

I just picked up Ruger BH chambered for .356 GNR.

BlackHawk (http://www.rugerforum.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=41&t=164050)

This cartridge is a .41 mag case necked down to .357
356 GNR (http://www.reedercustomguns.com/information/GNR_cartridges.htm)

It comes with dies and 1000 cases. So I am mostly set up. I have to order the .41 mag shell plate for my Dillon 550. My reloading experience has been 380acp/9mm/.38Sp/.357mag with hand cast bullets. I have a few questions and I would appreciate any tips. There seems to be no ready made ammo for this caliber so I will have to handload before I can even fire the gun.

I have Bullseye, Win 231, Titegroup & Blue Dot. Are any of these suitable?

I have small pistol primers & small magnum. Anything else is very hard to find. I might possibly be able to scare up some small rifle.

I have Lee 6cav molds from 100gns up to 178gns. What would be a good bullet to start with. Will I need gas checks? None of my molds are gas check type. Can gas checks be mounted on square base bullets? What alloy would be suitable?

Is .41 mag reloading data of any relevance? I expect a sheet of reload data with the gun but it would help to have a wider range of loads.

Right now I just want to crank out some ammo so that I can take it down to the range and plink with it.

Thanks

[runfiverun]

you won't NEED gas checks.
41 mag data will not help you.
you need to figure out how much case capacity you have available.
i'd bet it's in the ball park of a 357 magnum plus some.
i'd modify that data if i couldn't find anything else and work up slowly from there.
if you have say 5% more capacity than the 357 start with it's data and run over a chrono.
you should have nearly the same velocity minus the 5%.
work up that last 5% of powder, the extra gas volume is where your extra velocity will come from.

[flipajig]

Contact Garry Reedner for load datta
Also the 41 mag takes a Large pistol primer
As for powder I would look at 2400, H110,IMR 4227
Flip

[captaint]

I'd go with flipajig on the powders. They sound about right to me....

[Wayne Smith]

And consider data for the 357 Bain and Davis. It is of very simiar capacity if I remember correctly.

[runfiverun]

the B&D is on the 44 case so it would have higher case volumn but it could be reduced.
you'd work the data down then back up.

unique and 2400,would both be good powders to use

[jbc]

Gary reeders website lists a loading manual for all the gnr cartridges for $20

[NSP64]

I would look for a 357 cylinder so you can swap back and forth if you want.

[MT Gianni]

http://fiveshot.org/backissues/paco/356gnr.htm
See if this link helps. Paco's data is hot, I would reduce and work up lower than just 5% in anything he writes up.

[meshugunner]

Thanks Gianni that page does look useful. And thanks to everyone else who contributed. This helps.

The revolver comes with a .357 and a 9mm cylinder. I guess I will be shooting those for a while since Dillon has a 4-6 week delay and I am waiting for the .41 mag conversion kit. I did find some large pistol primers - a $80/1000! I didn't buy any. Last time I bought from this guy they were $35 a brick. He's not the one who jacked up the price. I'm hoping things will calm down soon and we can all get reloading components and at a reasonable price. Eventually the hoarders will run out of money - I hope. Seems I also need to get one of the powders flipajig listed.

Seems the .356 GNR is similar to the .357 Maximum for which there is some data out there. I can use that as a guide too.

I will follow the advice to start low and work up. I don't yet understand the ins and outs of case capacity vs pressure and then there's the complication of it being a shouldered cartridge.

Thanks everyone

[runfiverun]

the shoulder increases pressure.
a sharp shoulder can make a powder act like it is one click faster.
357 max data is easy to find but most of it is on the top side,there isn't a lot of just plinking velocity type loads.
i'd be inclined to just go with 357 mag data and work from there [excluding h-110]