looking for plinking round for 357 158 grain SWC for 11 year old

[longshot1154]

Greetings all,

I went to the range yesterday and in preparation, I made up 150 rounds of 357 ammo. The load I used was 2.7 grains of Red Dot with a 148 grain HBWC in a 357 mag casing. The HBWC's came from a box that I got after my grandfather passed away and have to be at least 25 years old, as I don't recall him ever reloading in my recent memory.

My 11 year old son ended up shooting these 150 rounds and he fell in love with my GP100 using these light rounds. I'm almost out of the 148 gr HBWC and am looking for a light plinking round like this for the 158 grain SWC, so I can keep his addiction to the GP100 going, and I have the 158 swc mold all ready.

My Lee 2nd edition and Lyman cast manuals list magnum loads for the 158 grain that will be too strong for my son. In the 38 special section, they list a load of 2.9 grains of red dot in a 38 special casing. My dies are set for 357 and all I have are .357 casings. Would the 2.9 grains still work with the larger casing or would I need to move up the powder load due to the larger case while keeping the recoil low?

Thanks for your time.

[btroj]

Try that load and see how it works. As long as it doesn't stick a bullet you are ok.
I shoot lots of 158 SWC in a 38 case with 3.5 gr of HP 38.

[williamwaco]

2.7 to 3.0 gr should pretty well do what you want.

I use 3.0 gr with the 158 gr SWC.

The recoil is more than the 2.7 gr load but still relatively light.

Remember, 2.7 grains is barely getting it out the barrel. do not go lighter.

[longshot1154]

Thanks for the replies. Probably go with 3.0 grains and see how he does. This was the first time at the range with this gun and I really didn't even get to shoot with it, as my son was so taken with it. I had a box of ammo that my granddad loaded up at some point in the past and I shot those. They were definitely hot. No idea what the load was but figured the GP100 could take it and I didn't want them in the ammo closet any longer.

[longshot1154]

A couple photos of the kid shooting.


6296562966

I know he should have eye protection but for some reason they found their way out of the range bag.

[DLCTEX]

The Lee 125 gr. RN would be more fun for him, but he may like a little recoil.

[longshot1154]

Yeah, like to have him feel a little recoil, I had him shoot a 9 mm yesterday as well, and he handed it back to me after the first shot because of the recoil. He couldn't shoot the 22 yesterday because when he pulled it out of the holster, the front sight was missing off the gun. Always been in the holster, in a safe, so no idea where this might have happened or when.

[bobthenailer]

From years of experince and and probley almost 2 dozen 357 mag handguns my go to load is loaded in 357 mag cases, with just about any cast 158 gr swc or heavyer bullet with 4.0gr to 4.5gr of Bullseye or Tightgroup powder @780fps to 837 fps should shoot around 2 inches or usually better at 25 yards , ive done a inch at 50 yards! many times with optics

[jonp]

I just loaded up 100 158gr swc over 4gr unique that worked well for him. Out of my blackhawk I could shoot it all day.

[Bigslug]

I'm kinda in the same boat - I have a use for light-kicking loads, but don't want to mess with .38 brass.

I would increase the charge slightly (like by a couple tenths) from whatever the minimum listed charge is to account for the extra case volume. Apart from that minor change, you're OK from there all the way up to full-spec .357.

The approach of the caring parent would be to gradually increase powder charges over the course of a year or two without his knowledge, then do the same with a .44.

[rexherring]

I loaded up a bunch for my friends wife with 3.5 - 4 grs of Trail Boss, very easy shooting. Why Trail Boss? Because I have a bunch, it's low recoil, and I'm saving my other powders for me.:)

[jsteed]

I've used 3.5-4gr of red dot behind the 158 swc. Dirty powder but the price was cheap !

[jonp]

Just looked up some old data on my 357 Blackhawk and found that a 158gr SWC boolit over 10.7gr H110 shot into a dollar size coin at 15yrds with not much recoil. Might be good to start a little light then go to that but if I remember right there was quite a bit of smoke and almost no recoil with this load for me.

[longshot1154]

Appreciate all the replies. While be working up a load in the next couple weeks. Range was really muddy when we went so looks like I'll have some time before I go down again. Nice thing with the initial load was it was really quiet. I own 10 acres but normally don't shoot on my property as I don't want to disturb the neighbors, although they never seem to have a problem letting off rounds. With the initial load being so quiet I might just let my son shoot them in the backyard.

[dverna]

My Cowboy load is 2.5 gr of Clays or 2.7 gr of W231/HP38 under a 130 gr bullet. Really accurate and soft shooter.

If you want some of these bullets, send me an PM. I have about 10k so I can spare some. Good luck with the boy and DO NOT let him beat up by recoil. Keep it fun!!

Don