Cast loads for .357 Max.

[jaysouth]

I did a search and found some good info on the site. It seems that the info the search turned up were threads in the 2006-2008 eras.

Has anyone come up with good loads since then? I have a Handi in .357 Max with a 16 1/2 bbl. I would like to shoot 158s for plinking and 180s for hunting. I have Clays, Red Dot, Unique, 2400, HP-38, AA1680 and Lil' gun on the reloading bench. Also small rifle and small rifle magnum primers.

Thanks

[paul h]

The only cast bullet I did serious load work for when I had a 357 max 10" contender was a 200 gr WFN. I found AA-1680 was the powder, top velocity and accuracy. H-110 had crazy velocity excursions and verticle stringing. I did find a wonderfuly accurate plinking load using 158 gr and red dot.

I don't have my load notes handy and it would probably take some serious digging to find them. I do remember that with AA-1680 it likes to be a compressed load before velocities are consistent and accuracy tightens up.

Sorry I can't be of more help.

[quilbilly]

I have a t/c carbine in the 357 max. For hunting loads with the 158 gr swc-GC I use about 18 gr of 2400. For plinking and small game loads I use a Lee 150 gr rn-pb propelled by 8 gr of Unique. Both give good accuracy. The rifle is so light weight that the heavier boolits cause so much vibration that they are quite unpleasant to shoot. I find the 158 quite adequate for deer and bear under 200# out to the limit of my old eyes and the peep sight.

[runfiverun]

2400,and aa-1680 are outstanding in the 357 max.
one of my favorite loads is with the saeco #248 and aa-2230 powder.
but i'm using a revolver so it wouldn't apply here. [and ain't in a book either]

[Recluse]

14.4 grains of 2400 pushing my 158SWC through an eight-inch Mod 686 barrel has knocked down Texas wild pigs at 50 yards with ease, yet is still a comfortable plinking load in the same firearm, and a completely and easily manageable round in the other .357 wheelguns around our hacienda.

:coffee:

[selmerfan]

1680, 2400, RL7, and Lil' Gun are your friend. I had a 15" barrel a couple years back that would run the RD 190-359 and Lyman #358627 boolits out at 1700-1900 fps with good hunting accuracy - minute of deer vitals out to a couple hundred yards, and it was fun to ring the 24" 300 yd gong. I won't publish the loads here - I worked up to them in my Encore.

[uscra112]

Lil'Gun. Best velocity per unit pressure of anything available today. Just wish I'd bought more of it before this drought set in. 200 grain RNGC boolit (358315?) with 20 grains. About 1650 fps from a 12" Contender barrel. Lubed with White Label 2500, sized .359 for my throat. 2-3 MOA with a 2.5x Phantom scope that may or may not have been screwed down tight, off sandbags.

I find RL-7 too slow. Haven't had any 1680 to try yet.

[paul h]

I've pushed a 200 gr wfn 1900 fps from a 10" contender with AA-1680, and it'll group moa.

[Ole]

The only bullet I use anymore in my 14" .357 T/C is the 190 Ranch Dog. I use H110 powder and my loads run 1950-2000 fps.

If I want to plink with that gun, I use .357 Mag or .38 special cases.

[jaysouth]

I loaded up some Berry's 158 plated and some Rem 125 JHP over 20.5 grs. Lil Gun. This little gun has great potential. The attached target shot at 50 yards plainly shows that the gun is more accurate that the shooter holding it today.

I have some 180 cast bullets on the way. I will work up a good plinking and a good deer load. I am going to immediately start searching for a good mold in the 160-180 gr. range

However, I am going to have to shoot up a bunch more of the 125 gr. JHPs. I found 1,500 of them in the mountain of plunder in my shop. The price on each box of 500 was $29.95.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y123/jaysouth/357Maxfirsttarget_zpsf57664f4.jpg

[rockrat]

I use 2400 in my Ruger #1 with 200gr and under and wc680 for the heavier boolits. Don't know if your Handi will take loads I put thru the Ruger as I have a bit of "freebore" like a Weatherby, as I designed the reamer for the 358627 boolit. My load for the 180's is over what others might shoot with 158's. Freebore has something to do with it, I suspect
My rifle seems to have a preference for Rem 7 1/2 primers with 2400, but I use the Wolf SRM for the WC-680 loads. It shoots a 265gr the best, but the 158gr 358156 at over 2400fps isn't too shabby either.

[xringshutr]

I'm with Ole on this. The RD 359-190 is just perfect for the Max. I run AA1680 or WC680. It shoots great and smacks hard. Dropped a nice 4x4 buck with mine about 3 years ago. He was around 50 yds out and ran about 50 yards further. Complete pass through, but the bullet did a great job. I don't have my load data in front of me, but 19.5gr rings a bell....and sounds like a reasonable load. The Max is a really underappreciated cartridge.

[fourarmed]

Don't overlook the 4227s. They were the go-to powders with 180 and 200 gr. bullets for silhouette shooting back when the Maximum was huge. A year or so ago, I loaded the Lyman 358429 with IMR-4227 for my wife's Ruger SBH, and it performed very well out to 150m. It did get erratic at 200, but I presume that was the bullet's fault.