358156 & H-110 in a Ruger Blackhawk

For years I have used reduced loads for general shooting and practice. I had found that the reduced loads usually gave better accuracy, plus I could shoot them for an extended session, without getting fatigued.

I never messed with H-110 at all in 357 Mag. In 44 Mag I would load up some jacketed, to use deer hunting. I never really tested it extensively, just loaded a recipe that gave 'good enuf' accuracy at 75-ish yards, and went looking for venison.

I got a wild hair a few weeks back. I had acquired a Lyman 358156 mould - a gas-checked SWC, the one with 2 crimp grooves. Mine is an older version, and drops CWW/Pb at 160-161 grains, checked and lubed. I figured that the boolit had been around forever, and load data was easy to find. Why not.

I found data for H-110 all over the place; both physically, and in charge weight. I had always heard that H-110 likes the higher pressure range, so I ignored the 11 grain start point I found in some places.

Using PMC brass, and CCI 550 (SPM) primers, I loaded up some rounds. A few each with 14, 14.5, and 15 grains. I took the Ruger 6.5" Blackhawk (1978 manufacture) out behind the barn, and fired a few. Rested, at 50'.
Here's what happened.

14.0 gr, 12 shots. Remember, this is rested, on a pretty rickety bench, but rested. At 50'.

Attachment 202406

Ahem.

Yes, well. I could barely keep them on an 8.5 x 11 paper. Oh my.

I reshot it, same load with different lube, with pretty much the same results. Now, I'm not the best shot in the world, but I'm better then that. At least, I thought I was.
I actually took my spectacles off, and looked to see if they were smeared or some-such. They weren't, but I cleaned them anyway.

Let's try this again.

14.5 Gr H-110. Otherwise, same setup. 6 rounds

Attachment 202408

This is starting to look a bit better. I reshot it, same load, different lube. 14.5gr H-110, 6 rounds

Attachment 202409

Okay, we're getting somewhere. I tried the last set I had loaded -

15.0gr H-110, the same 358156, the same 50' rested (sort of). 6 rounds.

Attachment 202410

That's a 1 5/8" 6 shot group, with a new load, in a revolver I purchased 3 weeks ago.

It appears the scuttlebutt was correct. H-110 DOES like the higher pressures, at least in this revolver. As the charge weight, and pressure, went up, the groups tightened. Considerably.

Lyman Cast #4 shows a max of 15.7gr with this boolit. I think I'll load up some 15.2, 15.4, 15.6 and see how it does. I don't need a whole bunch of these loads, I'll probably load up a hundred or so when I settle on 'the' load, and that will last me a good while.

Of course, Mrs Bookworm has that H&R 357 carbine....

I discovered the same thing in a .41 Magnum Blackhawk with 210 gr Sierras and h110s twin w296.
Stand on it for little groups. Killed a buck too.

You may want to see if your .358" boolit will go through the cylinder throats from the front without having to beat it through. With magnum loads, boolits exit the cylinder at throat diameter. if you have to beat it through, the cylinder is acting like a 6 port sizing die. This does absolutely zilch for accuracy.

Doug, I have a set of minus pin gauges. .358 slides into all 6, .359 won't go in any of them.
I'll start sizing all the boolits for this revolver at 358.

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Originally Posted by Bookworm

Doug, I have a set of minus pin gauges. .358 slides into all 6, .359 won't go in any of them.
I'll start sizing all the boolits for this revolver at 358.

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You are GOLD sir!!

My 40 S&W did this with lee's 175 gr tc boolet and hs6. I was shooting it out of my high point carbine. Starting loads where just ok but as I loaded closer to max the groups tightened up a lot.

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Originally Posted by DougGuy

You may want to see if your .358" boolit will go through the cylinder throats from the front without having to beat it through. With magnum loads, boolits exit the cylinder at throat diameter. if you have to beat it through, the cylinder is acting like a 6 port sizing die. This does absolutely zilch for accuracy.

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This is probably the reason he didn't get squibs running such light loads. My current data from Hodgdon shows to never load below 15. If he had .359 throats, 14 grains would have been a bad time.

15.7 grains of H-110 with the 358-156 has been the most accurate combination of that powder and boolit. It is book max, at least from Lyman's # 3 handbook, but it is the most accurate 357 magnum load I have found.

OP here.

I loaded a few each of the 15.2, 15.4, & 15.6 grain loads, and tried them. The 15.4 clocked ~1293fps from a 6.5" Blackhawk. Stan.Dev. was 18, Spread was 45fps.

When I got to the 15.6g load, the group opened, and velocity didn't increase. I'll load a few at 15.5, from advice of respected board members, to try. If that load doesn't do any better than the 15.4, I'll stick with the lower charge weight (for a modicum of economy).

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Originally Posted by Bookworm

OP here.

I loaded a few each of the 15.2, 15.4, & 15.6 grain loads, and tried them. The 15.4 clocked ~1293fps from a 6.5" Blackhawk. Stan.Dev. was 18, Spread was 45fps.

When I got to the 15.6g load, the group opened, and velocity didn't increase. I'll load a few at 15.5, from advice of respected board members, to try. If that load doesn't do any better than the 15.4, I'll stick with the lower charge weight (for a modicum of economy).

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Did the groups improve at all?

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Originally Posted by aarolar

Did the groups improve at all?

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The groups for the 15.0g & 15.4g were very similar, with the 15.4 perhaps slightly better.
The numbers (SD & ES) for the 15.4 were better than the lighter loads.

Oddly enough, with the 15.6g the group opened, but the SD & ES numbers were slightly better than the 15.4g. However, the velocity stopped increasing.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bookworm

The groups for the 15.0g & 15.4g were very similar, with the 15.4 perhaps slightly better.
The numbers (SD & ES) for the 15.4 were better than the lighter loads.

Oddly enough, with the 15.6g the group opened, but the SD & ES numbers were slightly better than the 15.4g. However, the velocity stopped increasing.

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Good to know for future reference, one day Ill get me an N frame and start working up some hot loads. I dont dare experiment in my K frames.

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Originally Posted by rintinglen

15.7 grains of H-110 with the 358-156 has been the most accurate combination of that powder and boolit. It is book max, at least from Lyman's # 3 handbook, but it is the most accurate 357 magnum load I have found.

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I have an old load copied from somewhere that is labeled Blackhawk only that shows 15.5 gr and warns to use sr primers. Are you using sp primers safely? Thanks in advance.

I use Winchester SP Magnum primers in these loads--just about the only cartridge I load that I do use Magnum primers in.

I took my data from the Lyman # 3 Cast Bullet handbook, which was duplicated in an older copy of the Lyman pistol and Revolver Loadbook. My RCBS Cast Bullet No. 1 Manual lists a higher load for their similar 38-162 SWC GC, but I found going higher got me bigger groups.

Having been taught to reload by an Old Lyman manual (#45, IIRC) and having never run into trouble following their recommendations, I trust Lyman publications.

My Lyman Cast #3 lists 15.7 H-110 as max, showing 40K CUP pressure. It shows 11.4g as a start load (!).
Cast #4 shows the same max - 15.7g, but starts at 15.0.

I also use Small Pistol Magnum primers, opting for CCI 550, mostly because that's what I have.

I loaded up some 15.5g to try, but saw no benefit over the 15.4g load, after shooting both. The velocity numbers were close enough to not matter.
The deviation and spread was slightly better with the 15.5 load, but the groups were indistinguishable one from the other.

I am settled on the 15.4g load for this revolver. I don't shoot a bunch of these rounds so I'll probably load up a couple hundred, and they will last for quite some years.

Now I can start on a load for the H&R 357 single-shot. I have both 357 & 360DW brass for it.....

I have the brother to your Blackhawk, 6.5" .357 from 1978 [emoji16] mine really likes the 170gr SWC over a stiff charge of H110. Like you mentioned, max or near-max loads usually yield the best groups with H110. I've found it to be true in .300 BLK, .357mag, and .44mag.

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[smilie=1:

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Originally Posted by three50seven

I have the brother to your Blackhawk, 6.5" .357 from 1978 [emoji16] mine really likes the 170gr SWC over a stiff charge of H110. Like you mentioned, max or near-max loads usually yield the best groups with H110.

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I have a NOE mold, a Ranch Dog RNFP that lists at 170g, but drops at ~181g w/GC. When I get around to it, I want to work up a load for it, at least in the H&R carbine.

I may also try it in the Blackhawk...[smilie=1:

H110 is the only powder I start at maximum . I use sp primers only with no problems in my Blackhawk or Rossi lever action. I use sr primers in the .300 Blk. It's a Wompus Cat in the .357s with 158gr bullets!

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