Pet loads requested for .357 Magnum

[Char-Gar]

For fun, I pulled out my old Lyman No. 41 loading manual and checked the top end 357 Magnum loads with 2400 powder. With Lyman 358156 (solid) the top charge if 15.5 grains and 16 grains for the hollow point version

I can't believe we really did that! Now if I had a NM Ruger Blackhawk with a long barrel.....nah, not even then.!

[UncleSarge58]

My 1894 Marlin Really Likes the Lee 158gr RNFP (50/50 Lino & WW) tumble lubed w/ LLA over 6-8gr HS-6 in Rem .357 Brass w/ Rem SP Mag Primers.
Super Accurate (3/4in @ 54yds), No Leading & A Pleasure to Shoot (Light Muzzle Blast/Flash & Zero Kick).
Lighter Loads are Great for Plinking & Small Critters (Rabbits & Squirrels, etc.)
Heavy Loads are Suitable for Larger Game out to 50yds (Coyote & Small Deer)
Just for Fun I Load Sub Sonics w/ Same Boolit, Brass & Primer over 3gr Trail Boss. Sounds Like a 22 Long & Real Hoot to Shoot.
(Great for Feral Cats, Rats & Other Yard Varmints)
UncleSarge58

[sniper]

Well, I tried Skeeter's "medium"load on my 586, and didn't like it one bit! I backed down to 11.5gr, which is much more pleasant to shoot, accurate, with reasonable velocity. I've used 5.5 gr. Unique in a Model 19, Dan Wesson, and 586 4" , 357 brass, 150-158gr cast swc, standard primers. It chronoed 860fps from the 4" barrel, and it is accurate and pleasant to shoot.

[Forrest r]

I like to use 8.0gr of:

herco
power pistol
long shot

with a 158gr 640 style cast hp. Any of those powders will get at least 1200fps with that bullet with a 6" bbl. They are all accurate loads & actually do a pretty good job thumping bowling pins considering they are all medium 357 loads.

[roverboy]

I've shot some warm loads with 2400 and H110 in my Security Six and its not always fun. I shoot mostly lighter loads of Herco and 2400 in .38 Spl. cases. The heavy loads I've killed a couple deer with and work good. But, not for every range trip.

[robertbank]

14.5 gr of 4227 works for me under my RCBS 160 gr RN out of my Ruger GP-100

4.5 Gr of Titegroup under the RCBS 160 gr RN boolit runs well in the same gun.

Another load I have used with some success is 14 gr of 2400 under my Lyman 358156GC out of my Ruger GP-100.

Take Care

Bob

[shoot-n-lead]

My new absolute favorite .357 load is 125gr Lee RFN over 6.0grs of W231. This load is very accurate and will penetrate Ga deer and med sized hog heads...with very little report or recoil. Great plinker as well....

[detox]

"Surprisingly !" The RCBS 9mm-147-FN Part # 82077 will outshoot any of my other cast bullets @1000fps using my S&W 686 revolver. Bullet drops from mould @ .358" using #2 alloy. I size nose first in Lee sizer to .357", but bullet springs back to .3575 after sizing. I then lube in RCBS Lube a Matic with mixture of 80% SPG and 20% Lyman Molly stick lube. Bullets are seated using Hornaday inline hollow stem seater in Starline 357 magnum cases and then roll crimped onto front scaper band (1.600 cartridge length). I used 5.5 gr of Tin Star powder and standard CCI small pistol primers for a velocity of about 1000fps. Other powders will also work with this sleeper bullet.

I can also seat bullet out farther so that front band will be close to touching forcing cone of cylinder (1.850" cartridge length), bullet is crimped in front grease groove. Be careful so that nose of bullet does not protrude front of cylinder. I have not tried shooting them at this longer length.

The online Alliant Reloading manual page 64 list several Cowboy loads with this bullet in the 38 Special. http://www.alliantpowder.com/resourc...eloadersguide/

The two 9mm bullets are on far left in picture. Bullet is seated out far to 1.850" length in 357 case (not tested yet). I have only shot at 1.600" seated length with bullet roll crimped onto front drive band.

[6bg6ga]

My wife purchased a new S&W 686-6 yesterday and requested that I load her some nice light 357 loads. I have a 158gr SWC and 160gr RN for cast bullets. I have on hand 231 powder. I cannot seem to find a reference to a 231 load in my old Lyman's 46th edition. Does anyone have a recommended load for this with 231 or should I just use 38 special loading data?

[robertbank]

I have used 4.6 gr of 231 in 38spl cases and it seemed to work ok using a 150 gr boolit. The load should work ok in 357 cases as well. I prefer Clays in 38spl cases/ 2.8 gr is very soft shooting in my GP100 under my 158 gr RN boolits. Burns a lot cleaner than 231. The latter I fond quite sooty in light loadings.

Take Care

Bob

[zxcvbob]

My wife purchased a new S&W 686-6 yesterday and requested that I load her some nice light 357 loads. I have a 158gr SWC and 160gr RN for cast bullets. I have on hand 231 powder. I cannot seem to find a reference to a 231 load in my old Lyman's 46th edition. Does anyone have a recommended load for this with 231 or should I just use 38 special loading data?

I would look for ".38 Special +P" load data. Whatever the maximum says, use that in .357 brass.

You can also go to data.hodgdon.com and look up .38 Special data and .357 Magnum data, using 158 grain lead bullets and 231. Then split the difference (in .357 brass)

[6bg6ga]

I'm looking for some sub +P loads light loads for the wife to shoot. I don't hink she will like +P 38 loads in the 357 still too hot to start her out with.

[zxcvbob]

Then get some DEWC's. You can load those down to mousefart levels, or in .357 brass you can load 'em up to about 9mm +P performance.

I have loaded some 158 grain cast bullets with 2.8 grains of Promo (or Red Dot), the same load as I use with wadcutters, and it was a milder load than the wadcutters but still accurate. It was a lot dirtier though, and didn't punch as nice a hole in the paper (but at least they didn't tumble)

[6bg6ga]

This is what I have 158gr SWC and 160 RNAttachment 87134

[Rainier]

Hodgdon's reloading site under the .357 gives a starting load of 3.4gr and a max load of 5.0gr of Win 231 for the 158gr LSWC.
For an interesting "hot load" I recently tried the Lee TL 158gr SWC with 15gr of VV N-110 and a small Win rifle primer. The chrony said it averaged 1332 fps. I did get a bit of leading at the end of the barrel but nothing serious.

[6bg6ga]

Hodgdon's reloading site under the .357 gives a starting load of 3.4gr and a max load of 5.0gr of Win 231 for the 158gr LSWC.
For an interesting "hot load" I recently tried the Lee TL 158gr SWC with 15gr of VV N-110 and a small Win rifle primer. The chrony said it averaged 1332 fps. I did get a bit of leading at the end of the barrel but nothing serious.

The Hodgdons sites load of 3.4gr and a max of 5.0 gr of 231 is about in the ball park for the listing I have for 38 special in my old loading manual.

[Rainier]

Interestingly enough the .38 special load data Hodgdon gives for the 158gr LSWC starts at 3.1gr with a max of 3.7gr. Makes a man wonder if the lawyers got their fingers in things...
The 49th edition Lyman handbook for the .38 special, 155gr (358156) starts at 3.5gr and a max of 4.7gr. Lyman doesn't give any cast data for Win 231 in the .357mag

[Airman Basic]

Found a pre-warning NM 6.5 in. Blackhawk 357 a few months ago on Gun Broker. Used up all my loaded up 296 rounds, then went to Unique. I've got 8 lbs of it. Went up to 8 grains. Very accurate. But sticky extraction in the Ruger. Backed down to 7.5 and sticking went away while accuracy stayed. Kind of rough chamber walls had something to do with that, I think. Anyway, after a poor boy's trigger job, (thank the group for that) the 7.5 load with RCBS 150 gr SWC is now loaded in quantity. Rings the steel targets with authority. Good stuff.

[Army03CRNA]

Old thread, but I'm gonna bump this to the top cause I know these questions come up now and again. I finally have a 357 (a Ruger match champion) and I'm researching moulds before buying. This is an interesting solution, one I like since I load for 9mm too.

Thanks detox for posting!

"Surprisingly !" The RCBS 9mm-147-FN Part # 82077 will outshoot any of my other cast bullets @1000fps using my S&W 686 revolver. Bullet drops from mould @ .358" using #2 alloy. I size nose first in Lee sizer to .357", but bullet springs back to .3575 after sizing. I then lube in RCBS Lube a Matic with mixture of 80% SPG and 20% Lyman Molly stick lube. Bullets are seated using Hornaday inline hollow stem seater in Starline 357 magnum cases and then roll crimped onto front scaper band (1.600 cartridge length). I used 5.5 gr of Tin Star powder and standard CCI small pistol primers for a velocity of about 1000fps. Other powders will also work with this sleeper bullet.

I can also seat bullet out farther so that front band will be close to touching forcing cone of cylinder (1.850" cartridge length), bullet is crimped in front grease groove. Be careful so that nose of bullet does not protrude front of cylinder. I have not tried shooting them at this longer length.

The online Alliant Reloading manual page 64 list several Cowboy loads with this bullet in the 38 Special. http://www.alliantpowder.com/resourc...eloadersguide/

The two 9mm bullets are on far left in picture. Bullet is seated out far to 1.850" length in 357 case (not tested yet). I have only shot at 1.600" seated length with bullet roll crimped onto front drive band.

[robertbank]

Do you play IDPA? If so get yourself a 158 gr RN for starters. I have had good luck with the Luman 358156 GC, a Thompson design and the Lyman 358477. I recently bough Lyman's 358430, a 200 gr bullet and have had excellent accuracy out of it using both 357 and 39spl cases.

Take Care

Bob