Powders for the 357 Mag

[sniper]

Unique and 2400 will do everything you could wish, and Unique is the more versatile, IMO.

[jmort]

+1 ^ Completely agree.

[rststeve]

Herco and 2400 work best for cast in my rugers

[winelover]

I rely on either 2400 or Unique for all my handgun needs. I load 9mm, 38/357, 44spl/44Mag and 45LC. No need for anything else. IMO.

Winelover

[dragon813gt]

No need for anything else. IMO.

Winelover

I could say the same for what I use, W296/H110 and W231/HP-38. Powder development has come a long way since 2400 and Unique were introduced. There are many ways to get the same results. I prefer to use more modern powders. The two I listed are the only powders I use across all pistol caliber cartridges.

[phonejack]

2400 and 296. The low end of the 296 velocity window can be duplicated with 2400 with less pressure.

[detox]

Unique and 2400 will do everything you could wish, and Unique is the more versatile, IMO.

I would also like to add Bullseye.

I have LOTS of various brands of powder for pistol. I wish i had invested in Bullseye, Unique, and 2400 powders only...live and learn.

[rintinglen]

H-110 has been my go to powder for full loads in .357's since at least 1980. Meters well, and has been more accurate than 2400 in my guns. My Rossi Carbine simply dotes on the following load: I use 15.7 grains with WW mag primers and either 358-156 or RCBS 38-162 SWC gas checked boolits. I have not been able to develop plain base loads that shoot well at magnum velocities in the .357 without leading, though there are many here who report doing so. Curiously, the 44 magnum seems to have no such problem.

[Clay M]

2400 is also my favorite with cast bullets,in fact it is my favorite in the .41 and .44 too.I have had some great accuracy in the .41 mag with Vit N110 but it is very hard to come by,and I have a limited supply with no real prospect of getting any more any time soon.I am going to work with the Vit N110 some in .357 as I expect the accuracy to be good.

[375supermag]

Hi...
I mostly use Blue Dot for 158Gr LSWC loads in my .357s. I have tried a couple of other powders for cast lead loads in .357Mag, but always seem to gravitate back to Blue Dot.
I get consistent throws from my Little Dandy measure, no leading and good accuracy out of half a dozen different .357s. My son and I go through thousands of .357 rounds each year using Blue Dot with complete satisfaction. I also load several thousand per year for a good friend as well.

For jacketed loads, I use W296 and Hornady HP/XTPs in 125, 158 and 180gr weights.

[blueeyephil]

I tried AA #7 for a first time, using a powder coated 158gr the other day. A mild 357 load and very accurate! Shooting a 6" Colt Trooper MK III, at 15 yards, 3 out of six shots were touching. That was standing but shooting single action. I had been having leading with this bullet and the powder coating fixed that. Apparently didn't hurt the accuracy.

[baker1425]

I've had some success using True Blue from western /accurate in warmer 38+P and 357 loads. I've not used jacketed with the load, but the intitials with a 158 LSWC have been promising. Based on my experience from me last jug of AA7, I would be comfortable with either in any kind of 357 application. AA7 was great in a DE 357 and 44. I don't think you'd be stuck with either powder because of the flexibility. Plus, getting stuck with a $25/LB powder is not really stuck is it?

[siamese4570]

I got the best velocities with Lil Gun but 296 works well also.
siamese4570

[MT Gianni]

I have had good shooting loads with Bullseye, Red Dot, Unique, Herco, 2400, 296/H110 and AA9/WC820.

[357Mag]

Empty -

Howdy !

My favorite load is: 14.5gr WW296 ( H-110 same stuff ) and SP Mag primer, under any Lyman SWC of 158 - 172gr.
These don't have to be GC boolits.

Second favorite load is: 7.0gr IMR 4756 and SP primer, under the same boolits as above.


With regards,
357Mag
This load is a tad sooty, but is accurate & comparatively economical.

[BCB]

If i were going to limit myself to two powders in the 357mag they would be H110 (or W296) and Blue Dot. H110/W296 will handle the the high velocity stuff and Blue Dot the medium to higher velocity range. I dont really have a use for the really slow loads or i would pick a powder like W231 or AA#2 for them...

Magnum Mike…

Now then, would that be in a Freedom Arms 357 Magnum or just a plain ‘ol inexpensive Ruger?...

Seems to me that mattered some years ago on Specialty Pistols with the Freedom Arms’ aficionados—and probably still does today…

BCB

GO BUCS...

[km101]

I have had great success with 2400, A#9, and Blue Dot.

2400 was my go-to powder for years, but a couple of years ago I started shooting Blue Dot because of the reduced flash.

[9.3X62AL]

In the time that has elapsed since my earlier answers in this thread, Alliant 2400 has more thoroughly come to dominate my high-pressure 357 Magnum loading--and WW296/H110 has largely fallen by the wayside. Reasoning here is that 2400 is A LOT more useful in other venues than is 296/110.

Herco has also supplanted Unique as a fuel for the 900-1100 FPS plain-base revolver loadings, due largely to its GREAT utility as a field load shotshell fuel in the gauges I refill.

WW-231 gets the call for a lot of my standard-velocity handgun loads because it is more flexible than Bullseye, and Bullseye's chemical constituents cause it to bond to the powder measure hopper's plastic sidewall. BE is the only powder I've seen that does this, and it only began 5-6 years ago. BE still does good work for me (I have about 1# sitting in the cabinet), but it sits because other powders don't react with the hopper sidewall. The BE might become garden fertilizer sooner rather than later.

[Beerd]

I've burned a lot of Blue Dot in .357 Mag cast bullet loads.
I read somewhere on the internet (so it has to be true) that Blue Dot is temperatue sensative. Can anyone corroborate?
..

[fecmech]

BE is the only powder I've seen that does this, and it only began 5-6 years ago.

Al, Be has been doing that for 40 years that I know of. The bottom inch of my Auto Champ hopper got soft enough for me to squeeze it! (I confess to leaving powder in my hoppers all the time). I cut off the offending portion and now when loading BE I make sure the powder level is below the plastic when I quit for the day.