Rifle/Handgun Loads for .357

[04hunter]

Hey guys, more questions for a new cast bullet shooter here. What are your favorite loads for using in both a revolver and a Marlin1894c? I am thinking of using plain base 158 cast bullets and doing mainly plinking. My initial thought would be using .38 special data, buit am open to what you good folks have to say. Thanks for any and all info.

[**oneshot**]

If you do a search for 357mag you should get a boat load of info.

I've had great success with HS-6 and 160gr plainbase boolits

[vernm]

I've always found good plinking accuracy with easy shooting loads at 700-800fps with powders such as Bullseye, Red Dot, W231 or Clays .

If you don't know from experience that both 38 and 357 cases loaded with your bullet will feed in your gun, I would load up some dummies with reject bullets (no primer or powder) and feed them through your rifle. That may help you decide which case to use.

[GH1]

My plink loads are 3.0 and 6.0 gr of Bullseye for .38 and .357, respectively. Full power loads use 13.5 gr AA#9, it's good for mid to upper 1700's in my levergun, mid 1200's in my revolver.
Bullseye and the .38 go together like bacon & eggs.
GH1

[357Mag]

04 -

Howdy !


RX -
14.5gr WW296 ( H110 same stuff ) and SP Mag primer under any Lyman
.357 calibre SWC of 158 - 172gr.

This includes running w/ cartridge OAL suitable for use in an S & W "N"-frame cylinder.

I've shot thousands of these ( mostly in .357Mag " N "- frames ), and a lesser
qty through an M1894SC ( enough to prove the load's worth many times over ).

Its THE load for .357Mag..... IMHO


Best of luck in your endeavors !

With regards,
357Mag

[1Shirt]

For me, 12.5 gr. of 2400 under 358429 (the old original Kieth blt), w/mag primer for my Mod 94 Win, and 6" bbl Blackhawk. Load is to long for my colt chambers, and would be max for it. However, it is not a max load for the 94 and Blackhawk, and shoots better than I can in both.
1Shirt!

[bobthenailer]

In my 357 mag handguns & rifle over 40 years i use 4.0 to 4.5 grs of BE and now Tightgroup powder , loaded in only 357 mag cases with just about any sutiable cast bullet from 150 to 200 gr with excellent accuracy in all . with a velocity of 780 to 1,035 fps depending what gun is used .

[Ola]

... and doing mainly plinking.

I would go as light as possible: more boolits with same amount of lead. 120 grs or something like that.

[brghp]

A bullet like Lyman 358665 and 15.5 gr of H110 and CCI 550 primer.

[Larry Gibson]

Stay with in handgun data for whatever cast bullet you want to use (the 158 will work well). Develop the accuracy load at the level you want out of the rifle with the handgun data. That load will then shoot just fine in the revolver. Many times, with cast PB'd bullets a magnum level load developed for the revovler pushes the bullet too hard and fast in the rifle and accuracy suffers there.

Larry Gibson

[Hammerhead]

5 grains of Universal under any 158 lead bullet in magnum brass is always a winner.
Plenty accurate in both revolvers and my Handi rifle out at 100 yards.

[edwin41]

hi
for my rolling block replica , 22"barrel, i load 4.5 gr of bullseye and a casted
170 gr keith style swc , flatbase. [lyman mould ] , bulletlube is 50/50 beeswax/vaseline.
we also tried this load in a rossi leveraction .357 magnum.
exellent plinking cartridge , i shoot them at a 125 yards range.

they also shoot very well from my smith 686-3 , 4"barrel.

greetings from holland !

[45-70.gov]

My plink loads are 3.0 and 6.0 gr of Bullseye for .38 and .357, respectively. Full power loads use 13.5 gr AA#9, it's good for mid to upper 1700's in my levergun, mid 1200's in my revolver.
Bullseye and the .38 go together like bacon & eggs.
GH1

WOW thats the exact load i use

did you choose this load the same way i did??

the first 2 LEE dippers in the dipper set

i like things simple,,,,,,and never felt the need for another charge
[tho i have tried a few others]

my slug is 180 grain WFN from lbt

the 357 max gets h110

[mainiac]

For me, 12.5 gr. of 2400 under 358429 (the old original Kieth blt), w/mag primer for my Mod 94 Win, and 6" bbl Blackhawk. Load is to long for my colt chambers, and would be max for it. However, it is not a max load for the 94 and Blackhawk, and shoots better than I can in both.
1Shirt!

This is my favorite load as well. 12.5-2400 with the 358429,,i shoot it in a ruger blackhawk,as well as a 1894 marlin. This boolit wont feed in my rifle,when the boolit is crimped in the groove,,to long. Soooo, i crimp in the middle of the front drive band,and it feeds nicely. Use this same col in the ruger handgun as well,,just to keep things simple.good load!

[WaywardSon]

Stay with in handgun data for whatever cast bullet you want to use (the 158 will work well). Develop the accuracy load at the level you want out of the rifle with the handgun data. That load will then shoot just fine in the revolver. Many times, with cast PB'd bullets a magnum level load developed for the revovler pushes the bullet too hard and fast in the rifle and accuracy suffers there.

Larry Gibson

Excellent advice as usual. When developing a load that will be used in the Marlin, you are going to have to pay attention to both the bullet profile and C.O.A.L., as they are known to be picky eaters. The revolver will pretty much eat anything you stuff in it. I have found it best to stick with .357 brass just to keep the O.A.L. up there. If you use .38 Special brass and load just a "little" too short, the Marlin will try and feed two at once which locks up the action. Not a big deal to fix...unless you are in the field and don't happen to have a screwdriver in your pocket

The 1894c is one of the few guns I own that will never go away...love it. But they are a little fiddly.

[357shooter]

With 125 to 158 grain bullets, 5.2 grains of HP38 or 5.3 grains of Unique are tough to beat. I load for a Rossi with a slower twist than your Marlin, so I would expect the 158 to be very accurate in your rifle, where the 125 is in the Rossi. At least with non-magnum loads. Using 357 brass makes sense, I even load with a longer OAL such as 1.60 or 1.595 with the 125 RF. That exposes the crimp groove, but the rifle likes it. So experimenting with your OAL may make a difference.

The heavier Keith likes 4.7 grains of HP38, however it may need to be loaded short. Anything over 1.640 won't feed in the Rossi, don't know about the Marlin.

For magnum loads, H110 is tough to beat. I've not had the best results with 2400, but others do.

Since you have 357's, just find the loads your guns and you like. If they at 38 special pressures or not really doesn't matter.

[Thumbcocker]

Lee 158rnfp over4.5 of red dot has shot well in my Ruers and Marlin lever. Not a hot load but accurate and cheap. Size them fat for Marlins.

[357shooter]

Lee 158rnfp over4.5 of red dot has shot well in my Ruers and Marlin lever. Not a hot load but accurate and cheap. Size them fat for Marlins.

I have a pound of Red Dot and will give try it out.

[kweidner]

+1 on h110. Best accuracy out of my 358429 in my 8" DW. Been meaning to try unique for plinking. May roll some up tomorrow.