Full Wadcutter 357 Magnum Loads

[tazman]

I also have the Modern Bond version of that boolit. It shoots great out of my 2" Smith. Better than almost anything else, actually. Not so much in my other guns. The 358432 and 358495 do better in the longer barrels for me.

[Petrol & Powder]

Thanks for sharing Char-Gar.

I'm still bouncing around with a couple of wadcutters and I'm pretty sure I need a better (longer) expander to get where I need to be. Even with WC brass I think the casing is sizing the bullet down just a tad.

I have a SAECO #053 WC (one center lube groove) that is promising but still giving me some trouble. My RCBS WC which has a more traditional multiple grove design does a little better.

[Char-Gar]

Finding an expander that will reach deep enough in the case for the deep seated wadcutter can be a problem. I took an old RCBS (.357) expander and modified it in my lathe for the task. I can tell you that is the hardest steel I have ever tried to turn. I had to use a carbide bit to get er done.

[Sean357]

PS Paul how did the 357wadcutter loads with the H110/296 workout? Been following this thread and must have missed your comment months ago. Had been thinking to myself at my bench the other night wondering how those powders would do and where to start with loads. Only been handloading for 2 years so maybe Im just looking in the wrong place but full charge wadcutter info is almost nonexistent. I've come to really like the full wadcutter and just want to see how far I can take it, any info would be appreciated.



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[joatmon]

Well I'll be danged! Been reloading since 79 and never tried to hot rod a wadcutter, guess I"ll have to change that.
Aaron

[tazman]

PS Paul how did the 357wadcutter loads with the H110/296 workout? Been following this thread and must have missed your comment months ago. Had been thinking to myself at my bench the other night wondering how those powders would do and where to start with loads. Only been handloading for 2 years so maybe Im just looking in the wrong place but full charge wadcutter info is almost nonexistent. I've come to really like the full wadcutter and just want to see how far I can take it, any info would be appreciated.

If you seat the wadcutter to crimp in one of the grease grooves instead of the crimp ring or use the 358432, you can treat it as if it were a SWC of the same weight and use the same powder charges. The wadcutter would then have the same amount of boolit inside the case so the pressures should be comparable.

[sandman228]

ive never tried hot rodding them but my own cast 148 gr wad cutters from a lee tl mold over 3.0 gr of titegroup in a 357 case shot very accurate out of my 686 .

[Thin Man]

I have two Modern-Bond molds that give me the best of both the wadcutter and semi-wadcutter balance. These are the D358582 (150 Gr.) and the D358627 (160 Gr.). Lyman also made a 150 Gr. mold 358344 in this pattern. You can view these on the Castpics site. These boolits impress me to be semi-wadcutters on steroids. The nose sections are slightly smaller then bore diameter, commonly .348" wide. This allows them to travel down the barrel without generating friction and resistance (and pressure). When testing both side-by-side in several revolvers I have always found tighter groups with the 150 Gr. pattern. In .38 Special I commonly load 5.0 Unique over the 150 Gr. boolit. For .357 Magnum I am still working with several powders to find the best group size with MV at 1,000 FPS from a S&W M-19 (2.5" barrel). These molds come up for sale only rarely and interest in them has surged lately. Accurate Molds offers this style (36-155W, also 36-155WC, plus others) and they would be a ready resource for quality molds.

Thin Man

[Sean357]

Tazman, rereading PS Paul's comment and seeing what boolits he is using, that makes sense. I've a couple hundred of RimRocks 155 gr SCG-DEWC left, maybe I'll try out Char-Gar's load while getting looking for something with multiple lube grooves.

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[OldManMontgomery]

Matt's bullets make a 157 grain 'wadcutter' bullet in .38/.357 caliber. It isn't a full cylindrical shape like a proper wadcutter, but has a slightly smaller fore end and is loaded 'out' of the case like a conventional bullet. I rather like it for defense or small game use. I haven't tried it for accuracy at extended ranges, but it holds on fairly well out to 25 yards or so. A slower powder is probably more useful.

[Silvercreek Farmer]

Good thread dug from the archives! I may have to give this a go. I'd like to see what 357 wadcutters do from a rifle.

[waco]

Good thread dug from the archives! I may have to give this a go. I'd like to see what 357 wadcutters do from a rifle.

What rifle? Will a lever gun feed a full WC?

[Drm50]

I shoot mostly Wadcutters and have loaded them 950-1000fps. I poured some from straight WWs for 357 and crimped on a grease groove. Didn't do as well as a SWC out of the 357. Have done same with 45 Colt at 800fps and it didn't do bad. Both are Lyman Ideal button nose, 148gr & 242gr respectively.

[Outpost75]

Here is what I am shooting in my S&W Model 28 Highway Patrolman and Ruger Service Six:

Attachment 243698Attachment 243699Attachment 243700

[Silvercreek Farmer]

What rifle? Will a lever gun feed a full WC?

Ruger 77/357. I'm okay with single feeding if needed.

[AnthonyB]

My 77/357 will feed wadcutters in 38 Special brass when the bolt is worked smartly. Just learned this a few days ago while killing turtles in the pond...

[RedHawk357Mag]

From the complete reloading manual for the 357 magnum copyright 2004. My hand written side bar denotes Alliant 2002 contained the same data.

Unique/6.4/1465fps/33,8psi
Green Dot/5.1/1310fps/34,0psi
Red Dot/4.6/1300fps/33,6psi
Bullseye/5.7/1475fps/34,0psi
Herco/6.7/1510fps/33,9psi

These are MAX loads and I reduced by the standard ten percent and worked up with no drama. Found all I needed prior to hitting max data. Definitely DO NOT use skirted wad cutters with the above loads.

The Herco information comes from the Alliant manual and wasn't provided by the 2004 source manual.

Barrel 5.6"/Federal 200 primer/COL1.330"

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[Silvercreek Farmer]

148 grain cast wadcutters?

From the complete reloading manual for the 357 magnum copyright 2004. My hand written side bar denotes Alliant 2002 contained the same data.

Unique/6.4/1465fps/33,8psi
Green Dot/5.1/1310fps/34,0psi
Red Dot/4.6/1300fps/33,6psi
Bullseye/5.7/1475fps/34,0psi
Herco/6.7/1510fps/33,9psi

These are MAX loads and I reduced by the standard ten percent and worked up with no drama. Found all I needed prior to hitting max data. Definitely DO NOT use skirted wad cutters with the above loads.

The Herco information comes from the Alliant manual and wasn't provided by the 2004 source manual.

Barrel 5.6"/Federal 200 primer/COL1.330"

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[RedHawk357Mag]

Yes Sir, I would not try soft swagged ones. And absolutely positively no skirted wad cutters. Reduced by ten percent gives pretty good velocity.

From my notes random loads 5in GP100 10 end avg.

4.8 BE @1028
4.6 Green Dot @987
6.0 Herco @1102
4.2 Red Dot @954
5.2 Unique@963


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[kir_kenix]

I load 12.5 gr of 2400 behind a variety of cast 148gr wc's. Very accurate in a variety of .357's and a good penetrator. Not exactly hot rodding it, but plenty enough 'oomph' for most critters. Pretty good muzzle flash at night in <4" barrel though. I pack this load around the farm regularly, and I've popped vermin and/or predators out to at least 60 yards with it.

I know this load will enter the lower jaw and exit the pelvis region of an angry 120 lb calf killing rottweiler at 5 feet. I always try to keep a couple hundred of them loaded up.