Reloading 130 "J" word boolits

[sniper]

I have a supply of the Federal 130 gr. HST bullets. (components...Ammo purchase to follow, probably.) Federal advertises the muzzle velocity to be 890 fps. Lucky Gunner tests show average velocity from a 2" barrel to be 826 fps, and from a 4" 850. Penetration is about an inch more from the 4" barrel. Excellent expansion results from this and a review I saw on YouTube, imo.

I have recently received a batch of the 130 gr. HST bullets, and have been researching what sort of load will get me to the advertised velocity. They will be used in a 4" revolver, and possibly a 3", when I can find one.

Precious little reloading information available for the 130 gr. bullets yet, so I shall begin by using data for 125 gr. bullets, which is plentiful, and 5 gr. difference will be minor, especially if not using max loads..

My givens will be:357 magnum revolver, 4" barrel, 357 Magnum brass, standard primers.

My can of Hodgdon Universal posts a load of 5.2 gr. for .38 Special, @ 1032 fps. I think this will be a good starting place, when the dust settles from the additional space in the larger 357 case. Seating length...probably as the factory does, with just a little bit of the nose showing, or possibly crimping in the cannelure.

Unique...my old IPSC and everything load of 5.5gr./150-162 gr. cast swc; probably drop the charge to 5.0 gr., and see what happens, ultimately going to 6 gr.

AA #5...An untried entity so far, but probably the Western .38 +P load recommendations for 125 gr JHP will be a good starting place.

So, what say, reloading Gurus? Am I on the right track, or is there something I haven't taken into consideration?

Thanx!
C.

[BCB]

I may be reading your post wrongly, but why go for only in the 800+ fps with a 125/130 in the 357 Magnum?

That seems a waste of what that light weight bullet is for in that handgun.

Many years ago, I shot many many many 125 FP HP's or just plain FP's from a Security-Six 6-incher. They were devastating on beer cans filled with water at 10-15 yards. I've shot groundhogs with them and they don't try to get back to their burrow!

I was using the dreaded Blue Dot powder--long been advised as being a No-No, but I still shoot some of them--Since the warning, I sure don't advise that powder with the light bullet. I was getting nearly 1300 fps from the Ruger and nearly 2000 fps from a Model 1984 Marlin.

I would use the 130's for what they were meant to do--But that's just me.

Good-luck...BCB

[Outpost75]

In .357 Magnum brass 5 grains of Bullseye is a good short-barrel load with 130-140 grain JHPs.

In .38 Special brass 4 grains of Bullseye is a standard-pressure (NOT+P) load which is safe for light alloy frame revolvers with the Speer 135 grain Gold Dot or similar bullets.

Expanded bullets shown are Speer 135-grain Gold Dot Short Barrel fired into water jugs with 4 grains of Bullseye from my 2-inch S&W Model 12 Airweight.

Attachment 251317

[sniper]

BCB;
Thanks for your post, and you may have indeed misunderstood my intention.
I have shot full power 357s in my revolvers, and find them unpleasant, hard to control, and hit with. I have neither the time, inclination or $$$ to endure the "familiarization" with the heavier "effective" rounds. I liked much better the now discontinued Remington "mild magnum" loads.

Advances in bullet design in recent years have made the .38 +P loads much more effective, which in the package includes lessened recoil, better accuracy (We shoot best with what kicks us least) and control of the revolver. But, the Speer 357 Magnum 135 gr Short barrel load is very nice to shoot, recoils about like my ancient IPSC load, but, is really expen$ive! That said, I will probably put a box or two by.

My present EDC ammo is either Remington Golden Saber @ 975 fps, Speer .38 Spl. +P 135 gr short barrel ammo, which according to Speer, will achieve about 920 fps from my 4" barrel, and the Remington +P 158 gr. LSWCHP.

The Federal HST rounds expand very well from ~825-850 fps, which is why I will find loads that approximate the design capabilities of the bullets, and have similar recoil for practice.

Outpost 75;
Thanks for the suggestion regarding Bullseye. I haven't loaded it for decades, but may have to add a can to my supply. When I first started reloading, I had correspondence with one of the NRA's reloading gurus, and he suggested 3.5gr. of Bullseye as a very good everyday load for 38/357. 3.5-5 gr. sounds like just where I want to be.

[bmortell]

so since the seating depth and shape is so different your gonna use 38 data in a 357 case and that brings the base of the bullet to the same case volume. is that what your going for? just making sure your on the right track cause bullet weight is kinda irrelevant if your putting the whole thing in the case, that's a much bigger variable. im assuming your aware of that but just checking for safety redundancy.

looking at my 38 cases and 125gr xtp it looks like they want very close to 0.900" from the base of the bullet to bottom of the case (check standard bullets you have also), and their powder charges are based on that. so id assume you could put the base to that same measurement in 357 case and use 38 125gr data. any OAL measurement comparison in this case are basically useless imo

floating varibles would be, 1. any diference in case thickness possibly reducing volume and, 2. increased bearing surface raising pressure slightly, 3. idk maybe nothing else.

but you have the extra overhead of 357 rated so id assume its safe to do a standard work up with 38 data in the described circumstance.

[BCB]

Got it…

4-5 grains of most of the Dots (except Blue Dot), Unique, Bullseye, Titegroup, HP-38 and AA#2 will put you in the 800-900 fps range…

Might even try Trail Boss, but I never had real good accuracy with that powder.

Pressures will very low though…

If you have a friend who reloads, maybe he/she will let you try one of the powders if you don’t have it. Buying powders just to use once is pretty expensive…

Good-luck…BCB

[Rick Hodges]

I load Lee 125gr. RF's (129gr. with my alloy) over 5.7gr. of Power Pistol for 850 fps in my 3" Ruger Lcrx-3. It matched the performance of my WW 130gr. Ranger carry ammo for the same gun. The Winchester ammo is +P but according to Alliant the Power Pistol load is standard pressure.

[Outpost75]

Cylinder gap and barrel length are important. The same load which expands well from my true 2-inch S&W Model 12 having a 0.006" cylinder gap will not from my S&W Model 37 which is not really a 2-inch, but is 1-7/8" and has a larger factory cylinder gap of 0.008". The loss of about 40 fps compared to the Model 12 is significant.

Attachment 251669