what is your favorite .357 mag load?

[at_liberty]

Alliant has set the bar higher with the 300MP. It will outshine H110/296. I like Blue Dot and your #9 is really good stuff.

I think we will eventually establish that 300-MP is a powder requiring gas checks and near full power loads, not to mention a pretty burly shooter to hang on.

[twc1964]

I go for 15.2gr of 2400 under a 160 grain lee rnfp boolit. Accurate as heck and goes 1350fps out of my ruger nmbh. Nice load .

[Jtarm]

14 grains 2400 behind a 358429 of quenched WW.

A little pedestrian, but wicked accurate.

[Hamish]

14 grains 2400 behind a 358429 of quenched WW.

A little pedestrian, but wicked accurate.

There really is something about 2400,,,,,,,,

14 grains 2400 behind a 360-230 of WD (approx.) 50/50 range scrap/WW, with .5% copper.

*Contender/bolt action load ONLY*

[paul h]

I know 2400 is supposed to be the powder for .357's, but I never got quite the accuracy I was after. I switched to H-110 and my groups shrunk right where I wanted them.

Seems like 15 gr of H-110 under a 170-200 gr cast is the sweet spot in my blackhawk.

[Old Ironsights]

With the exception of my LilGun load, 2400 is my goto Powder for everything I load. That "contender only" load sounds like a peach in my Rossi 1892...

[Jtarm]

There really is something about 2400,,,,,,,,

14 grains 2400 behind a 360-230 of WD (approx.) 50/50 range scrap/WW, with .5% copper.

*Contender/bolt action load ONLY*

Yep I was never an Elmer Keith fan, but apparently he was on to something with the 2400/SWC combination.

A charge of 2400 about 10% below max seems ideal for the hardness of the quenched WW alloy.

I've had similar results in .44s with the
Lyman .429241. 16.5 in .44 Special and 18.5 in magnum brass.

[zomby woof]

13.0 2400 with a 158 Hi-Tek coated boolit. I'm running out of 2400 and may switch to HS-6.

[9.3X62AL]

It would be difficult to imagine my reloading bench without Alliant 2400. VERY USEFUL, excellent as a magnum revolver powder--as a 410 shotshell fuel--and for cast bullet rifle loads. Some of my best accuracy in small-caliber centerfires has resulted from its use.

[Old Ironsights]

Heck, I even had great luck with 2400 in the 45-70 with the old Lyman data.

[mr surveyor]

2400 is what my late mentor got me started and hooked on, and when the supply started to dwindle 2-3 years ago AA#9 had to take it's place. If Aliant hadn't let the supply of A2400 and Unique almost totally dry up, I may have never switched to the AA9, AA7 and AA5 powders. I do like the AA powders, but I'm really missing the 2400 and Unique supply.


jd

[zubrato]

My favorites are the 358429 over 13.5gr 2400 or 10gr blue dot. Comfortable magnum loads, very accurate.

[sniper]

BE 86 and .38 Spl +P or 357 Magnum & cast boolits? Any successes?

[Kermit2]

For a pleasant load I use 6.0 grains of Unique in a .357 case with a 158 cast SWC. For more serious work I load a lot of boolits cast with Lyman 358156 GC. I load them seated and crimped in the lower crimp groove of the boolits in .38 spl cases and use 12.5 grains of 2400. Seems to be a very nice load.

[marshall623]

For GP-100
9.5 gr. Blue Dot under Lyman 358477 @ .358" Std. WSP primer
NOE 360-180-WFN-GC 50/50 water cooled noses tempered over 12.2Gr. AA#9 CCI mag primer
For 10" Tender
Lyman 358477 @.360" over 9.0 gr Blue Dot Std. win. primer
NOE 360-180-WFN-GC 50/50 water cooled noses tempered over 12.6gr. AA#9 CCI mag primer

[Sean357]

Favorite so far:
RimRock 158 gr SWC with a coat of alox over 9.8 gr HS-6 with a standard S&B primer
Excellent results from 3" SP101.

[LOBO]

.357 magnum
mixed brass
Federal small pistol primer
Accurate #7 @ 10 grs.
158 gr. LSWC
1.59" coal

S&W 686 4" = 1,175 fps
Ruger Security Six = 1,292 fps

*chrono info is from an Oehler 35


.357 magnum
Remington brass
Federal small pistol primer
2400 @ 15 grs.
158 gr. LSWC
1.59" coal

S&W 686 4" = 1,385 fps

*chrono info is from an Oehler 35

[Kosh75287]

8.5/Herco/158gr. projectile of shooter's choice. This is probably over SAAMI max, so work up carefully, and use only in revolvers constructed to withstand heavy loads. My 4" Police Service Six eats this load like candy, and it works well in a 3.5" S&W M27. Velocity is slightly higher in barrels longer than 4". The last time I chronoed the load I was getting 1284 f/s. With a properly constructed projectile, I think I could get one into the brain of a bear before TOO much goes wrong.

[Hi-Speed]

...why not add to this great thread:

My favorite 357 Magnum loads using 158 gr cast SWC (Lyman 2):

6.0 grs Unique - Range load
6.5 grs Unique - Outdoors load
13.5 grs 2400 - Magnum load

[Dieselhorses]

I know 2400 is supposed to be the powder for .357's, but I never got quite the accuracy I was after. I switched to H-110 and my groups shrunk right where I wanted them.

Seems like 15 gr of H-110 under a 170-200 gr cast is the sweet spot in my blackhawk.

While I'm here, mentioning it works well in 686 w/6" barrel:



Not one of my best groups but free handed and DA at around ten yards