.357 hand cannon loads?

[Thundermaker]

I've recently come into possession of a S&W model 28. It is a chunk of steel to be sure. Does anyone have any good heavy bullet, hand cannon loads they use in these big monsters?

[Gunnut 45/454]

Using Cast or Jwods? If using cast Lee 158 gr over 16 gr of H110/W296 will get you plenty of bark. Want recoil get some 180gr Jwods and 13 gr of H110 /W296 will sting your hand nicely! But then again that S&W might not handle those loads - since it isn't a Ruger!

[NSB]

Get a loading manual and follow it. I have no idea what a "hand cannon" load is. None of my loading manuals mention that term for use in a revolver.

[dragon813gt]

Since when is a 357 a hand cannon? That term is reserved for the big bores. Use a load out of a manual w/ a powder like W296/H110 or 2400 for top velocity.

[maxreloader]

Since when is a 357 a hand cannon?

This ^^^^

[mr surveyor]

AA#9 is also a good powder for punching those small .357 holes


jd

[paul h]

While S&W's are great revolvers, they tend not to hold up to a steady diet of heavy loads. If you really want to push the 357 to it's potential, the Ruger blackhawk is a much better platform.

That said, stick with published 357 loads and work up the most accurate load for your gun. Often times best accuracy is found a tad under max loads and I'd much rather have a gun that put's it's shots in the same spite time after time and lasts a long time then pushing it to the limit and rattling the gun loose in 1000 rounds.

[fryboy]

Me 357 is a hand cannon but ...it's got a 14" barrel and uses a 375 win case as it's donor case (aka 357 herret ) yeah I could use 30-30 cases but those aren't as strong
Even in the contender or encore loads listed above max aren't recommend with the 357 mag ,those two actions however do best the wheel guns with the same load because of the closed breech the case being the limiting factor

[Thumbcocker]

Be mindful of OAL some of those N frame smiths have short cylinders.

[dubber123]

The 28's are plenty rugged, with a lot of steel in the cylinder. The SHORT cylinder. A J-frame S&W will tolerate a longer boolit than the 28. Yes, I have several of each. You will need a short nosed bullet/boolit for the 28. I had better luck with 2400 for velocity than H-110 in my 6" M28.

I quit at a little over 1,400 fps with a 180 grain jacketed bullet. I always intended to try some 180 cast to see if I could make it to 1,500 fps. This is certainly a warm loading, use the chronograph and your head. Extraction and brass life was fine at this level in the M28, and the gun is still tight and accurate. That said, a bigger caliber is the smarter way to more power. Not saying don't do it, hey, I did. Just use your head.

[2ndAmendmentNut]

A S&W 28 will handle any factory 357 load and ANY load published in a loading manual. Only drawback the older pinned and recessed N frames have is their cylinders are somewhat short and cannot accommodate many cast boolits over 158gr without trimming the brass shorter. My personal load is 158gr RNFP with 2400.

[Bazoo]

I like 15 grains of 2400 under a 358156.

[Charlie in Co]

While S&W's are great revolvers, they tend not to hold up to a steady diet of heavy loads. If you really want to push the 357 to it's potential, the Ruger blackhawk is a much better s.

Rugers seem to have cylinder throat problems. Try a Dan Wesson instead.

[marshall623]

I'm running 12.2 gr. AA#9 under a NOE 180 WFN in my GP-100

[dubber123]

Rugers seem to have cylinder throat problems. Try a Dan Wesson instead.

They all have their own issues. The last DW I saw could only be fired with .38 Specials as the charge holes looked like they were reamed with a dull, hand forged drill bit. Any factory .357 case would seize in the cylinder and needed a hammer and punch to remove. QC officer was off duty at DW that day I guess.

[357Mag]

Thundermaker -

Howdy !

Try 14.5gr WW296 ( H110 same stuff ) and SP Magnum primer under a Lyman SWC of 158 - 172gr. Do not need to be GC.


With regards,
357Mag

[shoot-n-lead]

Here are my .357 " Hand Cannons"...if there is such a thing.

They all love NOE 360-180gr RFN in front of a bunch of 2400.

Ruger Bisley .357 7.5"



Ruger Bisley .357 7.5"



CVA Scout .357 14"

[Thundermaker]

Wow, I ask for loads and get unpaid Ruger advertisements and an analysis of the term "hand cannon".

I guess I'll clarify. I'm asking about loads with heavy bullets that are on the warm side. I was looking for loads that other people have used in these guns with good results. I'm not asking for loads to make my .357 shoot like a .38/55. However, there's no use in having an N-frame .357 if I'm just going to shoot loads that amount to slightly hot .38+p.

Also, my gun is a pinned and recessed gun. It's a 28-2. I've shot it with several kinds of factory .357 with 158 grain bullets. All of them leave quite a bit of space at the front of the cylinder. Maybe it was just the no-dash guns that had short cylinders? BTW, PMC's 158 grain JSP loads are HOT, but the gun really seems to like them. Maybe it's telling me that warm 158gr loads are the way to go.


My thanks to those who gave me some information to work with.

[Andrew Mason]

110 grain Jword hollow point on top of 19 grains of blue dot is pretty impressive.
gets 2,500fps out of my 20' rossi, and like 1800 out of my 6'' colt.

[Thundermaker]

110 grain Jword hollow point on top of 19 grains of blue dot is pretty impressive.
gets 2,500fps out of my 20' rossi, and like 1800 out of my 6'' colt.

Wow! That's impressive alright. Out of curiosity, what kind of accuracy do you get out of that in the colt?