.357 Magnum Target Load

[STAR4ever]

I have a Dan Wesson, 357 Magnum revolver which has the various barrel lengths from 8", 6", 4" and 2".

I also have a nice old Hensley & Gibbs #73 .358 145g SWC 4 banger mold.

Can anyone please help me out with an accurate target load for this caliber and bullet weight?

I am looking to optimize for accuracy so often this means a somewhat down-loaded round with a fast powder. If any of you have worked with the above H&G bullet, I am all ears, especially the ratio of lead:tin and or BHN that you find gives best accuracy without leading.

thanks

[357Mag]

Star -

Howdy !

Can't help you much w/ load info for 145gr HBWC.
Lymans' lead reloading handbook should be a good source to consult.

However, for the Dan Wesson barrel lengths you have, I CAN recommend
a load that has always been accurate for me; in a variety of different .357Mags.

14.5gr WW296 SP Magnum primer, and any Lyman lead SWC of 158 - 172 gr

It is so accurate, I stepped away completely from .38SP, and from use of full WCs
in .357Mag. It IS a Magnum load, shold you have need of that.

Best of luck in your endeavors !

Regards,
357Mag

[NHlever]

Most of the faster burning powders like Bullseye, Titegroup, W231, etc. will give you accurate shooting using 3-4 grains, or so. Most manuals have plenty of these loads, especially in the .38 Special section. They work fine in .357 cases. The alloy for these loads can vary from swaged lead commercial boolits to WW, or 1-15, or so. I have used them all with success.

[sagamore-one]

I cast and shoot the H&G 73 . It is difficult to find a load that does NOT shoot very, very well. 3.5 Bullseye or 6 of 4756 are two of my favorites. Standard primer.
Latest batch were cast of 13 lb pure lead plus 8 lb linotype plus one lb of "plus" metal. Almost any alloy works well with this boolit.

[S.R.Custom]

10 grs. of 2400

[dale2242]

I like 5 gr Red Dot under a 158 gr boolit. Chronies around 1000 FPS and very accurate...dale

[Groo]

Groo here
I think we need more info..
What do you think of as a target load?? Mouse fart 38's, Standard 38,
same speeds in 357cases or higher,????????????? And just paper indoors or
100yd plinking...

[bobthenailer]

i have owned over 10 -357 mag pistols over the years , and for every gun 4.0 to 4.5 grs of B.E. loaded in a 357 mag case with fed small pistol primer for around 800 fps + with 7 different # cast bullets, ranging from 148 to 180 gr bullets has been extremmely accurate out of every one! at least 1 1/2 or better at 25 yards form a rest and scoped.
as for bullet alloy i use WW waterdroped from the mould

[GP100man]

3.8-5.0 grs. of CLAYS , tempature tolerent, case position tolerent , clean !!

Meters thru a LEE autodisc measure dead on.

I ran some 38s tru a 1.5"snubbie to a 6" GP & only 250fps between em .

[Crash_Corrigan]

Ditto on the above approval of Clays. I also use it for my 1911 with a 200 gr SWC boolit and it is a tack driver with about 4.5 gr of Clays.

[ebner glocken]

For a mild target load I use 3.0 grains of bullseye in a 357 case, lee 148 grain dewc, javelena lube. This load shoots well in all my .357s and I don't have to mess with cleaning out the ring before I shoot full tilt loads. For full power I use 158 SWCGC and ww296 starting at 16.0, mag primer, and usually adjust load up depending on lot.

Ebner