800X and the 357 Magnum

[lawboy]

Hi all. I am wanting to use some 800X powder I have on hand to load 357 Magnum ammo. I am looking for a medium load to shoot from a k frame snubnose revolver. I will be using a 165gr LSWCGC bullet. I was thinking that 8.0grs with a magnum primer might be a good starting point.
Any ideas on this?
I use 800X in my 10mm revolver (S&W 610) and 8.2grs with a standard primer under 185gr Lead bullets is an accurate and pretty heavy load but it leaves a lot of unburnt powder.
What I need is advise folks. Regards.

[Johnch]

I just looked at IMR's site Imr powder data 357mag (http://www.imrpowder.com/data/handgun/357mag.php)
For the 158 gr SWC and a 5 1/2 primer ( standard I think ) they list 8.9 as max

So IMO your 165gr LSWCGC with 8.0 gr of 800X and a Mag primer is close to max .
Maybe a little less than max , but far from min

I would drop to 7 gr , with a mag primer and try that .



Johnch

[GP100man]

lawboy

in that short barrel id rather have 700x or 231 , but if 800x is what you got the closer to upper pressures the cleaner itll burn.

then again thats true on a lot of powders.

in the snubbies my wife likes the liter boolits.

[doc25]

imr 800x 158 gr rem lswc col 1.580 8.9gr max load rem 5 1/2 primer. I would go for less than 8gr for a moderate load. Don't you just hate the way the 800x meters?

[lawboy]

Well, I loaded 18 test cartridges tonight.
I used .65grs of 800X and standard primers.
I will next try 6.5grs 800X and magnum primers, then decide what to do from there. In reading an old speer manual, I did find some data for 800X in the 38 S&W of all things. I think the max load was 3.9grs, in that short case.

I'll shoot these loads Thursday night and give a report on how they do. Thanks for all the input and prudent suggestions to reduce the starting load. I did listen! Regards.

[lawboy]

Well, I fired those rounds, they were okay, but I don't like 800x in the 357. Too much unburned powder.
I settled on a load of 6.0grs Unique over the 168gr lswcgc bullets. Brilliant load! Accurate, mild, just fabulous to shoot out of the m19 snubbie. 750fps is plenty for range shooting and volume practice and will not beat up on the gun.
Put a fork in me.

[Joey]

lawboy,

Take you stubbie, put in in a bucket with dirt, fertilize and water. When it reaches at least 4 inches.(min.). Take it out, clean and oil then shoot 158gr. LSWC loaded with Herc 2400 start with 13.9gr. and work up to max 15.3.

I was given 1lb. of Herculese 2400 and used this load in my SW Mdl. 10 w/4" bbl. I ended up using 14.5 gr. with great accuracy @ 75yds.

[lawboy]

Joey, Joey, Joey! Why would I want to ruin a perfectly servicable CCW revolver by growing 1.5 inches of unnecessary barrel onto it? Besides, if I did that, I would walk around smelling like horse poop. Fertilizer is not perfume, after all! hehe. :-D