358-158-RF Powder

[ilcop22]

Evening,

I'm just about to start working up a load for my Rossi M92 24" bbl lever gun. I intend to load a .357 magnum load and this round will be used for hunting, as well. My books list a lot of good powders, Lyman listing IMR 4227 as the potentially most accurate load in similar boolits. I was also thinking Blue Dot. Any suggestions? Thanks.

[zxcvbob]

I haven't loaded that boolit for my Marlin yet, but it should be a good one.

I get lots of leading using Blue Dot in .357 Magnum. AA#7 gives exactly the same performance without the leading.

[ocelott]

If you are looking at 4227, try about 11-12 grains - it will be a good starting point for load development

[smokinbarrel]

I use 12 grains of Alliant 2400...moderate load, accurate in my Rossi and Miroku.

[357Mag]

IlCop -

Howdy !

By all means DO try 14.5gr WW296 ( same thing as H110 ) over SP Magnum primer..... under your 158s.

Great in my 1894SC, and all "N" frames I've shot in 4", 5"; and 6" formats.

Regards,
357Mag

[357shooter]

I've used 13.5 grains of H110 and also 5.4 grains of Unique (midrange) too. Not with exactly the same bullet, but the 358-158-SWC-TL. Should translate to your bullet.

[ilcop22]

That's a very similar boolit. Thanks for the suggestions, all. I'll try a few out and see which works best. Much obliged!

[Lonegun1894]

Mine is the 20" Rossi, and I use 7.0 grs Unique for most of my shooting with that rifle and a Security Six 4". I'd have to look in my books (which I dont have handy right now) but want to say it's close to a max load, so please check your books and work up slowly. I know I use that load, but just can't remember off the top of my head where it falls in the load range per the book--but it worked well on the one deer I have taken with it out of the Security Six.

[ilcop22]

Lonegun, I've seen that load and an 8 grain load pop up online in my research. My Lee manual puts the max at 6 something grains (6.8 I want to say...). No problems with the pressures for you? Also, do you use standard SP primers or Magnum with that load?

[garym1a2]

I have used 6.0 Uniques and also 14.5 of 2400 in my 20 inch Rossi. The 2400 load puts the boolit out at 1620fps for a Gasschecked 158SWC.
The Unique load was about 400 fps slower.

[Larry Gibson]

I've found in .357, .44 and .45 lever guns that 4227 most often gives the best accuracy at top end velocities with PB'd cast bullets of medium to heavy weight for caliber. If you switch to a GC'd cast bullet then switch to H110/296.

Larry Gibson

[ilcop22]

Thanks for the extra tips. While IMR 4227 was the direction I was leaning, I just got back from ye olde sport's store (Gander Mountain) where they rarely (if ever) stock what I'm looking for. With the next closest powder shop some 40+ miles away, I'm gonna work with what I got. These are the powders I have on hand aside from rifle powders:

Red Dot
Blue Dot
Bullseye
Unique

My goal is a round able to stop a hog. If possible, I'd like a "universal" .357 - One that works best in my 92, but is also capable of being used in my S&W 640. It seems Unique is garnering the most support. 'Spose that's where I'll start.

As always, thank you all for the advice.

[Wally]

Thanks for the extra tips. While IMR 4227 was the direction I was leaning, I just got back from ye olde sport's store (Gander Mountain) where they rarely (if ever) stock what I'm looking for. With the next closest powder shop some 40+ miles away, I'm gonna work with what I got. These are the powders I have on hand aside from rifle powders:

Red Dot
Blue Dot
Bullseye
Unique

My goal is a round able to stop a hog. If possible, I'd like a "universal" .357 - One that works best in my 92, but is also capable of being used in my S&W 640. It seems Unique is garnering the most support. 'Spose that's where I'll start.

As always, thank you all for the advice.

Blue Dot would be you best choice, of those listed, shooting this bullet in a carbine.

[zxcvbob]

Blue Dot would be you best choice, of those listed, shooting this bullet in a carbine.

I agree. But it's touchy, so work up in small increments and the best load might not be the hottest. Unique and Bullseye should also work pretty well.

Red Dot is really only good for target loads and "cowboy" loads (but it excels at those)

[Four Fingers of Death]

Hard to go past Elmer's loads with 2400 or Winchester's recommended loads with 296 in the 357 or the 44Mag!

[ilcop22]

I loaded up 5 different loads based on my Lee manual (since it's their boolit). Gonna try and make it to the range tomorrow for a test shoot. All Blue dot from 9.4 grains up to 10.2 in increments of .2 grains.

[Lonegun1894]

Lonegun, I've seen that load and an 8 grain load pop up online in my research. My Lee manual puts the max at 6 something grains (6.8 I want to say...). No problems with the pressures for you? Also, do you use standard SP primers or Magnum with that load?

My Rossi 92 .357, Ruger Security Six .357 and Ruger GP-100 love that load, and I have no pressure signs with it in any of those guns. I tried working up to the same load in my Taurus 605 and started getting pressure signs at 6.5 or 6.6 grs, so go figure. I just use light wadcutter loads in it most of the time anyway, so easy to distinguish which ammo goes in which. I guess that just goes as a reminder (for me) that not all guns are made the same way and can not shoot the same loads. All I ask is that you work up to that load like you would anything else to keep you and yours safe. I have exceeded it, and still not gotten any pressure signs, but I wont list those loads. Lets just say they were beyond what the books recommend, but backed back down to this load because this is what my guns like.

I use the Lee 158 RNFP, plain based, lubed w/ LLA, sized to .358, lubed again, and loaded with case mouth crimped into crimp groove on boolit. I have used WDWW, ACWW, and range scrap, and have not gotten any leading in this rifle with any load that develops above 1000 fps. Either I got really lucky, or Rossi built these guns right, at least for my needs.

[Sprue]

I keep my variety powders to the very minimum. The GC'd RCBS 38 - 150 - SWC with 7.0 grains of Unique works for me in a 357 round.

Just bought a new Lyman 4 cav 358-158-RFN mold. Am eager to try those boolits but @ reduced loads in both Lever and revolver types.

I have a Chrony but I don't shoot GC's thru it, so I can't help you there.

[MtGun44]

I have had excellent results with 16.3 of H110/W296 with a magnum primer and that boolit,
in several different pistols. Might be worth a try in the carbine.

Bill

[JIMinPHX]

For lite loads, bullseye, tightgroup or 231 should be good choices. As you get into the mid range loads, Unique usually does a little better for me. Blue dot starts to work well as you get into the medium warm to genuinely warm territory. 2400 should work well in that range too. Blue dot can do some pretty spooky things if you try to load it too lite. Do not load Blue dot below published starting charges. H-110 is probably the best all around powder for the very top end loads.

At least, that's been my experience.

Just be careful not to double or triple charge the cases with B'eye, 231, tight group, or Unique, because there is plenty of room in the case to do that.

[dualsport]

Use what you got, but for later check out Ranch Dog Outdoors' new .357 boolit. It's 175 grs. I plan on getting one, but for now my 200 gr. from LBT would be my choice for hog stoppin'. When I think of hogs I think of heavy boolits.

[ilcop22]

I shot the Blue Dot loads today. Best performers were the following:

9.8 grains = 0.75" group @ 25 yards
9.4 grains = 0.875" group @ 25 yards (vertical stringing)
9.6 grains = 0.625" group @ 25 yards (pictured)

Vertical stringing with 10 grains, with an undesirable group. 10.2 grains 3 shot group was too large, but did get two in the same hole. Velocities were from 1,000 to 1,100 fps on average. A factory load averaged a little over 1,400 fps. Probably going to work on the three top performers, different ranges, etc. I'll probably make a Unique plinker load, but the BD seems to serve my purpose well. I should add leading was not an issue with the sized LLA boolits, and the 9.8 load punched a perfect circle through the X, which is always fun to do. :drinks:

[MtGun44]

This is a pistol, but I suspect it would be accurate in the carbine, too, assuming that the
fit is right for the carbine barrel groove diameter.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/picture.php?albumid=161&pictureid=925

Don't be confused by my calling it a "Lee WFN-BB", I just couldn't remember the right
designation at the time I wrote the note. This is the Lee 358-158-RF which has a beveled
base. That load is near max with soft lead, works great for me, even though 16.3 of
H-110 is approaching the maximum, and is a very high velocity load. I think the Hodgdon
book velocity reported is over 1500, although I doubt this from a 6" revolver. Probably would
exceed 1700 from your carbine.

Bill