Getting mean with 357 rifles/carbines

[357maximum]

I have spent a better part of my Sunday playing with 180grain cast pills and some pretty stiff loads of 2400. My 20inch 1894 Cowboy Limited Marlin has been showing some pretty good groups with the WGRS Peeper installed. As hard as it is hitting my steel targets I would be ready to make meat @100 yards with it if I wanted to. I was just wondering what you all use for max hunting loads in your 357 carbines and rifles.

[barkerwc4362]

I use the SAECO #534 180gr FNGC cast out of linotype and sized .360, over a stout charge of WC820 and a Winchester SR primer. I have gotten 1" groups at 100 yards for 10 shots with a scope. This is in a Marlin 1894C. The Winchester primers are softer than the CCI 450s/400s, but still harder than pistol primers.

Bill

[imashooter2]

My limit for 2400 is 12.5 grains under one of the Lee 180 grain WFN group buy boolits. That's good for 1,544 fps average in my 18.5 inch 1894C.

Now if you really want to get them moving, try Lil' Gun... 14.5 grains gets the same WFN moving at 1,734 fps average. Your cowboy should get them well over 1,800!

[gundownunder]

I was using a 180 grain commercial cast bullet and over 13gr of 2205 (4227) for quite a while but recently bought the solid nose 360640 Mihec mold and that casts at 175gr with my range scrap alloy. That bullet with over 13gr of 2205 or 2400 makes an accurate load that I use for both pistol caliber and rifle caliber cowboy silhouette. It will do its job on the 200yd rams most of the time as long as I do my part. We can't get Lil Gun in Oz but I am thinking that a load of WW296 may increase velocity a little more for just a touch more grunt at the 200.

[Jack Stanley]

I use enough Accurate Arms number nine to make a hundred eighty-five grain LBT out the barrel real fast ....... even from a handgun .

Jack

[357maximum]

Keep em coming gents...good stuff here.:popcorn:

I have a series of tests to do using Alliant MP-300 under the Glen Larsen designed Lee C-358-180 and a few of BRP's 180 designs. From what I saw as darkness was falling this evening....I need to work this load some more....it shows promise. I am guessing that I was in the 1600 to 1700 plus area and I am not done testing. I will post my results as soon as i am happy accuracy wise and then run the rounds over the chrony. I do know one thing...mr. whitetail would be in trouble with any of the loads I shot today. :bigsmyl2: I think I have a keeper in this gun...woo boy ..she is a fun'in.

[ReloaderFred]

I use Lil'Gun for my heavy bullet loads in the Marlin carbines. Depending on the alloy, they come out of the mold at 175 to 185 grains. Even the softer alloy bullets at 185 grains don't lead, but they're all wearing gas checks.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[rintinglen]

15.7 h-110 under a 38-162 RCBS GC SWC works for me. Positively flows through my Rossi and shoots better than anything else I've tried. It runs between 1620 and 1650 out of my 20 inch barrel.

[btroj]

My Marlin really likes the Mihec 359640 HP oer large amounts of WC820. It can easily get in the 1600 fps range and shoots inch or so groups at 50 yards quite easily.

I have the RD 175 but haven't shot enough yet to know how it will do.

I have had horrible results wi any SWC type bullet. I think my chamber has a steep throat angle and the tapered nose on the 640 style bullet lets it center up better.

I have found that my rifle is very easy to get good velocity with accuracy. With the 359640 it gives same size groups over a 2 gr range of powder charge.

[Junior1942]

Did anyone mention Lil'Gun and WC820? Lil'Gun for big & heavy and WC820 for anything.

[altheating]

NOE 360-180 WFN GC Using 8.5 gr of 10B101 powder it shot very well. Took a nice buck with that load last year. My favorite caterpillar load at 103 yards. The problem with a 357 on caterpillars is the boolit is 1/3 the length of the caterpillar.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/122654e3c820cdb27c.jpg

[runfiverun]

man.
i just use the lyman 158 rnfp and 7 grs of herco.
it corresponds to the sghts on my 20" rossi quite well.
i have shot the same 158 over 11.5 grs of 2400 several times.
but the 8 lb jug of herco was like 80.00 so i'll swap to something else in about 7-k more rounds.
i have no doubts about this combo taking a deer out to 100 yds mainly because i can easily hit it.

[Baja_Traveler]

25 grains of Swiss 3F under a 158gr Snakebite (http://www.biglube.com/BulletMolds.aspx?ItemID=ee788c75-7068-4a70-a6f0-6d4ee38b0030)
I use it for Pistol Cal Cowboy Silhouette, and it drops rams every time, and damn fun to shoot!

[helice]

My tests with the 357 don't seem to be getting the velocities I read here. I shoot an LBT 358-180 FN in a 20" barrel. 15gr LilGun got the highest velocity at just > 1720'/s; 12gr 2400 got 1530'/s and 14gr got 1680; 14.5gr H11o got 1625'/s. Some folks prased it so I tried some loads with ReLoder-7 but I wasn't real happy with that one. I might have quit too soon.
Thanks for this post. I will continue watching it. Hope my input helps.

[ReloaderFred]

helice,

Your results with Lil'Gun mirrored mine. My 185 gr. RNFP-GC were averaging 1,710 fps from my Marlin, but they were extremely accurate. That's a lot energy for a pistol cartridge.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[helice]

Fred,
Thanks for your post. There have been a numbr of times when I am not too sure of the readout on the Chrony. Your data helps me trust it a bit more.

[ReloaderFred]

Mine were chronographed over my PACT Professional Chronograph. I pretty much trust it, as it's pretty consistent.

Fred

[357maximum]

:razz:I did not have to work today so I ran some of my accuacy loads over the beta. One of them was a real standout for accuracy and powder. I have found my accuracy/power load for now. I am about to run 250 of these off of the Dillon as soon as I get done typing this in fact.

Glen Larsen designed Lee C-358-180 seated in the crimp groove. AirCooled 50/50 pure/ww mix.

16.2 Grains Alliant MP-300

Magtech SP primer
First five shots over the chrony:
1. 1717
2. 1714
3. 1709
4. 1718
5. 1713

This load is a hard hitter and is more than capable for 100 yard deer with a peep sighted carbine. It gave a very consistent 1.25 to 1.5 inch group at 100 yards and is fully capable of deer hunting. I shot some waterfilled jugs and some big over ripe potatoes with this load.....wow, I got a winner and will not be burning anymore 2400 in this gun as this load is a whole lot cleaner and has the feel with just the right amount of "PEP". I will keep tweaking/playing a bit later on.... but for now I have a winner that I feel 100% comfortable using.

On a side note I did have to slightly tighten the dovetail for the front magazine carrier tophat thingy. It came a bit loose today, but took only a few minutes to fix. This poor girl thought she was gonna live an easy life poppin lil pills at close steel...I hope she does not throw a fit when I keep gettin mean with her. :razz:

[Blammer]

15gr of Lilgun and 175gr GC HP NOE 360180

the results after being shot into water jugs, the "base" was found in the 3rd jug

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g81/blammer8mm/Targets/DSCN7644.jpg

same boolit with the "dish" hp

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g81/blammer8mm/Cast%20boolits%20fun/DSCN7697.jpg

[dragon813gt]

MP 360-640 dropping a 170 grain bullet over H110 w/ a SR primer. All loads from start to max group well and feel right out of my 1894C. I prefer to shoot the max as it's only .5 more and kicks just a little bit more which puts a bigger smile on my face.


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[357maximum]

Careful there DJ that bottom mushroom looks rather deadly. :p Good form...what was the alloy/launch speed?

[DrCaveman]

Just today I got to chrono a 'stout load' of Lil gun behind a Lyman 358430 (200 gr) and registered average 1780 fps. It was shot from my handi rifle, and I'm not sure that any lever action would be able to chamber the OAL I settled on. Certainly none of my revolvers can.

No pressure signs, no leading, and accurate plenty for minute-of-deer lung out to 100 yds in my testing.

Calculations show over 1400 ft/lbs at muzzle. Seems pretty impressive for 357 mag.

[Blammer]

AC ww, nothing special, 1750 fps out of my Win 94 24" brl

[358 Win]

Hey all,
I load the Lyman 358156, ACWW @ 164gr lubed and checked. Use 15gr of ACC#9 for right at 1800fps out of my 1894 Carbine with it's 18.5" barrel and great groups. I also load the LEE 358-158 SWCGC @ 164gr for exactly the same results, except more accurate in my handguns than in my 1894 Carbine and my 1894 CBL with 24" barrel. I also cast with the RD 358-175 RFGC @ 179grains with 13.5gr of 2400 which launches them at 1625fps from the Carbine. Both AAC#9 and 2400 loads use a standard small pistol primer in 357 Mag case. I also cast the big 358627 218gr SWCGC bullet and I load 38 Special cases and 9gr of ACC#9 for 1200fps out of the Carbine. Even at that
sedate speed it hits with authority. My walk about load in the 1894 CBL is the Lyman 358429 bullet and 11.5gr of 2400 for 1400fps out of the CBL's 24" barrel. With receiver sites mounted on the CBL, it puts that 173gr plain based bullet into 2" at 50yds. It does the same thing with the RD 358-175 bullet. I can't tell you when I shot a "J" bullet out of either .357 rifle. My 1894 Carbine is micro-grooved and the CBL is Ballard rifled. Who ever said the micro-grooved barrels are not
great cast bullet shooters never met my 1894 Carbine from 1979.
358 Win

[Jim]

Here's my MACH IV, 4500 ft. lb. energy 'coon huntin' load that I worked up to kill 'coons with.:kidding:

http://floydpics.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/dscn1172-e1348834848532.jpg

[dragon813gt]

This was yesterday w/ a 360-640 over around 14.7(autodisk was acting up that day) grains of H110 w/ a CCI #400.
http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa39/dragon813gt/Firearms/Reloading/F4A90244-AD23-4C2D-9536-41A6B5DB023B-646-0000009351C14C11.jpg

Target was 50 yards offhand as fast as I could work the lever and acquire the target positively. First three shots are the ones closest to center. Refrigerant jug was at 100 yards offhand and I was just having fun. This is a hunting load and it's accuracy is more than enough for whitetail.


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[Raygun]

Here's my MACH IV, 4500 ft. lb. energy 'coon huntin' load that I worked up to kill 'coons with.:kidding:

http://floydpics.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/dscn1172-e1348834848532.jpg

That's a real killer. ....HOT HOT HOT [smilie=l:

[maglvr]

My 1894C loves the following loads..................
NOE 360-200 SWC / 12gr 2400
Missouri Bullet 180gr Striker / 12.5gr 2400
LEE 358-166-SWC (173gr) / 13gr 2400
LEE 358-158-RF (162gr) / 14.5gr 2400
All of the above loads are 357 brass/small RIFLE primer.
------------------------------------------------------------
WARNING Load below is in 38spl brass but has 357 mag pressure!
Lyman 358429 173gr in 38spl brass / 13.5gr 2400 / sm. pistol primer

All loads get a FIRM crimp, in the crimp groove.

All bullets are tumble lubed, none are gas checked.
I would rather drink Draino than use a gas checked bullet ;)

[MasS&W]

Does my 35 remington count? :P