Skeeter's Heavy 357/Unique load. [Archive]

Lonegun1894

10-22-2012, 05:09 PM

Not yet. My standard plinking/ practice load is 7.0 grs Unique, and I have gone to 7.5, but not any higher yet just because my accuracy started to drop off over 7.0 so I stayed with it. Going to try again though (slowly) and see if maybe something has changed over the years. Thanks for the reminder.

Wally

10-22-2012, 05:24 PM

Howdy folks:
Anyone ever tried Skeeter's Heavy 357/Unique load (Lyman 158-gr 158156
8.0 Unique 1400 FPS)?
Thank you.

Sure have in a Model 27 & a Ruger Blackhawk...

x101airborne

10-22-2012, 09:10 PM

I did not have good luck with Skeeters load, but mine did come in a about 6.5 grains. Not very top end, but DANG will it shoot in my blackhawk. I will give up a little velocity to gain inches.

maglvr

10-22-2012, 09:10 PM

Had a chance to try it myself after I posted the question, I used LEE 150gr. SWC, it was getting dark so I just tested for signs of pressure, nothing else.
I used mixed/fired 357 brass, Wolf Sm. pistol primers.
Started with 7.0 gr. unique, then 7.5gr and finally 8.0 gr.
Ruger security six was the gun used.
Absolutely no high pressure signs other than some expected primer flattening, but none severely flattened and no cratering. brass slid easily from the chambers.
Seems to be a safe load in my gun.

zxcvbob

10-22-2012, 09:13 PM

If I want to load Unique that high, I use Herco. 8.0 grains is a great load with 158's.

EdS

10-24-2012, 09:04 AM

+1 for the accuracy of the 6.5 grain Unique load with the 358156 in .357 Mag brass. My 6" M19 shoots like a target pistol with this load. My chronograph tells me it's around 1100 fps, and that's enough for me. -Ed

ruger-p94

10-25-2012, 04:52 PM

Just got back from the range firing my smith 13-3 using 158 gr Lee 358-158-RF. I used 7.0 Unique as some here told me and great results again. Best accuracy yet and no leading. For me the 7 grains is the best and I could not see going any higher. Very little if any black soot and I have a nickel one so it is very easy to see.

glenkans

11-08-2012, 06:58 PM

That unique load sounds interesting.I used 10 gr. of herco and 158 cast swc for about ten years when I was loading heavier shotgun shells.I always had alot of Herco so it was a good match. Never knew hot fast they were but it made a bout the same noise and recoiled about the same as other heavy loads.That 358156 in hp was great on coyotes and shot flat enough that my young eyes made some great shots.Got tired of casting them one at a time and changed over to a gang mould. Not hp though. Don't like paying for gas checks either.Wish I could get a check maker.Maybe someday.Think I'll go to the bench and load up some 357 unique loads.Later, Glen

gon2shoot

11-08-2012, 08:16 PM

Droped the wifes load down to 6.7 , seems to work for her. I do load quite a bit of 2400 for everything else.

Lonegun1894

11-09-2012, 01:11 PM

Ok, You got me curious and I went and tried it in both my Ruger Security Six 4" and my Rossi '92 20". I did not have a chronograph with me so can not report as to velocities achieved in either gun. Here is what I did. Loaded up my standard 7.0gr Unique load over a 158gr boolit, and then went up in 0.2gr increments, loading 10 of each until I got to 8.0grs. I then fired 5 of each in each gun, shooting the Ruger at 25yds and the Rossi at 100. The group size remained unchanged throughout this test in each gun, although elevation did change. I also did not get any pressure signs in MY guns, so work up slowly in yours like I did and stay safe. Will have to try and get the Chrono out sometime and see what these loads are actually doing.

williamwaco

11-09-2012, 08:44 PM

I find Herco loads to be more accurate in both the .357 and the .44 mag than Unique.

I like Unique in the .38 Special but I don't seek maximum velocity.

Rex

11-09-2012, 11:02 PM

I just tried a few 7.5 Unique under 150 grain 358477 bullets. It showed a lot of promise but it was too windy to call it a done deal.
Rex

Larry Gibson

11-09-2012, 11:09 PM

Just a word of caution;

I've measured the pressure (Oehler M43 with Contender barrel) of 7.5 gr Unique under the 358477 at 37,300 psi(M43). That is above the SAAMI MAP for the .357 magnum.

Larry Gibson

Lonegun1894

11-10-2012, 12:00 PM

Larry,
Thank you, that is very good to know. I figured it was pushing the limits, but did not see any pressure signs. Even though this seemed ok in my gun, I really like the 7.0 Unique load, so will stick with it. I use 2400 for when I want/need more velocity, but wanted to try to see how close I could get to this load without issues.

Thumbcocker

11-10-2012, 07:05 PM

Wonder how power pistol would work?

williamwaco

11-12-2012, 09:48 PM

Larry Gibson

11-13-2012, 11:59 AM

Howdja do that?

Does the Oehler do that?

.

Yes, the Oheler M43 does that. A strain gauge is attached over the chamber (I center them over he SAAMI specified point). It is connected to the M43 which is connected to a laptop with a specific program in it.

Photo shows the set up at the range. The M43 is under the laptop. This particular set up is giving the psi and velocity of each shot. The M43 gives the instrumental velocity and also corrects it back to the muzzle. It also provides the ES, SD and average of the velocity and the psi. The M43 program also automatically computes bullet drop at ranges to 250 or 500 yards depending on muzzle velocity. Yes, I do have a 3 bench bursting radii when testing...........

Another set of skyscreens can be placed down range in front of the target (up to 100 yards) which measured the time of flight and gives the actual BC of the bullet fired. Measuring the BC gives us and using it for correct "drop" figures for longer ranges is the most common use. However, measuring the actual BC of the fired bullet can also give us information on the stability of the bullet out of a particular firearm; the higher the actual BC the more stable the bullet is in flight.

There is a lot of data that must be input into the program for each firearm, load, set up and atmospheric conditions for the output of data to be correct and relevent. Obviously care must be taken to ensure correct input to get correct out put. Not a quick run to the range and chrono a couple loads set up. For that I still use my Oehler M35P with screen center 15' from muzzle.

Larry Gibson

maglvr

07-30-2018, 03:47 AM

I just stumbled on this thread in a google search, and didn't even realize it was one I had started 7 years ago! That is until I saw my precious Shadow looking back at me from the top of "Her drill press" that she claimed as her perch / roosting spot, in my shop. When I was reloading i'd put up a curtain so she couldn't decide to fly down on the bench and send everything spilling about, she would hop up and down to peek over to see what I was up to! I miss her dearly!
Since that post I have moved on to heavier boolits for the 357 and have not loaded much UNIQUE as a result, but have settled on 2400 as my go to powder. I think I might have to pull out the UNIQUE again and see what it can do with a 170gr WFN.
Safe and happy shooting...
Maglvr

2shot

07-30-2018, 08:18 AM

Not Unique but I load the 357429 that weighs 173 grains (old mould) with 7.5 grains of Herco. Get an honest 1200+ fps out of my 4" M-66 and all the accuracy I could ask for.

2shot

maglvr

08-07-2018, 08:05 PM

That sounds like a interesting load, indeed!
Thank you.

Outpost75

08-08-2018, 03:03 PM

Heavy loads of Unique over 7 grains will eat up the forcing cone of a revolver in short order. I ruined a good Colt Python that way years ago. Expensive lesson!

gwpercle

08-08-2018, 06:36 PM

I bought the mould and loaded 7.5 grains of Unique. I used 38 special cases and seated the boolit in the lower crimp groove .From my Ruger Blackhawk , fired off hand , 5 shot group . It hit dead center of bullseye , 4 holes touching and the 5th about 1/4 inch out the group.
Good enough for me. I cut that target out , wrote down the load data and date and carried it in my wallet for decades. I found "The Load" and haven't looked back.
I do intend to try some of that Accurate #5 with that boolit when I get a roundtuit one day .
Gary

RJM52

08-14-2018, 06:50 AM

Glad this thread was resurrected as I just cast up a bunch of 357156 in both GC and PB styles and needed a good Unique load...

Bob

Rodfac

09-01-2018, 08:31 AM

Great thread...and old too...I've never been over 6.5 of Unique in my .357's, and mostly shoot that 358156 at ~1000 fps. My go-to, for carry here on the farm, has always been 2400 at 13.5 with a 0.359" GC'd boolit giving ~1150 fps...the MP 360156GC does as well as the Lyman, accuracy wise, and has the added utility of a HP cavity in either Penta or Round style. The Penta, cast slowly so as to not drag the pin, is the most accurate of the three; solid vs. Penta vs. Round, in my guns. I'm casting with straight ACWW with a pinch of tin added for fillout, BTW.

GC'ing with either mold, gives slightly better accuracy than PB, and annealing the check helps while seating the check. If I don't anneal, I do get some spring back on the check...ie. sizing to 0.359" results in a check dia. of 0.360" but accuracy with either method (annealed vs. straight from the box) is virtually the same.

BTW, that 13.5 gr load of 2400 in Magnum brass gives me my best groups with a 2.5x scoped Marlin Carbine...don't know what the average size is, but with visually sorted boolits, I'm well below 2" (group size for 5) at 100 yds and a chrono'd 1609 fps/ ES 35. One woodchuck shot at ~55 yds was an end to end pass through, front chest and out the tail.

Rod

mr surveyor

09-01-2018, 09:54 AM

Great thread...and old too...I've never been over 6.5 of Unique in my .357's, and mostly shoot that 358156 at ~1000 fps. My go-to, for carry here on the farm, has always been 2400 at 13.5 with a 0.359" GC'd boolit giving ~1150 fps...the MP 360156GC does as well as the Lyman, accuracy wise, and has the added utility of a HP cavity in either Penta or Round style. The Penta, cast slowly so as to not drag the pin, is the most accurate of the three; solid vs. Penta vs. Round, in my guns. I'm casting with straight ACWW with a pinch of tin added for fillout, BTW.

GC'ing with either mold, gives slightly better accuracy than PB, and annealing the check helps while seating the check. If I don't anneal, I do get some spring back on the check...ie. sizing to 0.359" results in a check dia. of 0.360" but accuracy with either method (annealed vs. straight from the box) is virtually the same.

BTW, that 13.5 gr load of Unique in Magnum brass gives me my best groups with a 2.5x scoped Marlin Carbine...don't know what the average size is, but with visually sorted boolits, I'm well below 2" (group size for 5) at 100 yds and a chrono'd 1609 fps/ ES 35. One woodchuck shot at ~55 yds was an end to end pass through, front chest and out the tail.

Rod

don't you mean 2400 and NOT Unique?

Dorf

09-01-2018, 04:56 PM

Rodfac-- I also hope you mean 13.5gr of 2400 and NOT Unique. I use the 13.5gr of 2400 as my "go to" load in the .357 for "serious" use. My guns (Ruger Blackhawk and Smith 681 " chronograph @ 1230 fps. Hope this helps. Stan

pacomdiver

09-08-2018, 10:36 AM

i use 8.1 unique under the Lee 158 flat base (powder coated) with CCI SP mag primers

Thumbcocker

09-08-2018, 10:50 AM

Wow!!

ROCKET

09-08-2018, 11:04 AM

BTW, that 13.5 gr load of Unique in Magnum brass gives me my best groups with a 2.5x scoped Marlin Carbine...don't know what the average size is, but with visually sorted boolits, I'm well below 2" (group size for 5) at 100 yds and a chrono'd 1609 fps/ ES 35. One woodchuck shot at ~55 yds was an end to end pass through, front chest and out the tail.

Rod
I’m pretty sure Rod meant 13.5 gr of 2400, not Unique ...

robg

09-08-2018, 11:24 AM

True blue is similar in burning rate to unique, 7 g works well 13.5 g of 2400 was Elmer's load my favourite to.

derek45

11-26-2018, 04:17 PM

6" 586

7.0 unique

1237fps

https://i.imgur.com/g6L8PKL.jpg

Walks

11-26-2018, 05:24 PM

I used to load the #358429 over 6.5grs for every .357Mag I had except the S&W 27/28 and MARLIN 1894C, too long.
I've since backed off to 6.0grs of UNIQUE. Easier on my arthritis. For the S&W 27 & MARLIN 1894C, I load 6.5grs of UNIQUE under the #358477 & LEE 358-158-RF, Respectively.

I used to load the "Skeeter Load" of 13.5grs of 2400 under the #358156 in .38SPL cases.
Until I found an "friend" loading them into his RUGER 4" Service-Six chambered in .38SPL. He got off two shots.
Apparently he was color-blind, and could not tell the difference between the GREEN 38SPL boxes and the YELLOW +P .38 PLUS .38 "Skeeter Loads".
I decided to stop using that LOAD anymore. I dread the thought of what would have happened to my COLT COBRA Alloy-Framed revolver if He'd tried to fire off one of those HOT LOADS in it.
His RUGER was fine as RUGER Stated the only difference between the .38SPL & .357MAG S-SIX Series was the length of the chamber.

These days I load 13.5grs of 2400 under the #358156GC crimped in the top groove in .357 MAGNUM Cases.

No plus P .38SPL loads anymore.

LRRifleman

12-22-2020, 02:52 PM

I realize that this is resurrecting an older thread.

I am looking to put together the following Skeeter load for my 3" 686+, and was wondering if anyone had tried either in a 3" barrel. Most of the previous posts seem to utilize a 6" or 8.375" barrel, in most cases.
Lyman 358156GC, 5.3gr Unique, CCI SPP, 357 cases
Lyman 358156GC, 7.0gr Unique, CCI SPP, 357 cases

As always, thanks in advance for your help!

Tim357

12-22-2020, 10:55 PM

[QUOTE=LRRifleman;5064108]I realize that this is resurrecting an older thread.

I am looking to put together the following Skeeter load for my 3" 686+, and was wondering if anyone had tried either in a 3" barrel. Most of the previous posts seem to utilize a 6" or 8.375" barrel, in most cases.
Lyman 358156GC, 5.3gr Unique, CCI SPP, 357 cases
Lyman 358156GC, 7.0gr Unique, CCI SPP, 357 cases

Closest I have records for in a 3" bbl is Lee 158RNFP, 5.5 Unique in 38 Spl case. 946 fps.
5 gr Unique gave 861 fps

35 Whelen

12-24-2020, 01:15 PM

As a standard around-the-place utility load, I load 6.0 grs. of Unique and a 153 gr. SWC from a Lyman 358477 mold. Velocities from my 4 3/4" Uberti's is a bit over 1000 fps and 1200 fps from my 20" Rossi. Accuracy from the revolvers is amazing.

https://i.imgur.com/K5WWxXsl.jpg

35W

Tim357

12-24-2020, 04:03 PM

derek45

12-24-2020, 05:32 PM

6.5gr Win231 works well also with a 158gr.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Umk68uyVxtA

Cargo

12-24-2020, 05:44 PM

I lucked into some 2400 two weeks ago and was initially planning to use it for .300 bo and .30 carbine but now I'm going to have to give it a go in .357.

derek45

12-24-2020, 05:54 PM

I lucked into some 2400 two weeks ago and was initially planning to use it for .300 bo and .30 carbine but now I'm going to have to give it a go in .357.

good choice

.
.
Skeeter's 357 data

http://www.darkcanyon.net/MyFriend_The357.htm

Larry Gibson

12-24-2020, 09:22 PM

I lucked into some 2400 two weeks ago and was initially planning to use it for .300 bo and .30 carbine but now I'm going to have to give it a go in .357.

Be advised pressure testing the 358156 bullet (mine run 162 gr fully dressed cast of COWW +2% tin) over 14 gr Alliant 2400 run 34,000 psi +/-. The SAMMI MAP for the 357 Magnum is 36,000 psi. 14.5 gr will put you right at that psi and Skeeter's "heavy" load of 15 gr puts the psi above that. Many larger framed revolves [S&W L & N, Ruger Security Six, GP100s, BHs and RHs, Colt Trooper, Anaconda, etc] can handle those psi's. I would not shoot those loads in smaller J & K frame S&Ws or others chambered in 357 Magnum. No they probably won't blow up but they will get rattled loose in short order. Most factory 357 magnum ammunition the last 30 years runs 28 - 30,000 psi at best.