WSF in .357 magnum anyone using this combo?

[Bello]

I have found data for .38 special +P but nothing for magnum, I've seen a few places online people varying from 7.0 to 9.5 grns under a 158 grn bullet but that seems a lol excessive. Just wondering if anyone has made it work?

Rob

[ku4hx]

What is your goal? If you're looking for magnum loads, there are better powders than WSF. Neither Lyman nor the Winchester website recommend it for 357 Magnum. That's not to say it can't be done, but you'll likely not get top magnum loads with it. Again, what is your goal? Powder choice can be heavily dependent on what you want to do.

For top loads in 357 Magnum with jacketed bullets I like W296 or H110. For cast I favor Alliant 2400 and Bluedot ... usually 2400 with 158 grain.

[Bello]

Just looking for a top load but I have 4 powders I use and none of them fit .357 it's why I asked because I found .38 data +p in my Speer book but nothing for .357 I use 4 manuals btw

[fecmech]

My experience with WSF in the .38/.357 and 9MM is it tracks Herco exactly for velocity per grain. I have no idea in regards to pressure but I wouldn't go over 7 grs in a .357 with a 158 gr bullet.

[ku4hx]

... none of them fit .357 ... nothing for .357 I use 4 manuals btw

Those are clues. You'll be better served, and safer, if you stick with published loads with recommended powders. Especially if you're looking for "top loads" at or near maximum charge weights.

[Kent Fowler]

FWIW, I looked at my copy of the (1995) 14th Winchester Load manual and the only two powders listed there for the .357 Magnum were WW231 and WW296. Understandably, smaller calibers (380 Auto size) only used WW231. 9mm Parabellum and larger, except for the .357, had load listings for WSF.

[Adam10mm]

I've wondered this too as I use WSF for pistol cartridges and my 20ga loads. I generally compare it to a ball version of Unique in that it does everything Unique does but meters better due to the shape of the granules.

[jonp]

I've wondered this too as I use WSF for pistol cartridges and my 20ga loads. I generally compare it to a ball version of Unique in that it does everything Unique does but meters better due to the shape of the granules.
What are an example of loading comparison for, say, 45acp using a 230gr boolit velocity, pressure and amount? I've never tried wsf or wst but know a number of people do.

[Adam10mm]

I use 6.0gr WSF with a 235gr Lee TC at 825fps. Pressure here is about 15.5-16K.

Alliant's data for Unique calls for 5.8gr with a Speer LRN at 849fps. No pressure listed.

Lyman's 230gr RN calls for up to 7.0gr Unique for 900fps.

For me, Unique and WSF perform so similar it boils down to metering and money. WSF meters better but Unique is $30/keg cheaper than WSF. If Unique metered as well as Unique I'd drop WSF in a heartbeat. Unique meters well enough for most uses, but WSF will stay 6.0gr through 10,000 rounds on my Dillon 1050. I got bored one day and measured 1,000 powder drops with WSF. Every single one of them was 6.0gr.

[fecmech]

If Unique metered as well as Unique I'd drop WSF
Just replace your Unique with Power Pistol. Just a hair slower than Unique as is WSF and it meters very well. Same price as Unique.

[Bello]

Freak you know me well from glocktalk lol!!! Anyways I can't find any unique or bullseye and my other powder is rifle bl-c2 so I can't use that maybe I can start a lil above .38 +P loads and chrony my way up with 158 grn lead bullets.

[Adam10mm]

Just replace your Unique with Power Pistol. Just a hair slower than Unique as is WSF and it meters very well. Same price as Unique.
Very limited data, flashier than WSF or Unique, and largely not impressed with it. I've tried it before and just isn't what I'm looking for.

Freak you know me well from glocktalk lol!!! Anyways I can't find any unique or bullseye and my other powder is rifle bl-c2 so I can't use that maybe I can start a lil above .38 +P loads and chrony my way up with 158 grn lead bullets.
Chrono mapping is a good way if you're going off the charts. Start with +P and work up slowly. Same thing I did with 10mm 135gr and Longshot. Started with .40 S&W max load and went up from there. WSF has a nice pressure curve and there is a lot of room in the Magnum case so you've got some cushion there. The case will definitely take 40K with proper support, but I'm sure you'll find a good load before that.

[Petrol & Powder]

I use WSF in 20ga. target loads, 9mm and a few other auto-pistol rounds. IMHO WSF is a fantastic powder for 9mm! I've tried WSF in 38/357 but never found it to work well in 38 Special. You can make it work but I prefer WW231 or Bullseye in 38/357 cases. Sometimes I'll use WW296 in magnum loads but I seldom shoot those. I find that WW231 works well in most 38/357 applications and therefore it has become my go-to powder for 38 Special. I'm all about simple logistics and I'd love to be able to simplify my powder needs but WSF just doesn't fit my 38/357 needs. Can you make it work in .357 ; yes - should you try, probably not, in my opinion.

[Adam10mm]

I know. I love WSF. Use it in 10mm and .45 ACP plus 20ga field loads. I've been playing around with 3/4oz loads in the 20ga with Green Dot and I think that's my new load.

I've settled on WSF for auto pistol cartridges and bounce back and forth between Unique and W231 for revolver cartridges, depending on availability.

[lwknight]

WSF can be used for .357 magnum. The rub is that it will not perform as well as the slower powders do in a 4" or longer barrel. Another rub is that with lighter bullets like say 125 grain, you get radical results at 38spl loads and I did not test heavier loads on 125 grain bullets.
158 grain bullets work great at hot 38spl loads 6 to 7 grains and since WSF is a very forgiving powder you can up the charge for .357 magnum.

People that shoot full power .357 magnums do it because they want a lot of bang or more accurately " BOOM"
for the buck so there is a reason for powders like 296 and lil'gun

[Bello]

I picked 7.5 grains WSF for .357 magnum and it was pretty accurate 21 ft all 7 holes touched