JHP to JSP conversion?

[Super Sneaky Steve]

OK, first my problem.

Of all the loads I've tested in my 77/357 I can only get the 125 grain jacketed bullets to group well at magnum speeds at both 50 and 100 yards. The very best is the Remington 125JSP, wich would do OK for deer at those ranges.

The problem is I can't find that factory load anywhere, so I'm forced to use 125XTP's I have stockpiled.

My load is a near max loading of H110 which puts me just under 2,300fps. Good flat shootin, but at those speeds the bullet turns into a grenade. I"ve recovered a few from the wet soil in the backstop.

My idea was to maybe find a way to fill in the HP's with some lead. How I could do this I don't yet know.

Do you guys think this is possible?

[Harter66]

Well I could be a smart axx and say something clever why would ya wanna shoot those jacketed thingy's.

I think w/o any smartness, that the best bet would be to save the JHPs for the pistol. I'm partial to 358-158 RNFP.

I don't know short of reswagging how 1 would go about closing an HP.

[Super Sneaky Steve]

Well I could be a smart axx and say something clever why would ya wanna shoot those jacketed thingy's.

I think w/o any smartness, that the best bet would be to save the JHPs for the pistol. I'm partial to 358-158 RNFP.

I don't know short of reswagging how 1 would go about closing an HP.

I've tried a few cast bullets. The Lee 358-158RNFP was inaccurate with the load I tried and leaded up badly. I could try and fix it, but that would take a lot of time.

I also tried the Lee GC bullet. No leading but still not accurate.

I may try the Lee 125 but then I have to push it much slower. This weekend I'm going hunting so I don't have a lot of time to play around. From the feeder to the blind will be about 75 yards, so I don't want much drop between 50 and 100 which is typical with pistol carts.

[jhalcott]

Merry Christmas! Now with THAT out of the way, I THINK it would cost more in swaging dies than it's worth. You do NOT NEED speed to kill. Accuracy is what you want! Maybe slowing the XTP's down some MAY help. I have never had great luck pushing XTP's to max velocity , no matter the caliber! My 7th edition of Hornady manual shows max velocity at 2000 fps from a 16" barrel using H110/296. The Xtreme Terminal Performance bullets are DESIGNED to open fast at normal handgun speeds. Filling the cavities with wax, lead or some other material COULD impair that function!(?)

[rintinglen]

Sierra makes a 125 grain JSP, as does Speer. If your gun only likes 125 grain bullets, you might look for some of these.

[Tatume]

MidwayUSA has these in boxes of 1000. I haven't tried them.

Magtech Bullets 38 Special (357 Diameter) 125 Grain Semi-Jacketed Soft Point

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/1657130362/magtech-bullets-38-special-357-diameter-125-grain-semi-jacketed-soft-point?cm_vc=subv11601195913

[Tatume]

On the other hand, I've shot lots of these at handgun speeds, and I'm very pleased with them. However, I have no idea what they will do at 2300 fps.

Xtreme copper plated 38-125 FP Quantity of 500 Diameter: 0.357

http://www.xtremebullets.com/38-125-FP-p/xc38-125fpcan-b0500.htm

[Harter66]

I have some copper plated Nevada Xtreme 158 SWCs I'd send you . If that'll help get you going. PM?

[Tatume]

I will add, I've shot quite a few deer with 300 grain 45 caliber jacketed soft point bullets at 2400 fps, and I was accused of hunting with grenades! I've switched to bullets cast of wheel weight metal, and also Speer Hot Cor 350 grain 458" rifle bullets. If you had asked (and I realize you didn't), I would recommend a harder bullet. Perhaps the Barnes 140 grain pistol bullet will shoot well for you.

http://www.barnesbullets.com/products/components/pistol/

[hicard]

You could try heavier lead boolits, say 180 gr or even 200 gr. at a slower speed. I don't know if you would have trouble with key holing or not but at least the leading problem would go away.

[357shooter]

Hey Super, I'm kinda unclear on what issue you are trying to deal with. If the heavier / longer bullets aren't accurate the rifle may have slow twist rate. I'm not familiar with it but that sounds reasonble. If that's the situation a heavier slower bullet won't help. If the goal is slow down the 125's, switch to 2400 and try some downloads. The Lee 125 RF is a great shooting bullet in my 357 rifle and may be nice option and preserve your stash of XTP's.

Added later: I checked an the 77 has a 16 inch twist rate. So it's not a slow rate and should be able to shoot the longer bullets. Guess I really couldn't help.

[Super Sneaky Steve]

Sierra makes a 125 grain JSP, as does Speer. If your gun only likes 125 grain bullets, you might look for some of these.
I've been looking for both and they seem to be sold out everywhere.


MidwayUSA has these in boxes of 1000. I haven't tried them.

Magtech Bullets 38 Special (357 Diameter) 125 Grain Semi-Jacketed Soft Point

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/1657130362/magtech-bullets-38-special-357-diameter-125-grain-semi-jacketed-soft-point?cm_vc=subv11601195913

Those would do great, but out of stock. Midwayusa was the first place I checked.


On the other hand, I've shot lots of these at handgun speeds, and I'm very pleased with them. However, I have no idea what they will do at 2300 fps.

Xtreme copper plated 38-125 FP Quantity of 500 Diameter: 0.357

http://www.xtremebullets.com/38-125-FP-p/xc38-125fpcan-b0500.htm

I do have a small stock of Berry's left. I'm not sure what would happen but they say not to push plated that fast.


I have some copper plated Nevada Xtreme 158 SWCs I'd send you . If that'll help get you going. PM?
Thank you very much! So generous, but I do have a few types of 158 SWC's laying around. They do good in my revolvers. This rifle is giving me fits though.


You could try heavier lead boolits, say 180 gr or even 200 gr. at a slower speed. I don't know if you would have trouble with key holing or not but at least the leading problem would go away.

I have tested 180XTP's with H110. I clocked them at 1321fps. Accuracy wasn't too impressive, but I could practice a bit more with those.

Yesterday I tried to scope my Henry Big Boy 45 Colt in a last ditch effort. My Lee 255 bullets were very accurate with 6.0 of Tightgroup (980fps)but dropped a foot from 50 to 100 yards. Even my +P load of 8.5 of Tightgroup and a 250XTP had significant drop.

Anything more than an inch or two I think would be too much.

[Rustyleee]

A 125 gr bullet in a .357 isn't a deer bullet. I'd work with some 180 gr bullets till I found a good load for them. You might find, as others have that firelapping your barrel will vastly improve accuracy.

[Tatume]

MidwayUSA has these in boxes of 1000. I haven't tried them.

Magtech Bullets 38 Special (357 Diameter) 125 Grain Semi-Jacketed Soft Point

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/1657130362/magtech-bullets-38-special-357-diameter-125-grain-semi-jacketed-soft-point?cm_vc=subv11601195913

They are not out of stock.

[Super Sneaky Steve]

MidwayUSA has these in boxes of 1000. I haven't tried them.

Magtech Bullets 38 Special (357 Diameter) 125 Grain Semi-Jacketed Soft Point

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/1657130362/magtech-bullets-38-special-357-diameter-125-grain-semi-jacketed-soft-point?cm_vc=subv11601195913

They are not out of stock.

This is what I see.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y123/ex500/SSS/Magtech_zpsd8df0310.jpg

[Tatume]

Sorry. Showed as in stock when I checked them this morning. Maybe my internet cache fooled me.

[mx5tc]

FWIW, David White has tested a number of .357 jacketed bullets in .357Max (which shoots considerably faster than a .357 Mag). Best all around deer round he has found is the bulk packaged Remington 158gr JSP (mushrooms perfectly with almost 100% weight retention). If you want to learn more, here's a link with loads of information on .357Max loads he tested in a CVA Apex rifle:

http://www.dandtcustomgunworks.websitetoolbox.com/post?id=5264779

[44man]

Not a thing you can do with the XTP's, the jacket is skived inside so filling the nose will not help.
The Remington bullet sounds good.

[Super Sneaky Steve]

Well, deer camp has come and gone for this year. I'd like to report how the 125XTP did. You might be surprised.

First of all the shot was out about 75 yards, a small doe. I hit her right in the liver on a bit of an angle. The bullet passed through leaving a small exit hole about the size of the entrance wound. To me that means most of the energy was dumped in the animal.

She ran no more than 20 yards in about 3 seconds then fell down dead. No tracking required.

Once I unzipped her I saw the massive internal damage. The liver was pretty well blown up. I can post pictures but it's a little bloody. Mods any problem with that?

So yeah, the boolit coudn't have been better, massive damage, full penetration (at least 12"), no tracking.