Long Barrel Single Shot 357 Magnum Powder

[seaboltm]

I have a 357 magnum rifle with a 24" barrel. It is a Martini Cadet. Bullets can therefore be seated out a bit farther than lever guns or revolvers leaving a bit more room for powder. My question is, what is the optimum powder for barrel of this length in 357 Mag? H110, 2400, and IMR 4227 have similar burn rates. Would a powder as slow as H335 (which works in 223, similar capacity to 357 Mag) have any benefit? Anyone tried it? Care to share?

[Outpost75]

I have a Cadet rebarreled in .357 with 16-inch twist. My most accurate load is a 200-grain LBT LFN bullet made to match the throating reamer used, and seated out to 1.78" OAL using a nominal caseful, slightly compressed of H4198, about 18 grains. Velocity is estimated at about 1500 fps, but I haven't chronographed it. It shoots 3-4" ten-shot groups at 200 yards with 6X Unertl. Powders slower than RL7 do not work well in .357 rifles, and the pistol bullets lighter than 180 grains are less accurate.

[Nobade]

I have really good luck with Lil' Gun in mine, both a Handi - Rifle and a Contender.

-Nobade

[NavyVet1959]

I was reading a web page the other day where a guy was using one of the single shot H&R .357 mag rifles and there was enough room in the chamber that he could load the .357 mag brass to .357 max length. If you can do that with your rifle, then look up the powders for the .357 max rounds.

[seaboltm]

My chart shows H4198 is a bit slower than RX7. Good information on the bullet weights. My heaviest mold is in 158 swc. I am also considering some 358 rifle bullets. I see that H4198 and RX7 are listed as 35 Remington powders also. I saw an website were someone took a Martini cadet and rechambered it 357 maximum. I also found the page NavyVet1959 was talking about.

[bobthenailer]

I have a ss pistol as well as a marlin LA in 357 , i have used the rcbs 200gr gc rifle bullet with excellent results in the SS pistol over the years.
For the marlin i usually use a 180 gr boolet, i have 3 styles to select from.
If going for max velocity LIL gun powder is what you want! you can usually get around 200+ fps higher velocity than with H-110 or 296 ect , my load for the marlin is a 180gr boolet at 1,700 fps and thats a grain or so under max . its just what the most accurate powder charge.
I can get 1,450 fps+ with the 200 gr rcbs in the SS pistol with the bullet seated out some past the crimp grove with a 10.75 barrel with 296 or H-110, havent tried lilgun in it yet!
Lilgun also works excellent in the 22 hornet with the 200+ fps advantage over other powders

[cbrick]

I've had good success using heavy for caliber boolits and the slowest powder that will get you to your desired velocity. The RCBS 35 200 would be a great boolit for your rifle.

You have several options including re-chambering to 357 Max. If you get an accurate measurement of your chamber so that you know the max brass length that will chamber you can use 360 DW or 357 Max brass shortened to just fit your chamber. If your chamber is enough longer than 357 you can use more of a slower powder with a heavy boolit. I did some experimenting with the 357 mag FA revolver using 360 DW brass and 1680 with the RCBS 35 180 gr silhouette boolit @ 188 gr, velocity was around 1475 fps with decent 200 meter accuracy.

I don't know about H335 in the 357 mag brass, I would think it would limit your velocity by the amount you could get in the case. IMR 4198 worked extremely well for me in the 454 when looking for reduced loads around 1400 fps but that's a far larger case, you'll probably need to stick with ball powders because of your case volume.

Anyway your idea is valid, just stick with heavy for caliber boolits (the slow powders need this) and see how slow of a powder you can get to based on accuracy and your velocity goal. Not much of a limit to the experimenting you can do with this.

Rick

[Sgtonory]

I use Alliant 300 MP it is slower than Lilgun and it works well in my 357 magnum.

[357Mag]

Seaboltm -

Howdy !

WW296 ( H110 ) worked well in my .357Mag 1894SC, in a 22"-barrelled .357AutoMag w/ 150 & 180 "J"-words; and did ok in a ( 22" ? ) H & R SB2
"Ultra " .357Max.

Neither " Lil' Gun " nor XMR5744 shot well in the AutoMag carbine or the SB2 .357Max.

While I have not tried any, I4227 might be one viable choice.


With regards,
357Mag

[DrCaveman]

I loaded my best rounds using the lyman 358430 (200 grain round nose) using a case full of reloder 7. Velocity was slower than lil gun or h110 but accuracy was superb! And, a 200 grain boolit going around 1500 fps in my 357 handi rifle is pretty decent medicine.

The lil gun loads clocked upwards of 1900 fps but accuracy was not there for me. Probably found the rpm/alloy hardness limit for my gun and twist rate.

[Four-Sixty]

I've had good luck with HS-6, even with the Lee T/l boolit.

[HARRYMPOPE]

In my handi 22" I just shot today 250g rifle bullets subsonic.I use 7g of Trailboss or 11g of 4759.I get 975 FPS and 3/4" at 50 yards and under 2" at 100 yards.I use the rcbs 250sp,Cramer #9 and a custom tapered hoch.I sometimes have to taper the nose of the bullets to get them into the throat with A bump die I had made so I can get enough powder in there .The Handi is grouping similar to my Old Ruger #1A CHP model.

100939

100940

[HARRYMPOPE]

The line up.

Rcbs-Cramer-Hoch

100942

[koehlerrk]

Well, my only experiance with a 357 in a rifle is my Marlin 1894. It positively loves Lil'Gun. Try Hodgdon's website for 357 rifle loads... great info. Have fun and tell us how you make out with this.

[TMenezes]

Dont know if anyone mentioned Alliant's 300MP looks good for this application. Haven't tried it but the numbers Alliant's data promise a pretty potent level of power. I have read that this powder prefers the hotter Federal primers... Just a thought. I would try 300MP if I could find some.

[Gtek]

Basically same case capacity as 32 Miller, same weight as the breech guy's. Maybe chase down some loads with AA#9 and such for sugar load. I am using 4227 behind mine in a 30 WCF and 32-40 @ +/- 1400 and several 200ish pills. You may also find Kapok or Dacron to be your fine tune friend in the end.

[nanuk]

100939


is that one for shooting around corners?

[robg]

rcbs 180 gas checked 11.5 g 2400 2inch groups at 100 fom my 94ae

[TMenezes]

is that one for shooting around corners?

Lol I was thinking the same thing... ;-)