Top powders for the 357 Mag (170 & 180 grain bullets)?

[ErnieBishop]

Give me what you think will be some of the top powder choices with a 10" - 13" 357 Magnum barrel?

[Jupiter7]

Lil gun, h110, aa1680, 300mp, AA9

[bobthenailer]

FME LIL Gun powder will most likely give you the highest velocity with excellent accuracy, out of 296/H-110 , AA#9 or surplus WC820 in the 357 mag . and according to the reloading manual, with less chamber pressure !
LG is also winner in the 22 hornet!

[dragon813gt]

H110/W296 will give you the highest velocity w/out excessive heat. LilGun will give you the highest velocity and possibly best accuracy at the expense of heat, literally. I stopped using it because the barrels became excessively hot.

[texasbilly]

Winchester 296 (H110) gives optimum performance in most guns chambered in 357 magnum. A second choice might be 2400.

[seaboltm]

+1 for H110. It is the go to for hot 357, 44 mag, and 45 Colt loads. For middle of the road loads I use Blue Dot, not that BD is the best for middle of the road loads, it is simply the best powder available at my local gun store.

[ErnieBishop]

H-110 is where I was leaning.
I have heard in other revolvers/chamberings that Lil Gun can have flame cutting issues.
Thanks!

[Bonz]

H110/Win296 are great powders for .357 mag but Alliant PowerPistol is a lot more fun; loud report, huge flame but definitely can't push the bullet as fast as the other 2 powders

[ErnieBishop]

I'm looking for accuracy first, speed a close second.

[pkie44]

H110-296 and Alliant 300MP, I'll get you some numbers this weekend.

[ErnieBishop]

Great.
Please give barrel length and bullet weight also when giving MV's please.

H110-296 and Alliant 300MP, I'll get you some numbers this weekend.

[pkie44]

Great.
Please give barrel length and bullet weight also when giving MV's please.

Got you covered:drinks:
118467

[NSB]

I'm looking for accuracy first, speed a close second.
texasbilly still gave you the best answer. Accuracy first and speed first both with WW296/H110. I've been shooting the 357mag for over 40 years and have never found a better powder in any handgun or rifle I've owned, and that's a lot of handguns. Both my Bill Davis customized revolvers and every S&W, Ruger, and Marlin have performed the best with this powder. 2400 is second best.

[ErnieBishop]

Thanks!
I have some H-110 on hand.
Just trying to make sure I am not missing something.

[dragon813gt]

2400 is a more versatile powder as it can be down loaded. It's no slouch in accuracy or velocity either. But H110/W296 is made for balls to the wall magnum performance. Just don't down load it. And be sure to use a magnum primer to avoid potential ignition issues.

[ErnieBishop]

Have H-110 and PRO-300 MP on the way.
Won't be downloading with this 357 Mag Ruger.

[texasbilly]

If you plan to use 296/H110, remember to use a magnum primer and a strong bullet crimp. These are essential to optimum performance with these powders.

[ErnieBishop]

Will do

[pkie44]

I emailed some info:mrgreen:

[ErnieBishop]

I emailed some info:mrgreen:

Just got home and saw I had a bunch-Thanks!
Haven't had time to look at them yet.

[cbrick]

I can't believe it, 20 posts and nobody has mentioned H-110 yet. :coffee:

H-110 and 296 are the same or at the least very nearly so. The biggest difference I've noted between them is that 296 appears to be more temperature sensitive, at least when shooting in the SoCal desert. If that difference is still valid or if they are indeed now manufactured as one and the same I dunno.

Your final load could well depend on the Ruger cylinder length and how deep you'll need to seat the bullet. There are a couple of advantages of your using 360 DW brass instead of 357 brass. Trimmed to just fit to the throats you'll gain a bit of powder capacity and hold the front driving band fully inside the throat. Second and more important for your goals the 360 brass has a strengthened web over standard 357 brass. 357 Max brass could of course also be used with more trimming needed but again a stronger case. I don't remember off hand the difference of powder capacity between the three cases but in the FA I used the same charges with no change in chrono readings.

Rick

[dragon813gt]

They are the same powder just like a few other Hodgdon/Winchester powders. Only difference is Hodgdon branded powder is cheaper. You pay extra for the Winchester name on the label.

[Beerd]

I can't believe it, 20 posts and nobody has mentioned H-110 yet. :coffee:Rick


wait, I get it! (wink, wink,)

Me, I use 2400
..

[ErnieBishop]

I have an 8 pound container coming my way

[cbrick]

I have an 8 pound container coming my way

Of what?

Rick

[ErnieBishop]

Hodgdon 110

[cbrick]

Better get another one, one is only good for about 3500 rounds. :Fire:

Rick

[9.3X62AL]

Long-time user of WW-296 and H-110 in 357 Magnum, also Alliant 2400.

[ErnieBishop]

I have 8 pounds another powder coming to:drinks:

[jdt81]

2400 is a great powder (using 190 gr cast). Haven't tried H 110 in .357 yet. Stopped with 2400 because it was very accurate and got excellent velocities (1200 fps)

[cbrick]

I have 8 pounds another powder coming to:drinks:

Another powder? What?

Rick

[ErnieBishop]

Alliant 300MP

Another powder? What?

Rick

[cbrick]

Hhmmm . . . Interesting, I've never used it, where does that powder fit in the burn rate chart?

Rick

[Silver Jack Hammer]

I used Blue Dot pretty much exclusively back when I carried the .357 on duty for about 10 years. I competed in law enforcement shooting matches and Blue Dot was my powder of choice. 2400 would get unburnt powder granulars under the ejector star preventing the cylinder from closing. Blue Dot was what I used in IHMSA long range pistol silhouette with the .44 magnum too. And I used Blue Dot exclusively when we switched to 9mm. The only draw back to Blue Dot is a bright muzzle flash when shooting at night. I used Herco for night matches.

Now my .357's are single action so there is no worry about ejector stars jamming the cylinder and I still use Blue Dot.

[pkie44]

Hhmmm . . . Interesting, I've never used it, where does that powder fit in the burn rate chart?

Rick

A bit slower than H110-296, seems to shine with heavy bullets and long barrels:mrgreen:

[Hamish]

Alliant 300MP

I know a fella that likes to push his HARD with 300MP.

Owner of my LGS has stores in five states, says I can kiss Reloder 7, 2400, etc. goodbye for a *very* long time due to the fire at the powder plant,,,,,

[ErnieBishop]

Hey, I resemble that remark:mrgreen::mrgreen::mrgreen:

A bit slower than H110-296, seems to shine with heavy bullets and long barrels:mrgreen:

[cbrick]

I just checked Powder valley and right now it's unobtainium. I'll keep an eye out for it though, a bit slower than H-110 is just what I've been looking for. Even tried 1680 in the 357, worked but couldn't quite get enough in the case (360 DW) to get velocity where I wanted it.

How bulky is this powder? For those using it in 357 brass what is the powder capacity with 300 MP?

Rick

[pkie44]

I just checked Powder valley and right now it's unobtainium. I'll keep an eye out for it though, a bit slower than H-110 is just what I've been looking for. Even tried 1680 in the 357, worked but couldn't quite get enough in the case (360 DW) to get velocity where I wanted it.

How bulky is this powder? For those using it in 357 brass what is the powder capacity with 300 MP?

Rick


You can get all you need in the case. :drinks:

[1Shirt]

2400 just works for me and it works for most cast rifle as well.
1Shirt!

[aya]

You should give Vihtavuori N-110 a try. Much like 2400, but more velocity with same pressure.Will match H-110 in velocity with less powder, at least up to 160-170 grs boolit.
In my guns accuracy is better than with both. Use standard primer, clean burning powder.

[cbrick]

You should give Vihtavuori N-110 a try.

N-110 is without doubt the best stuff I've ever poured into a 41 mag case. I have a little left but the problem with any of the V powders is that they are nearly unobtanium here, they sell it here but there isn't any. Been looking for 140 for a year now.

Rick

[texasbilly]

I'd like to add one more thing regarding the use of 296/H110 in a 357 magnum revolver. Like most powders, there is a range of powder weights which are acceptable for any given bullet weight. What I found was interesting. When lighter (acceptable) loads of 296/H110 were used, the revolver seemed to have a lot of muzzle jump and the recoil was noticeable. But when the heaviest (acceptable) loads of 296/H110 were used, the revolver seemed to come back more into the hand, and the recoil appeared to be less. Did anyone else observe this?