357 mag loads

[cheese1566]

I pulled out my scoped Colt King Cobra in 6" stainless yesterday after it sat neglected for about 6 years. I ran a box of loads through it I made up about 3 years ago. I loaded up some 358156 gas checked boolits with a load of WW296 and magnum primers. I heeded the Winchester published loads and not reducing the powder charge. (Which I don't understand the warning, since H110 is suppose to be the same powder, but published loads show reduced charges for it....)

I felt the loads a little powerful and loud. I understand I can shoot 38 loads, but I want a load with some umph but not full power. I want to shoot this gun regularly during the winter for the sake of no brass falling in the snow. I want loads that won't beat me or the gun, but more than 38's.

Currently i can hit my 4" and 6" steel plate at 50 yds off hand. I want to try 100 yds in the future on the bench.

Any suggestions on powders and loads? Would prefer to keep with regular small primers, but can readily buy magnums now if needed.

[Nowherefound]

Not sure how they work at longer ranges since I only use them for trigger practice at defensive ranges but I love running 6 grains of Unique under a #358429 in 357 case... I worked loads from 5-7.5 grains and settled on the 6 as fitting my needs perfectly. Not too loud or too much of a hammer on the hand and easy to run 200 rounds through while at the range. I fire these through a SP101 at about 10 yards and when I do my part all holes can touch. If I want to get beaten up I run the H110.

[Bzcraig]

There are many, many published loads using 2400 & 4227 that have lower starting loads

[rintinglen]

A favorite midrange 357 load of mine was the 358-477 loaded over 6.5 grains of Herco, not as loud and boom-ie as the full charge stuff, but still a step up from 38 +P loads. 12 grains of 2400 was another reduced load that got some play. 5.6 grains of WW-231 under that same boolit also worked well. These days my magnum shooting is usually done with a 44, and my 357's shoot 38's.

[Lonegun1894]

My two loads are 7.0grs Unique or 14.0grs 2400, both under the Lyman 358156 and using .357 Brass if crimped into the front groove or using .38Spl brass if crimped into the rear groove, but all my revolvers are Rugers, so I don't know how that translates to your Colt.

[OnHoPr]

Back in the late '70s a guy that I use to cast boolits for a gun shop with got a little older and got annual range privileges near. We first bought 50 round bags of 148 gr bevel base wad cutter 38 specials from the range. Then we decided to reload our own. I don't know why we didn't cast our own as we use to cast 10,000 a week. I think it had something to do with messing with a lubrisizer and we just bought bockses of 500 158 gr SWCs FB. We shot quite a bit, about 500 rounds a weekend. After many different powder tries we ended up using IIRC about the mid 5 gr range of Green Dot for about 1050 to 1100 fps. That load metered well in the RCBS uniflow. It wasn't the little pop of the range 148 gr wadcutters, but it wasn't 15.5 gr of 2400 either. What it was, was pretty damn accurate in the Dan Wesson 6 & 8, 66s, 19s, Python, and BH. @ 25 yd with the 2" bull we use to try and shoot the center out with 50 rounds. So, after about 20 rounds you had to start shooting at the pieces of paper near the 2" ring like at the fair to get your stuffed animal. There weren't to many holes that went outside of cutting the bull ring. Though, it was still comfortable enough to shoot 150 rounds on a Saturday and a quick 100 rounds on a Sunday or workday after work.

[FullTang]

Check online for some of the old Alliant manuals ( http://www.castpics.net/LoadData/Freebies/RM/Alliant/Alliant_2003.pdf ) and you'll see some great data for powders like Herco and American Select that you don't see mentioned much anymore. 7.9 gr of Herco with a 158 gr LSWC (no gas check needed) makes a really nice load---powerful, but not too much. I've loaded a bunch of American Select at 5.9 gr and it's a bit milder, plus it's really clean. Excellent everyday load! I've found Green Dot and Unique to be a lot dirtier and less consistent in my guns (GP100, Vaquero, LCR, all in .357)

[bangerjim]

I have used 5.4gn of Titegroup and 5.7gn of ETR7 with good success and not too much kick. 138gn RNFP NLG PC'd boolits. But lower loads work great too. Just make sure the boolit comes out!!!!

As said, check some olde books for great loads

bangerjim

[Motor]

I just started powder coating and wanted a "warm" not hot .357 load to try them out. I ended up going with 10gr of Blue Dot and a Lee .358" 158gr SWC. My friend and I shot these from my 4" Rossi 917 (model 19 Smith&Wesson clone) and his 2" model 19 Smith&Wesson.

The were very nice shooting, not too hot and not too light. To be honest I've had this un-opened pound of Blue Dot for almost 20 years. I'm glad I saved it now. :)

Motor

[bangerjim]

I love the 38/357! I have loaded everything from 1.6gn up to ~8gn loads in a bunch of powders too numerous to mention. Lots of case room. Fun to lite load. 1 roundball with 2gn is a very quite fun load. My hi-end 22 air gun makes more noise!

Same with 45LC. My 2 favorite cal's to load for. All PC'd.

Tried a box of 357mag FMJ com-loads and feels way too heavy for my S&W 14 to be comfortable.

[dragon813gt]

I heeded the Winchester published loads and not reducing the powder charge. (Which I don't understand the warning, since H110 is suppose to be the same powder, but published loads show reduced charges for it....)

They are a published start load that's been tested. The warning is for when they list max loads only. That's when you play by the 3% rule.

For general plinking any of the fast burners will do. I use W231 for this application. But they are boring to shoot. Close to full tilt loads of H110 w/ a heavyweight bullet is where it's at :)

[TCFAN]

For my S&W 686 6 inch I like and the gun really likes 4.2 grs of Bullseye with a Lee cast 358-140 SWC in 357 brass with any small pistol primer.Accurate out to the 100 yard line on 8 inch steel plates. From a rest this gun will keep this load in the X ring of a 25 yard slow fire pistol target at 25 yards for 10 shots any time using a rest and a red dot sight.Recoil is a little more than I like for one hand target shooting but the accuracy is so good that I just can't complain to much............Terry

[357Mag]

CHeese -

Howdy !


Winchester's ( Olin's ) old reloading pamphlet, used to list:
14.5 gr WW296 and WIN SP Mag primer under lead 158SWC.


This has been my go-to 'Mag load for 40yr ( S & W "N"-frames of 4, 5, & 6 " ).
Accurate, powerfull & clean.


With regards,
357Mag

[sundog]

Alas, (sigh), HS-7 is no more. One of my all time favorite loads was 10.0/HS-7 and the 358156.

AA#7 is an okay substitute.

[Larry Gibson]

........I felt the loads a little powerful and loud. I understand I can shoot 38 loads, but I want a load with some umph but not full power. I want to shoot this gun regularly during the winter for the sake of no brass falling in the snow. I want loads that won't beat me or the gun, but more than 38's........

Try 6 or 6.5 gr Unique under the same bullet in magnum cases. I use WSP primers.

Larry Gibson

[357Mag]

Cheese -

Howdy, again !


I have not tried it @ 100yd, but 8.0gr IMR4756 and SP primer under those 158s, is a good controlled-recoil load.
It's a bit sooty, but is very accurate.

I think IMR4756 is another "IMR" powder that is fading, fast. Try some..... while you still can.


With regards,
357Mag

[Ed_Shot]

In a .357 case Red Dot/Promo 5.0 grs gives me excellent results with Lyman's 358242 (120 gr), 358495 (WC 142 gr), 358477, 358156, 358311 and the Lee 358-158-RF in my Rugers. All are accurate and economical mid-range loads.

[Treeman]

There are lots of good intermediate recipes. My own Favorite is 8.2 grains of 800x under 125-160 grain bullets in .357 mag. Many people despise 800x because of the way it meters but I love it for 10mm auto and magnum revolvers. It can take you almost to the velocity levels of 2400, 296/H110 , AA9 with much lower charge weights , good case fill and clean burning....and when you back down from max it stays clean and gives great performance for those "way more than specials/ lower noise and recoil than full magnum loads".

[avogunner]

358156GC over 11.5gr of 2400 with SP Mag primer. Very "comfortable" to shoot that doesn't "beat" me or my pistols. I have 4 different S&W 4" and 2" K frames and they all love this load. Yeah, I like shooting steel pigs at 100yds too!

[12DMAX]

I am currently testing the 358156, you may find something useful here:

3" barrel
50/50 Alloy
.358
BAC Lube
CCI 550

Win. 296=15.5gr

Lo=1141
Hi=1199
Av=1165
Es=58.12
Sd=13.78
Total=25

Win. 296=16gr

Lo=1173
Hi=1238
Av=1206
Es=64.23
Sd=20.68
Total=15

BlueDot. 10gr

Lo=1205
Hi=1278
Av=1252
Es=73.82
Sd=29.01
Total=15

Dont know why but the BD loads where faster although they did not compare at all to the accuracy of the 16gr 296 load. Going to sneak up a little more on BlueDot and see if things straighten out accuracy wise. I am out of 2400 at the moment but plan on testing this one also.

[P Flados]

In a .357 case Red Dot/Promo 5.0 grs gives me excellent results with Lyman's 358242 (120 gr), 358495 (WC 142 gr), 358477, 358156, 358311 and the Lee 358-158-RF in my Rugers. All are accurate and economical mid-range loads.

My 1985 Hercules guide gave 7.0 grs red dot as a max for a 158 J bullet. They listed 6.5 gr for a lead round nose (1200 fps / 36000 cup).

In 357 mag cases, I use 296 or I4227 when I want full power.

But I also use "stout" promo loads for "just shooting".

With 6.6 grs behind a Lee 150 round nose (ASBB PC) I get a lot more bang than a 38, clean burning, no leading & downright cheap.

My guns have also really liked HS6 when I wanted "just less than max" type loads.

[GhostHawk]

I have been shooting a fair amount of Red Dot in a .357 mag Handi rifle.

I was using the lee .358 158 grain round nose, tumble lube over 4-6 grains of Red Dot. So far 5.2 has been my most accurate, putting 3 rounds in one hole at 50 yards. Now I am casting the new Lee .360 200 grain gas check, so starting over from scratch again. I have 4227 if I want to burn it. The Red Dot has been working so well and is so economical I hate to switch. Time will tell.

[Ed_Shot]

I have been shooting a fair amount of Red Dot in a .357 mag Handi rifle.

I was using the lee .358 158 grain round nose, tumble lube over 4-6 grains of Red Dot. So far 5.2 has been my most accurate, putting 3 rounds in one hole at 50 yards. Now I am casting the new Lee .360 200 grain gas check, so starting over from scratch again. I have 4227 if I want to burn it. The Red Dot has been working so well and is so economical I hate to switch. Time will tell.

+1 My Handi will consistantly make one hole at 50 yds with the Lee 358-158-RF over Promo 5.0. I size to .358 with WL 2500+. I wanted a 38 Spl load that was equally as accurate and would shoot to the same POI (with no scope adjustment) at 50 yds and finally found that the Lyman/Ideal 358242 (120 gr) over Promo 4.2 was the answer. As a plus, both loads are super accurate in my handguns.

[sliphammer]

6 gr. of Unique has been my load.