Anybody using WSF in their 357 Magnum?

[Down South]

Hi Folks, I was wondering if any of you have tried WSF in your 357 mags. Neither Hodgdon nor anyone else publishes data for the .357 cartridge using WSF. I have some Speer data for the 38 special using WSF and that’s it. I have been slowly working up a load in the 357 with WSF using a 158 Grain RF cast boolit. WSF appears to be a good powder for up to full house loads.
Currently I’m loading the 158 gr on top of 7.9-8.0 gr of WSF with an average muzzle velocity of 1325 fps. WSF is a fairly new powder. Have any of you reloaders experimented with this powder in the 357 magnum?
My 357 mag is a Ruger GP 100 6" Stainless.

One thing that I should have mentioned earlier is the load data that I’ve posted should not be tried in your revolver. It was posted for exploratory reasons only.
I believe that this load is at the top end of pressure range now for the revolver that I’m using it in. Your revolver may react completely different to this load. Please do not attempt to use this load.

Another question and I’m sure that that there will be a lot of different answers. What powders are working best for you in the 357 magnum using cast boolits?

I’ve gotten away from jacketed bullets due to their cost and started casting my own. I’m using WW with about 2% tin added. I’m water dropping my boolits and my alloy is running about 22 BHN.

[felix]

DS, you are doing great with that powder on your own merits. WSF is Olin's answer to Herco and 4756. Herco will use more case volume, and 4756 will use less case volume. WSF and Herco are both double base, whereas 4756 is single base. So, you have a great choice of powder with that same quasi powder speed. Ignition, however, will be completely different among the three powders, so each must be adjusted for the application. ... felix

[chickenstripe]

I'd say your going to get alot of responses with H110, and 4227, but for rifles I'd have to say that 2400, and Lil'gun have no equal.

chickenstripe

[454PB]

Using 155 to 160 grain boolits, my GP-100 likes 10 gr. of Bluedot and 9 gr. of HS-6 for medium velocities.

[mike in co]

i know of a single case where the powder manufacture replaced a 40 s&w pistol due to a gun failure due to lot to lot variation in wsf. same load in one lot very safe, unsafe and gun failure in the next lot.
wsf is a shotgun powder that is not correctly tested for pistol use, it is compared to previous lots only. fine for the low pressure seen in shotgun use, but not in the higher pressure that MAY be seen in some pistols. closed bomb testing is the correct test.
my only comment is to make sure you retest when you change lots.....maybe no big deal, maybe a surprise.
mike in co

[fecmech]

With my chrono and handguns WSF and Herco were practically identical for velocity per load weight in the .38 spl and 9mm. I would guess you are pretty close to the max with the load you listed for the 158 rnfp.

[MT Gianni]

My 357's like Unique, Herco and WC820. They don't complain about AA#2, Reddot or Bullseye with 38 cases either. Gianni

[Down South]

With my chrono and handguns WSF and Herco were practically identical for velocity per load weight in the .38 spl and 9mm. I would guess you are pretty close to the max with the load you listed for the 158 rnfp.

Exactly what I'm thinking. I'll probably back the charge off a few tenths and do more testing. I did slowly work this load up to where I'm at now and I'm not going any higher without published data. I'm including pics of some of the rounds that I shot yesterday under the load that I quoted in my first post. The primers are still looking good. I used three types of cases. Two were RP and one was Win. I have 500 rounds of new Starline that came in today and will test them in a few days or whenever I get time.

http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t95/iamdudley_2007/Guns/SS850307.jpg

[FieldShunt]

WSF is portrayed by Winchester as being for small, high pressure cartridges like 9mm and .40 S&W.
WSF is my favorite for 9mm by a wide margin. I'm not reloading for a .40 these days so I can't say much about that caliber.
The Winchester data also shows WSF as a higher-performance .45ACP powder, but I'm happy with WST for that that I never ventured into WSF.
Bill

[Down South]

It does do well in the 9mm. I have a load using WSF in my 9's that is a tack driver. It also does well in my 40's. It does well in my 38 special too. So far it doesn't do worth a crap in my 357. But the revolver is new. I'll ream the throats out on it next week. They are just a bit tight.
I’ll do some more testing with WSF in the 357 but I’m going to try some 2400 and see how that does.

Thanks for all of the replies. DS

[hunter12]

I would like to bring this to the top to see there is any new info

[BeeMan]

What a timely bump. WSF turned out last year to be my choice for 9mm. I just noted my position on WSF this weekend and want to see how it does in 357 mid to upper range work with cast.

[Love Life]

Works good in the 10mm as well.

[Petrol & Powder]

I can't say that I've had good luck with WSF in revolver cartridges but it's a great powder for the 9mm Luger! I have not found a better powder for 9mm. If I had to guess (and a guess would be about all it was), WSF has the fast burn rate needed for .357 mag but not the bulk to get consistent pressures in that larger case. I've used WSF in a few 38 Special rounds but never found a good load and always went back to WW231 or Bullseye.
Be careful with fast powders!

[Fluxed]

I've had good results with 473AA in .357, which is the powder that WSF replaced. I'm using WSF in .45 ACP right now but plan to try it for mid-range .357 and .44 Mag soon as I get a chance to test. I can't think of a reason why it won't work well.

[winelover]

Another question and I’m sure that that there will be a lot of different answers. What powders are working best for you in the 357 magnum using cast boolits?

I’ve gotten away from jacketed bullets due to their cost and started casting my own. I’m using WW with about 2% tin added. I’m water dropping my boolits and my alloy is running about 22 BHN.


I settled on 2400 for all my 357 Mag. loads, as well as, the 44 Mag. and 45 LC.

Since I use Unique for 38 Spl. and 9mm, all my handgun reloading is done with just two powders. Unique is also used for low velocity in the 357 ,44 & 45 LC.

Versatility is the key.

Winelover