Getting ready to cast and load for a .357 Mag

[ghh3rd]

Ordered a Smith 686 Plus Deluxe 3" and have to decide on my first mold for mag loads. I would like to avoid gas checks, but will go with them if that's what it takes to shoot full house loads. I haven't measured lately, but think that my lead stash is about BHN 12. It seems like 296 is a popular powder for .357 - glad since I have a couple of lbs that I've been using for my .44 Mag.

[David2011]

I hope you tolerate recoil well. 296 is definitely popular for longer barreled magnum loads but seems like it is a hair slow for a 3" gun. My .357s are all 6" so I may be guessing wrong.

David

[bobthenailer]

You will need a harder alloy at least 15bhn for full house loads using 296 or just about any other slow powder.
Your alloy of 12 bhn should be good to at least 1000 fps with any fast to med burn speed powder. if you water drop from the mould the #12 alloy might be good for any velocity that the 357 mag can produce from light to heavy

I personaly use gas checked bullets for all full loads with any caliber.

My favorite target loads are 4.0 to 4.5 grs of Bullseye or Tightgroup powder @ 800 to 850 fps.

You can use just about any cast bullet from 125 gr to 200 gr , these loads , they have been tested in about twenty 357 mags over the years.

If all you have is Unique try from 5.0 to 5.5 grs for about 850 to 900 fps.

[Harry O]

You cannot go wrong with the Lyman 358156 for the .357 Magnum and the alloy you have (Bhn 12) is perfect for it. I don't download my .357 Magnum. If I want less power, I use a .38 Special +P. The gascheck on the Lyman mould means that you don't have to play around to try to get something to work without leading (when using full power loads). It just plain works.

[fredj338]

I pretty much removed all my gc molds from inventory. In a 3", you are looking at about 1250fps max with 160gr bullet. So IMO, 12bhn will probably be fine, if the bullet fit is correct. I shoot that in my 44mags with no ill leading affects. Now I am PC, so even less of an issue. In a sub 4" gun, I prefer 2400 for full power loads to W296/H110. The muzzle blast gets fierce. You will always get the most vel from slower powders but the payback is more blast & flash.

[quilbilly]

I really like two loads on my 357 with the 4" barrel. One is Lyman's Keith style 170+ gr. SWC and the other is the Lee 125 gr RF (mine drops them at 135). The Lee is for practice at 900-950 fps using Bullseye and the Keith is a working load at 1100 fps with 2400. The Lee at 900-950 is so pleasant and fun to shoot, I almost never use the heavier boolit but maybe if we had feral hogs around here, I might.

[robg]

Used to use 11.5 gr of 2400 under 158 swc in mine ,Elmer's load was 13.5 gr but I'm a wimp.

[psweigle]

I use 158gr gas checked for full house loaded 357's. Some guys have luck using no gas check, I however havent had that luck. All of my guns require a slightly different size, so a check makes it very simple.

[dragon813gt]

The BHN is fine. One of my favorite loads is a MP 359-640 over a max load of H110/W296. I think the BHN of those bullets was around 11. I've switched alloy and since I loaded a lot of them I'm still shooting the old alloy. Shoots great out of a 6" 586 and a Marlin 1894C. No leading and no gas check on that mold. It's a lot more comfortable to shoot out of the rifle :)

[gwpercle]

For full house magnum loads get a bullet that is gas checked. Makes life a whole lot easier.

I have heard the new rifling process S&W uses (EDM) is prone to causing leading until the grooves and lands can be worn smooth. I didn't buy a new model 66 when they came because the testing showed severe leading....cast lead is all I shoot.

So everything might be perfect with your cast boolit loads and you might still get leading, at least with a gas check , it might help.
I shoot an older model Ruger Blackhawk in 357 and with fairly hot loads 1250 fps , softish WW and Lead 50-50 alloy and a gas check I get no leading .

Gary

[wistlepig1]

My pet load in my S&W 8 3/8" is a 158gr SWC, GC @ 1250 fps. No leading with CoWW and a little tin, water dropped. In MY gun it is mild shooting and accurate. In my 2" it is horrible, not controlable and still hurts your hand hours latter. I use book powder loads.

[Love Life]

I like max dose AA#9 in the 357 magnum with a 158 gr cast LSWCGC bullet. Fast, accurate, and pleasant to shoot.

[Brad Cayton]

I shoot the RCBS 150 SWC with 6 grains if Unique and the 358429 with 12.5 grains of 2400 in my GP 100, 4". It's my packing/woods handgun. Both are very accurate in mine and are nice easy shooting loads. Arthritis and a long ago broken wrist keep me from shooting my 44s and 45s like I used to. Getting old bites but beats the alternative :mrgreen:.

[Leadmelter]

2400 is my ticket, no magnum primers.
Leadmelter
MI

[ghh3rd]

Since I'm 'poor' after ordering the 686, I ordered the Lee C358-158Swc mold, for now, although I sure would like a Lyman 358156 someday. In fact it should be sitting on my doorstep when I get home, if no one nabs it.

Now to look for an OWB holster...

[Thumbcocker]

I have good luck with the NOE 358 160 in full snort loads. Lee 125 rnfp is excellent for light loads and also works well in 9mm.

[pjames32]

Lots of suggestions here with faster powder. I think a faster powder would work best with a 3"bbl. I use the 358-156 Lyman with a gas check if I want to push a load. I bought an NOE 195gr SWC mold and like it in a short bbl gun. Slow and heavy!

[gwpercle]

One of the most accurate boolits in my 357 magnum Ruger Blackhawk is a 9 mm boolit.
NOE 358-124-TC-GC , it drops from the mould right at .358 , has a GC and is easy to size .358, a trip through the 450 just lubes and seats the check ( .357 works also, that's what I use in the 9 mm's)
That bullet over 6.5 grains of AA#5 (Accurate Arms)produced a 15 shot group that clustered in a 1 3/8 inch spread at 25 yards. And I'm half blind and have trouble seeing iron sights !
I just use the taper crimp die from my 9 mm set on them.
Gary

[Moonie]

I like the lee 158 rnfp powder coated with 296.

[44man]

I shot the 358156 before 296 was thought of. 2400 was my go to powder. You still can't go wrong.

[blue32]

I mixed lino and range scrap at a 1:5 ratio for a bhn of approximately 12. I run the RCBS 38-158-CM air cooled over 13.2 gr. of 2400 lubed with RCBS 80008, CCI #500, in my 6" 686-6 at 1205 fps. It is my most rewarding 357 load in terms of accuracy, stout but fun recoil, and no leading.

[pjames32]

Back to the question. OP has a SHORT Bbl gun. I'd like to shoot the above 2400 load for a 2-3" gun at night. That would light up the sky for sure.

[ghh3rd]

Looking forward to trying some loads out ... it's on a 3 month layaway at Buds, but I have a feeling that I will get it sooner than that ;). Meanwhile I have a mold, some gas checks, and think I will get some Hi-Tec, so I'm ready.

[Down South]

I use 2400 or H110 for full house loads and around 18 BHN. No gas check.

[bluejay75]

Unique, HS6 or 231 would serve you well for your purposes.

[rintinglen]

The softer you go, the more "right" your boolit fit, and loading technique has to be. I use the MP 360-640 as well as the 359-640 and the 360-640L and run them in the mild side if not heat treated to avoid leading. If you want to run hot loads, you will likely want to water drop or heat treat your boolits to get your BHN up around 16-22.

[rond]

http://www.darkcanyon.net/MyFriend_The357.htm
Still good advice today.

[ghh3rd]

Thanks for the link to a good read, rond.

[rockshooter]

If you like the 358156 check out NOEs sale!
Loren

[Rainier]

Don’t know that much about a 3” barrel but in my 4” barrel GP100 I use the Lee 158gr plain based boolit PC’d with a healthy dose of 2400 (15 grains - Skeeter Skelton’s load) - that is as “stout” a load as I’m willing to shoot. I can’t say if that’s a “safe” load in the S&W but it sure works well in my Ruger GP100. So… the Lee 358-158-SWC might be a consideration after you get your gun, slug your bore and cylinders and see what size the mold drops your boolits at.


And please, just because I load 15 grains of 2400 behind a Lee 158gr PC’d boolit in a Ruger GP100 - (Did I mention Ruger only?) don’t “assume” that load is safe in every or any gun. Start low, work up using published data.


Moderator(s) please let me know if I need to remove this post.

[Down South]

My Revolver is a Ruger GP-100 6" barrel. It's had a lot of work done on by me and is my most accurate revolver.
A few MiHec HP's for the 38/357.

[Screwbolts]

IMHO, in your 3", I totally agree with what Ken Waters wrote in "Pet Loads" about heavy loads in the 357mag. The slow Magnum pistol powders will not perform as well as suitable faster powders such as Green Dot and Unique. Ken Waters writes that, 7.8 gr of Green Dot with 158-160 gr bullet is considered a Maximum load. In my 6" 357, 7 gr of Green Dot loaded under a 358156 w/GC (160Gr) croneys 1200 FPS 13.5 of 2400 cronys 1228 FPS from the same firearm with same boolit same WSP primers, crony at 15' from muzzle. Start low and work up to see what your gun prefers. I would not limit myself to the slower normal Mag powders like others listed above unless you enjoy muzzle flash and blast. I like 2400 in my 6" pistols and rifles.

IMHO, I also agree with KW that you will be only getting a maximum of 1150 FPS from a short 3" tube with the Max loads in the mag case. I also find the same as KW that leaving the check off a GC designed boolit (358156 or the NOE 360-180 RFN ) will slow the load by 50 FPS, I can't explain it but my crony verifies it.

In my older reloading manuals I find that Green Dot was a very popular choice of powder with cast in pistol and rifle loads. I have found it to be a good choice for 4" 38s and 357 loads. Accuracy has been good for me with green dot or 2400.

Ken