How's my 357 deer load?

[Elbow]

I have been using 11.5 grains of old Hercules 2400 with the Lee 358 158 rf out of my 3" barrel Smith and Wesson model 60 and a Rossi trapper. Been picking dandelions off my lawn, deadly accurate. My. First go at reloading the 357, intend to use tos load on deer, don't know the velocity or other specs, what do you guys think?

[Tim357]

Don't have my notes handy, but IIRC 10gr 2400 with 158 Lee RNFP in a Ruger SP 3" gave around 900 fps, and 12.5 2400 with Lyman 357446 seated in center groove gave well above 1200 fps in same gun.

EDIT: these loads were in .38 SPL cases

[tsubaki]

All of this is based on a hazard of guess.
IF that 158gr produces a little over 1000fps in the 3" barrel, it MAY produce a little over 1300fps in the rifle.
IF that 158gr had a BC of .200 it SHOULD produce 423 ftlbs at 100 yards with a muzzle velocity of 1300fps and 494 ftlbs at 50 yards.

Down here in SE Georgia the deer are small. 135lbs live weight is the norm, 175lbs is something to talk about.
I try to base my hunting loads on a minimum of 500 ftlbs at the range of impact.
In your instance, if it were my gun and load I'd consider it 50 yard deer rifle.
Others are expected to argue different.

[tsubaki]

I just caught the boolit being a RF, probably a BC of .160 but usually the preferred design for hunting purposes.
That decreased the energy a little but still reasonable to 50 yards.
100 yards 395 ftlbs
50 yards 473 ftlbs

[reddog81]

Been picking dandelions off my lawn,
I need to try that version of weed control. However it probably won't work well in the city...

[robg]

I have been using 11.5 grains of old Hercules 2400 with the Lee 358 158 rf out of my 3" barrel Smith and Wesson model 60 and a Rossi trapper. Been picking dandelions off my lawn, deadly accurate. My. First go at reloading the 357, intend to use tos load on deer, don't know the velocity or other specs, what do you guys think?
Used that load in my 686 ,it would work well in the desert eagle 357 too.

[Jeff Michel]

I shoot 12 grains of 2400 with a 180 grain WFN is running 1470 fps out of a 77/357.

[Screwbolts]

IMHO, Your Load of 11.5 with Your Lee will go nearly length wise of a deer. I used to load at 1100 Fps out of my rook rifle with the NOE 358-160 WFN in 357 cases, for younger, new hunters to use on deer when they sat with my dad. Always pass threw never lost a deer and could eat up to the hole.

Ken

[aspangler]

I use the same boolit in front of 13.5 gr 2400. It is hot. Use this load with caution. Use it ONLY in Ruger SA, or Dan Wesson revolvers. Would work ok in STRONG action single shot rifles. This is a load I WORKED UP TO! Work up to this load DO NOT START with it. YMMV

[cherokeetracker]

hey elbow answer your PMs

[yeahbub]

My go-to load in my '92 is 16gr of 2400 under a 158gr plated HP or a paper patched 158gr RNFP seated long for .357 OAL in .38 special brass. Primers are fairly flat, but there's still a visible radius. YMMV. There's an excellent article you may want to consult about the .357 at: http://www.leverguns.com/articles/paco/357_magnum_and_the_literature.htm.