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Thread: Which powder for accuracy in 357?

  1. #1
    Boolit Master
    Daekar's Avatar
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    Which powder for accuracy in 357?

    I started my reloading of pistol cartridges at an inopportune moment, and have been making do with Green Dot as my only fast powder (aside from Trail Boss). It's fine, and seems to do the job, but I am not sure if it is the best solution. I have a S&W Mod. 60 with a 3" barrel that I would like to develop an accuracy load for using PC'd Accurate 36-159S. Would like to see velocities somewhere between 800fps and 850fps ideally, I like low recoil in my small handguns.

    I was at the gun shop yesterday and they had a bunch of Titegroup and HP38. There was also some CFE Pistol, Clays, and Longshot.

    What powder would you suggest I try if my goal is to shrink my groups? I would like to achieve sufficient accuracy that I could use this gun to take a foolish rabbit or squirrel if I had to.
    I'm a big fan of data-driven decisions. You want to make me smile, show me a spreadsheet! Extra points for graphs and best-fit predictive equations.

  2. #2
    Boolit Master 358429's Avatar
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    If it was me browsing the powders I would get the tightgroup, hp38 and maybe the cfe pistol.

    Tightgroup is good for generic light loads.

    Hp38 is winchester 231 rebadged and made the most accurate button nose deep seated snubby wadcutter loads, and has some safety room to increase the powder charge with other bullets that give more powder room.

    I really like win 231 for 38 special.

    Cfe is much slower burning than either and still works.

    All three are small flattened discs and meter well with the powder measure and the lee scooper spoons.

    Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk

  3. #3
    Boolit Master
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    HP-38 is an excellent powder for mid speed accuracy loads in a .357mag. It’s the same as 231, and I used that powder with several .357mag revolvers I shot competition with. I owned two PPC guns built for me by Bill Davis and they both would shoot one hole five shot groups at 25 yards. The hole was ragged, but all bullets were touching (off bags with a red dot).

  4. #4
    Boolit Grand Master
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    Another vote for HP-38. And you can likely get to your velocity level with 4.5 gr in a .38 Spl case.
    Don Verna


  5. #5
    Boolit Buddy
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    I’d get the Hp-38/Win 231 also.

    I shoot lots of TiteGroup, it’s accurate and economical, but it’s noisier than necessary(to me anyway).

    I have just recently started using Hp-38/Win 231 and it seems more versatile for my needs. It also seem to have less bark then TiteGroup with the same velocity loadings.

    Soon as my TiteGroup is gone it will be replaced by Win231/Hp-38.
    “You’ve got to slow down to be fast” - Dad

  6. #6
    Boolit Master


    Walks's Avatar
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    I like HP-38/W231 and TiteGroup. I've gotten great accuracy from both.
    W231- 3.5grs
    TiteGroup - 3.2grs
    These loads are from the Hodgdon Cowboy Action Data Pamphlet of 1/03.

    Never leave TiteGroup in a powder measure. It will rapidly
    destroy the plastic hopper
    I HATE auto-correct

    Happiness is a Warm GUN & more ammo to shoot in it.

    My Experience and My Opinion, are just that, Mine.

    SASS #375 Life

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check