.357 Wadcutter at 1000 fps recipes and advice

[Divil]

Hello,

I just got an excellent condition Ruger Security Six in .357 (blued with a six inch barrel). I want to load and drive 148 grain full wadcutters at 1000-1050 fps in Magnum brass. The idea of a .357 Magnum full Wadcutter and medium velocity has always intrigued me.

I am interested in casting my own boolits and am looking to get a mold that produces 148 grain flat based Wadcutters with a crimp groove. Molds considered Are Accurate 36-148L or 36-148W.

Lube will be either Lyman Orange Magic or Lar’s Carnauba Blue.

Any powder recipes or words of wisdom from the brain trust on this?

Thanks,
Divil

[Ed_Shot]

You have a fine weapon there! My Security Six 6" is excellent with just about any load combination I try. I don't have a 148 gr WC but I use the 141 gr. Lyman 358495 WC. It is super accurate in a .357 case over Red Dot (or Promo) 5.0 gr. and chronys @ 1050 fps for me. Be safe, have fun.

[HWooldridge]

Cast them in straight linotype and try 6.0-7.0 grs of Unique.

I personally like Blue Dot and have several loads in multiple calibers worked up for that powder but common wisdom seems to mistrust BD so I won't make any recommendations for it.

[Divil]

I like the Unique and Red Dot ideas. I will be using hardball alloy just because that is what I have on hand. The encouraging words on the Security Six makes me feel optimistic. Thanks guys.

[Kosh75287]

I agree with my fellow north (central) Texans on the Red Dot/Promo and Unique load data. In fact, splitting the difference on the charge weights for Unique (6.5 gr.) should put you very close to your desired velocity. You WILL want to cast them of a harder alloy than is usually used for wadcutters, given that you are trying to drive them about 40% faster than is customary.

[Larry Gibson]

Many years ago the PD I worked at had a Lyman 4 cavity Lyman 358462 mould that dropped 158 gr WCs when cast of old COWWs. I cast and shot thousands of them out of 2 Ruger BH revolvers (4 5/8" a& 6") along with a 4" Colt trooper. I used 11.5 gr of Hercules 2400 back then in Remington cases with CCI 550 primers. Was an excellent and accurate load with that bullet. When I got an Oehler chronograph in the early '70s I found they ran 1030 fps out of the 4 & 4 5/8" revolvers and 1080 fps out of the 6" revolver. As that WC has a bit of nose they maintained accuracy, which was excellent, to beyond 100 yards. I also found them to be excellent killers on game.

[jonp]

I run 4.6gr of Promo in my Blackhawk with good results at around 1000fps although the best accuracy comes in at 3.8gr, I think without checking my book using different brass I have on hand. I have a 2 Lee molds of that weight both the TL358 and the 358. I've not noticed a difference in accuracy between the two.

Never owned a Security Six but what I've read indicated they stood up to 125gr 357Mag loads developed for law enforcement pretty good but not as well as the GP100 that came after. I'd check the data on those and keep my loads under it pressure wise.

[Thumbcocker]

Lyman 358495 over 5.0 of 231.

[Tim357]

6.3 Power pistol in Remington nickeled .357 cases with Lee 148 WC showed around 1050 fps

[Char-Gar]

5 grains of Bullseye will get you where you want to be.

[44MAG#1]

I now have a 38 Special belly gun and a 357 Mag GP100 with a 2.5 inch barrel.
If you are talking about loading for self defense 650 fps is enough.
The VIRGEL app says anything from 625 fps to over 1500 fps will not increase the wound mass.
So no need to endure the added blast and recoil for no reason. Longer gun, brass and shooter life.
To me that is a plus.

[Divil]

Lots of good suggestions. Thanks. I will say that the 1000fps threshold mostly is for similar recoil impulse and point of impact to other loads that I will run in my .357. This is not meant to be an anti personnel loading, just a warmer than typical wadcutter target loading. If I need to use a .357 in the anti personnel role the factory Speer 135 grain gold dot will be used.

[Hi-Speed]

My load with a cast (15 BNH) 148 gr cast DEWC in 357 Magnum uses 6.0 grs Unique (I believe its derived from Lyman 44, it’s old load data and do not use it). I do not have any left over to chronograph but I can load up more and test them at a later date. It is very accurate and smacks steel with an authoritative rap!