357 Magnum with a 95 grain cast bullet - load help?

[BNE]

I make a load with a 125 grain bullet and H110. I think 21 grains? (Sitting in a Drs office waiting to be seen, so the load data may be off. It is the max recommended in either my Lee or Speer handbook. )

It is a favorite when I take people shooting as it makes a big flame, boom and yet still only has moderate recoil due to the light weight bullet.

I have a mold for a 95 grain bullet intended for 380s. I want to try some loads with that as I think the recoil would be low, but the boom and the flash would be significant.

I can’t find a lot of load data for a 95 grain bullet in the 357 and H110. I would like to know if you have done it and if you safely used more that the max load recommended for the 125 grain bullets. Have any of you tried this? What do you recommend?

BNE

[BNE]

Lots of looks, but no input..... Has anyone loaded a 95 grain bullet in a 357? I may have to test and report back.

[shaggybull]

Layman cast bullet book has loads for 90gr 356242 mold . 700x bullseye accurate 5, power pistol, 231, sr-7625

[Tatume]

https://hodgdonreloading.com/

Hodgdon has data for a 90 gr cast bullets in 357 Rem Mag.

[jdgabbard]

I don't think many have tried it. However, I did see a YouTube video a few months back where someone did this: used a 92gr 358242 in the 357mag that is...

That said, I have looked through all of my 7 reloading manuals, and there is not a single load listed for using H110 with a 90-95gr bullet, only bullet listed in this range is the 358242 92gr variant. As a matter of fact, it isn't even recommended for anything below a 150gr boolit in the data I am seeing. However, if you REALLY want to use H110, Gordon's Reloading Tool suggests that loads starting around 18gr are safe. No idea on the upper limit....how high you load is on you....

BUT.... Here's the thing... Why bother? You can achieve the same, or better velocities using half the charge of Bullseye or 231. And even then, you're going to be pushing a 95gr bullet at about 1600-1700fps. I can almost guarantee you're going to get leading whether using regular Lube or Powder Coating. A 95gr bullet is unlikely to hold enough lube for this application, and I'd be surprised if powder coat alone is enough to prevent leading over 1500fps. Maybe you could use a PB gascheck, but that is a whole other can of worms. And even if you're trying to get the most energy you can out of the 357, you're going to get more energy just using a 150-160gr bullet at 1450fps than you will with a 95gr at 1600fps.

[MarkP]

Use a heavy crip if you try any, and be aware of squib loads and to check bbl afterwards.

[BNE]

I don't think many have tried it. However, I did see a YouTube video a few months back where someone did this: used a 92gr 358242 in the 357mag that is...

That said, I have looked through all of my 7 reloading manuals, and there is not a single load listed for using H110 with a 90-95gr bullet, only bullet listed in this range is the 358242 92gr variant. As a matter of fact, it isn't even recommended for anything below a 150gr boolit in the data I am seeing. However, if you REALLY want to use H110, Gordon's Reloading Tool suggests that loads starting around 18gr are safe. No idea on the upper limit....how high you load is on you....

BUT.... Here's the thing... Why bother? You can achieve the same, or better velocities using half the charge of Bullseye or 231. And even then, you're going to be pushing a 95gr bullet at about 1600-1700fps. I can almost guarantee you're going to get leading whether using regular Lube or Powder Coating. A 95gr bullet is unlikely to hold enough lube for this application, and I'd be surprised if powder coat alone is enough to prevent leading over 1500fps. Maybe you could use a PB gascheck, but that is a whole other can of worms. And even if you're trying to get the most energy you can out of the 357, you're going to get more energy just using a 150-160gr bullet at 1450fps than you will with a 95gr at 1600fps.

Thank you for looking it up in all of those books. I am more interested in the "Shooters experience" than I am a super power load. I powder coat, so I will see if I get leading. Why do it? Good question, and I appreciate your other powder suggestions. H110 or W296 tend to have a big fireball that always impresses new shooters. (Makes a great picture if you can catch it - use "live" mode on the iphone and you can often get a great fireball.)

I like taking total newbies shooting. I start them with a 22 and work them up to 44 MAG. I make light loads in the 357 and the 44. This lets them get used to the gun and then decide if they want a higher power round. Invariably people walk away very happy with the experience. I work with a lot of Europeans who have never seen a gun, much less get to shoot a dozen of them.

[BNE]

Use a heavy crip if you try any, and be aware of squib loads and to check bbl afterwards.

Will do. Thank you.
BNE

[jdgabbard]

Thank you for looking it up in all of those books. I am more interested in the "Shooters experience" than I am a super power load. I powder coat, so I will see if I get leading. Why do it? Good question, and I appreciate your other powder suggestions. H110 or W296 tend to have a big fireball that always impresses new shooters. (Makes a great picture if you can catch it - use "live" mode on the iphone and you can often get a great fireball.)

I like taking total newbies shooting. I start them with a 22 and work them up to 44 MAG. I make light loads in the 357 and the 44. This lets them get used to the gun and then decide if they want a higher power round. Invariably people walk away very happy with the experience. I work with a lot of Europeans who have never seen a gun, much less get to shoot a dozen of them.

If you're looking for a big fireball, you can also get that with other powders. I use 5gr of Unique under the MP357-125-HP in my 2.5" 38spl SP-101, and it throws about an 8" diameter fireball, and impresses new shooters at the range. There are other options for what you're looking to achieve with published data. Pretty much any mid-high level load with a light bullet will probably give you what you're looking for in 2-4" barrels.

[P Flados]

You are really headed "out there" with this kind of load. First off, I would not try to shoot something like this in anything less than a "tank" of a revolver. Working up loads in something like a Contender would be even better.

I ran a 95 gr through Quickload with W296.

Seating depth, case capacities and powder densities can be all over the place, so for something like this loading for % fill is probably a better approach.

Max pressure was safe with 104% fill. This was with both deep seating and a shallow seating. I generally avoid more than about 102% fill with ball powders.

I am thinking that most of the "do not download" stuff for 296/H110 was about less than full cases.

So a min load right at 100% fill might be ok.

If you need help with percent fill, give me actual case length, give me how much powder will fill your case 100% full, give me your bullet length and your COAL. I will "tweak" case capacity in QL and run some stuff for you.

Again, as far as normal guidance, this is pretty much "off the reservation". So be careful and be safe.

[rockshooter]

H110 and light bullets make me nervous- I'd play with Blue Dot first for flash.
Loren

[Larry Gibson]

H110 and light bullets make me nervous- I'd play with Blue Dot first for flash.
Loren

Another here that thinks you're headed for a major "oops" with H110 under that light of a bullet.

[kenton]

Hodgdon calls for 22-23grs of 296/H110 under 110gr XTP.

[Tall]

I have done that. I was young and stupid. I wanted max loads and nothing but max loads. My experience is that the cast SWC 95 grain bullet needs to be as hard as possible or you will have severe leading. H110 / W296 is not the ideal powder for this because of the massive fireball. I could clear out an indoor range with a cylinder full of this. You really want to use something like 2400 or IMR 4227 behind light projectiles.

[Sam Sackett]

BNE. Sounds like you are not interested in performance, just trying to get the biggest boom and fireball. This sounds like a lesson in futility trying to use 110 powder. Not going to tell you not to, but I mirror the suggestions above.

PS. If you do try it, please post your results….

Sam Sackett

[20:1]

Another here that thinks you're headed for a major "oops" with H110 under that light of a bullet.

Agreed. H110 often fails to deliver a clean, full burn with lightweight bullets. A lightweight cast bullet would likely exacerbate that situation.

The reason for the lack of loading data is that the powders manufacturer probably doesn't recommend H110 in this particular application.

[MT Gianni]

Forget the H110 and WW 296. If you want flame and blast, go for 100% black powder and clean well. This old dinosaur sees little use for bullets lighter than 158 gr in 357. The possible exception is in a lever with a twist rate that limits you to 135 gr. I would skip 95 gr and go with a round ball and 2 gr bullseye.

[BNE]

I have been reloading for 24 years now. I have all my fingers and all my guns have not been hurt. I highly appreciate the input and that is why I asked. I have never gone higher than a published load. I have gone much lower than listed loads with fast powders.
I’ll have to see what other powders I have available at the local store.

Thank you guys. I like my fingers and guns in one piece.

BNE

[P Flados]

I have been reloading for 24 years now. I have all my fingers and all my guns have not been hurt. I highly appreciate the input and that is why I asked. I have never gone higher than a published load. I have gone much lower than listed loads with fast powders.
I’ll have to see what other powders I have available at the local store.

Thank you guys. I like my fingers and guns in one piece.

BNE

If you want to stay "on the map", Hodgdon does have one W296 load for a 105 and one for a 110. The 105 looks like a solid, so probably not a good "reference" load.

Customizing a 110 load for a similar weight bullet would be less of a stretch than your original request.