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Old 10-27-2011, 07:38 PM
TheTinMan TheTinMan is offline
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Default 357 Magnum / Win 231 / 158gr LSWC

To start with: Is this combination of components just wrong? If it makes any sense, can some of you all suggest an appropriate range for the powder charge? If not, should I just go find some AA #5 or Unique?

I want to find an accurate target load (25 yards) for my two 357 Magnum revolvers. Having tried 148gr HBWC bullets in .38 Special cases, I decided to experiment with .357 Magnum cases and Hornady's swaged 158 grain lead SWC HP... without digging up data before ordering components. My Hornady and Lyman manuals don't include this combination of components and I haven't been able to find much online either.

ARGH! I feel like an idiot.

I am hoping to stick with Win 231 as it works well in .38 Special and .45 ACP/AR. Other pistol powders I have on hand are AA #7 and VV 3N37. No data in my manuals for either of those with this bullet in .357 Magnum either.

Hornady's 7th Edition manual shows a max .38 Special load of 4.4 grains at 850 fps for the 158gr bullet. Several posts here and elsewhere suggest bumping up .38 Special loads "a bit" for the same bullet & powder in .357 Magnum cases. One post here recommended 6.2 grains of Win 231 under this bullet, but that's more than "a bit" higher powder charge. I also found references elsewhere to old Winchester data showing a max load of 6.7 grains of 231 under a 158gr lead SWC.

FWIW the revolvers in question are a Model 66-5 and a Colt Model 357. IOW max pressures and velocities are not my goal.

Last but probably not least - am I correct in assuming that I MUST use small pistol magnum primers in .357 Magnum cases?
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