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Old 07-30-2010, 09:28 PM
686357 686357 is offline
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Default Full Power 158 Gr. 357 Magnum Loads

I'd appreciate your recipes for a 158 Gr. .357 full power load, from a 4" barrel. I'm hoping to get about 1300 FPS, and good accuracy. I want to use a JHP or semi jacketed bullet. Thanks.
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Old 07-30-2010, 09:53 PM
JC4013 JC4013 is offline
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Just out of curiosity, what do you plan to do with that load? Back in the day I carried a Model 19 with a four inch barrel. Once I was practicing with full-power 158 grain loads to be ready to qualify and battered the web of my hand so badly you can still see the scar (it got infected). It's the scar that connects the railroad tracks from holding a 1911 too high a time or two too often.
jc
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Old 07-30-2010, 10:12 PM
MikeD49 MikeD49 is offline
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I have had success with 2400 and H-110 as far as the exact charge ther are just too many variables when you start talking about FULL POWER IE Max loads. Either one of the 2 powders lister will do a good job. Refer to a good loading manual they will offer good loads. Another ecellent reference is Ken Waters Pet Loads
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Old 07-30-2010, 10:25 PM
Dragon88 Dragon88 is offline
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H110/W296 will get you there, but expect some nice muzzle flash and recoil. You could also try a very stiff charge of 2400, it might get you that velocity with less muzzle flash.
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Old 07-30-2010, 10:56 PM
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We were just talking about this today:

Lil' Gun .357 158 Gr. Loads
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  #6  
Old 07-31-2010, 07:49 AM
alwslate alwslate is offline
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15grs of 2400 and a standard primer under a 158gr cast bullet will give
1300fps or so in either of my 4" N frames. I would expect a bit less
velocity with a jacketed bullet. You might try 17grs of 296 if you want
full power but I wouldn't shoot this load in a K frame. Just my opinion.
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Old 07-31-2010, 09:32 AM
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11.0 grains of Blue Dot with a standard primer. 1300 fps in my 6" guns, probably around 1250 in a 4" gun. Pleasent enough to shoot as well and highly accurate.
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Old 07-31-2010, 09:42 AM
686357 686357 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JC4013 View Post
Just out of curiosity, what do you plan to do with that load? Back in the day I carried a Model 19 with a four inch barrel. Once I was practicing with full-power 158 grain loads to be ready to qualify and battered the web of my hand so badly you can still see the scar (it got infected). It's the scar that connects the railroad tracks from holding a 1911 too high a time or two too often.
jc
Well, it's meant to be for target shooting. I enjoy shooting the full power 357s, it's fun! I don't find the full power .357 loads to be too punishing, with exception of Buffalo Bore's 180 gr. load - which feels almost like a .44

Last edited by 686357; 07-31-2010 at 10:45 AM.
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Old 07-31-2010, 09:57 AM
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I will reitterate Mike's advice above, and add AA#9 to the list, simply because that is my choice for a "slow" pistol powder due to it's flexibility (almost identical to 2400) and easy flow through powder measures.

But Mike is right - there are too many variables to suggest a true max load. You have to work it up for your circumstances. Now for what you want to do, there's not a whole lot to be gained by working up an exact MAX load. I'd suggest picking somewhere around 95% of max and working up to that from start and calling it good. your hand won't notice much difference, but it's easier load-testing and a little easier on the gun. I've also found this level of load to generally be more accurate (but not every time).
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Old 07-31-2010, 11:25 AM
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But what powders do you have? The H-110 and Alliant 2400 are great Magnum powders but very little room for reduction. 1gr or less.
You can get almost the "big bang" with other powders, Unique, Hp-38 and save some powder/money and be a lot safer, less wear and tear for target shooting.
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Old 07-31-2010, 11:38 AM
44caliberkid 44caliberkid is offline
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Blue Dot anyone?....not as much flash as H110 but still a nice stiff charge. and a lil more economical.
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Old 07-31-2010, 06:23 PM
canoe on the yukon canoe on the yukon is offline
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With all of the usual warnings about working up your load and also observing that the actual velocity will vary from gun to gun,the following are a few truisms.

Manuals vary(especially with the 357 mag in recent years)however I worked up to the following and had good results in a number of different revolvers.

357 mag brass

Speer 158gr JHP

15.0 gr of 2400 with standard primer

or

16.5 gr of W296/H110 with magnum primer.
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  #13  
Old 07-31-2010, 06:37 PM
Skip Sackett Skip Sackett is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 44caliberkid View Post
Blue Dot anyone?....not as much flash as H110 but still a nice stiff charge. and a lil more economical.
No BlueDot for me. I live where the temps can get pretty low in the winter. BlueDot "don't" work too well when you get down into the single digits!

Plus, BlueDot isn't going to give you true magnum performance. You will need something much slower for that.

In my opinion, 2400 and slower on the burn rate chart.
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Old 07-31-2010, 06:56 PM
Wayne M Wayne M is offline
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12.5gr's of AA#9 gives me an honest(NOT average) 1250fps in my 357's and it works well with either HARD cast or jacketed 158gr bullet. I've used it for as long as there's be AA powder available to me.
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Old 07-31-2010, 07:23 PM
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blue dot works fine for me. unless you shoot in extremely cold temps, blue dot works great. measures good, less flash and felt recoil than the slow powders.if you shoot autos, it works in them too.
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  #16  
Old 07-31-2010, 07:27 PM
Skip Sackett Skip Sackett is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by perrazi View Post
blue dot works fine for me. unless you shoot in extremely cold temps, blue dot works great. measures good, less flash and felt recoil than the slow powders.if you shoot autos, it works in them too.
Where do you live? Near the equator? Maybe south of the Mason Dixon line where it seldom gets below 30*F?

BlueDot will work fine in that area. Paul5388 has some really good loads with it and he shoots year 'round. He lives in southern Texas though!
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Old 07-31-2010, 09:07 PM
Treeman Treeman is offline
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I have used a fair ammount of Blue Dot in .357 magnum with good results..........but its reported low temperature sensitivity has caused me to stop loading Bdot. While Blue Dot shows some top level performance loads in some manuals, my own experience caused me to consider it more of a 5/6ths of top performance powder with heavy bullets in the .357. If you don't hot rod it and don't shoot in extreme cold it is an economical powder that can yield nice groups and match the performance of much of the economy factory ammo.......but if you want less than full magnum performce there are less sensitive, powders that will work even more economically and I find myself generally just using .38 specials for most purposes and when I want a .357 I want it to be a stomper.
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Old 08-01-2010, 12:19 AM
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I use very little Blue Dot in hand gun loads. Mostly, it's used in reduced loads for rifles and it works very well in those applications.

Skip is right about it rarely getting too much below 30 degrees F, but I'm in east Texas, not south Texas. This year held a little surprise for us in this:



Of course, 6" of snow doesn't necessarily mean it's real cold, nor does it mean there would be pressure excursions with Blue Dot at that temperature. It takes 0 degrees F or lower, according to Alliant.
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Old 08-01-2010, 09:42 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by OCD1 View Post
But what powders do you have? The H-110 and Alliant 2400 are great Magnum powders but very little room for reduction. 1gr or less.
You can get almost the "big bang" with other powders, Unique, Hp-38 and save some powder/money and be a lot safer, less wear and tear for target shooting.
OCD1,
I just had a question on your information you shared on H110 and 2400. I am aware of the fact that H110 is a powder you can not use for reduced loads but I was not aware of this regarding 2400. I know 2400 burns cleaner when closer to the max loading but I was not aware of it being dangerous as H110 is when used in reduced loads. Myself and others use it in reduced loads for rifles. I for one use it in 30-30 and 45-70.
Cary
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Old 08-01-2010, 12:22 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Cary View Post
OCD1,
I just had a question on your information you shared on H110 and 2400. I am aware of the fact that H110 is a powder you can not use for reduced loads but I was not aware of this regarding 2400. I know 2400 burns cleaner when closer to the max loading but I was not aware of it being dangerous as H110 is when used in reduced loads. Myself and others use it in reduced loads for rifles. I for one use it in 30-30 and 45-70.
Cary
I was only referring to the load data published that does not show a wide range from min to max for 2400 either. I do not know if it is "dangerous" to reduce the loads published. I use it for my pistol Mag loads and for the 30 carbine. I posted a question about reducing it and lots of responses where well below the published min in the 44 Mag,

How about some good loads for 240grLSWC in 44 Mag?


I did call Alliant a few days ago in regard to lowering the min for 2400 on the 44 Mag. He advised to not load below the 18.xx something data that I had and to use a different powder like Unique.

But back to 357 mag. Speer lists 13.8 to 14.8 for the 158gr bullet. Only a 1gr variable which is all I was trying to say.
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Old 08-01-2010, 12:38 PM
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All the usual suspects will give you good velocity with a 158gr bullet. H110/W296, 2400, AA#9, Lil'Gun, 4227 and Ramshot Enforcer can all be used and your gun will tell you which is most accurate in it. I use 2400 for lighter bullets and to be able to vary the loads. When I'm looking for maximum velocity especially with a heavy bullet it's W296 for me... I have been using Lil'Gun for 170gr and 180gr bullets for use in an 18.5" barrel Carbine.
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Old 08-01-2010, 01:53 PM
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I no longer use Lil' gun in my revolvers due to the forcing cone issues and the fact that it never outperformed H110/W296 in any of them. That and the fact that it heated my guns up much faster than any other powder I've ever used.....didn't matter if it was carbines or handguns. What works for you and others may be different and I respect that and am not dishing anyone that prefers to use it. For shooting magnum velocity loads with 158 jacketed bullets, I like 15 gr of H110/W296 and a SPM primer. Not a wrist breaker, but very accurate and definitely a magnum round. When hunting, I up this load a tad in both the revolvers and the carbines, but at the range, it's all the "magnum" I need.
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Old 08-01-2010, 03:38 PM
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I just went out and shot some 358429s with 11.0 gr of SR 4756 in .357 brass. While I didn't clock them, just let me say there was plenty of recoil in my M66-1. 10.0 gr clocks at 1300 fps, which is just about what Speer #8 says they got with a 6" barrel. So, even with my 4" barrel, I would suspicion the velocity is in the 1400 fps neighborhood, as reported by Speer.

I used the M66 just because it's the only long chamber .357 I own. The M28s and Dan Wesson 715 all have the "short" chambers.
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