Recently got a scoped Model 57. I have a few other 57's that I've loaded for, but not for hunting. I have Sierra 210 gr HPs, and Hornady 210 XTPs. I've had good luck with 2400, Unique, and AA #5, but all target loads. Any suggestions for a 75 yard whitetail deer load ?

I've practiced a fair bit on clay targets at 100 yards with open sights, shooting with the butt on the bench. I know my 6" 657 and 6" 57 can do it. I'm wondering how warm to load. I'll test them at the range first, of course.

Thanks.

Steve in SC

Max load of H110 with either bullet will work nicely.

Hornady 210 gr XTP over 18.5 grains accurate #9. Very accurate & hard hitting.

I and a friend of mine use 19.8 of H110 under a 220gr bullet.He shoots them(Sierra)in a 8 3/8'' 657 and I shoot them(Saeco SWC)in a 5 1/2'' Redhawk...but just waiting for my friend to get rid of his 657 so that I can put my hands on it!In both cases,no flat primers and extraction is positive.Winter is setting in up here.The chrono will have to wait 'till next spring.
Qc

The light 210gr SP at 1300fps has a energy of 788.

A box of Buff. Bore 230gr LFN at 1450fps has a energy of 1074.

If to must shoot past 50 yards you should use ammo that will drop your deer cleanly.

Good hunting.

I have taken several deer with the 41 mag, in a 6.5 Ruger Blkhk and a 10" contender. An appropriate 220 or 210 grain bullet at 1200 fps plus through the "boiler room" will put meat in the freezer. I shot the 41 for years in metallic sil., out to 200 yds. It is a most capable round with the right ammo.

Try this load:

R-P case
Winchester LPP
Lyman 410459 220 grain Keith SWC
21.7 grains H110/W296

Bruce

Looks like I'll be hunting some W296, thanks for the help.

You can substitute a Sierra 210 JHC or Hornady 210 grain XTP for the Keith SWC. I've used the Sierra bullet. It is an accurate and powerful load.

Bruce

I guess I would have to think about the size of deer I will be hunting and my max distance that I will shoot . You did say deer , not elk or moose , right ? You might not need a full magnum load . But if you decide that is what's needed , then practice and practice a lot . I don't mean a just couple of cylinders full and call it good . For the sake of the deer , get very very proficient with the load you decide on .

I've been using 210 gr hard cast lead SWC with 9.5 Unique. Found out that stepping it down a little from the max load gave better accuracy. Have also used 4227 and 2400 but Unique is best in my 8 3/8" model 57.

John

Nothing wrong with IMR 4227 and seems always in stock somewhere. Remember you are not after t-rex good shot placement is the key.

I found some W296 at my local fun store, and mag pistol primers. Thanks for all the good advice. I'm very lucky to be able to hunt in a place with a good number of deer, and I'm extremely particular about what I shoot. My usual tool is a .25-06 rifle. I've gotten two deer this year, but always wanted to try a handgun for hunting. Nothing over 75 yards, and nothing but high percentage shots. And yes indeed, plenty of practice.

Groo here
If deer is the largest thing you will be hunting,
use a near max load of some magnum powder and
a Sierra 170gr jhp.
It will shoot flatter, get there faster, open up [important on light skin game AKA Deer]and the bullet is designed to hold together as it is a hunting bullet not a SD bullet.
Deer don't need much killing to start with.

Not a thing wrong with 2400 in the 41 magnum. Usually very accurate.
The 210 grain Hornady XTP over 18.5 grains 2400 with a Federal 150 primer , works quite well in my model 58. In a 6 inch barrel you should have an honest 1250 fps. , very effective .
Gary

Factory 210 grain loads from a Model 57 4" barrel:

Speer Gold Dot: 1185

Federal Fusion: 1280

Remington SP: 1247

Federal 210 JHP: 1266


Hand load: (same gun)

210 Sierra JHC/22.0 H110 or 296/1227

210 Sierra JHC/23.0 H110 or 296/1290


Work up from 20.0 and use a chronograph....

Bob

ps..I do however agree with Groo...the 170 Sierra is the deer bullet to have... 26-26.5 grains of H110 gets 1536 from a 5.5" Redhawk, 1650 from a 6.5" Blackhawk and 1875 from a 10" Contender... I use them in a 8 3/8" 57 but have not chronographed them yet. It is Garry Reeders favorite .41 bullet for light skinned game up to elk...

My deer load for a 357PD is 21.5g H110 with the Hornady XTP 210g. It will work. Accurate and I have taken two deer with this load. It is near max so be advised. Winchester 296 is the same for the most part.

Years ago I tried several different load combinations and came up with 210-220 grain bullets, either jacketed or hard cast .410 diameter, magnum large pistol primer and 18 grains of 2400 in either Winchester, Remington or Federal brass. Try it, you'll like it!! gary

I think I'm seeing this correctly, I can use the same weight charge for W296 as is posted for H110 ? Working up to it, of course, always.

I've been to 17 gr of 2400 under a couple different bullets, it was accurate.

The idea of a faster 170 gr bullet makes sense, too.

Doesn't look as tho time will allow for testing and practice for this year, but it's a good goal to have for next season. I have a good spot for a blind at 60-70 yards. I've shot the pistol a bit, it's accurate so far, deer at 50 yards would be in trouble.

Thanks for the help.

Yes data for 298 and H 110 can be interchanged but as with any lot number change work up to it. It is generally acknowledged that these are the same powders in todays manufacturing.
I would stop where accuracy is just starting to widen the group even if it is a few fps under max. The bullets you are using should get it done.

__________________
Front sight and squeeze

You might want to double check loading manuals as well. The above post that says it's ok to load 21.7 grains H110/W296 under a 210 Sierra is .7 grains OVER Sierras published Max load. It may very well be safe in the posters guns but I wouldn't normally start out over the manufacturers Max.

This poster obviously isn't very familiar with H110/W296. Regardless of what an individual loading manual might say, I have NEVER found it possible to stuff enough of this propellant into a .41 or .44 Magnum case and still be able to seat and crimp a bullet properly with the resultant load being dangerous. I do not recommend this practice but in another life I used to go thru 8 lb. caddies of H110 with regularity. I believe I still have some of the old 1 lb. containers which call out the powder as surplus. Later, the propellant was noted as being "reformulated".

Incidentally, Hodgdon's data for the 210 grain Hornady XTP bullet is 22.0 grains maximum. Finally, in my experience the Sierra manual is the last one I would quote as the definitive word on load data.

Bruce

You don't know me. You have no idea what my experience is. I was merely suggesting to the OP that if he is not familiar with those particular components in HIS firearms that he not use as a STARTING load, one that is so far over the manufacturers MAX load. Of course, if he wants to follow your suggestion to stuff as much H110 into a case as he can get and see what happens, that's fine too.

I only know what you wrote and it's in error. I also know that reading for you seems to be a secondary skill as I never recommended the practice of completely filling the case with H110/W296. I merely stated that it could be done without creating a load which might burst or bulge a cylinder. Further, I specifically stated:

H110/W296 requires a minimum (starting charge) load density of at least 90% to even burn properly so the jump from a starting load to 100% load density is not a great one. With this propellant anyway, Handloading Rule #1-start low and work up loses quite a bit of context. Somebody very familiar with this particular propellant know this. Then there are those who spout conventional "wisdom" as coming from a burning bush engraved on two granite tablets.

Which manufacturer is that. I just quoted the powder manufacturer's data taken from his current website. For those readers of this thread who are in favor of getting the latest and newest manuals for "up to date" load data, the latest Sierra manual (which daveric4 quotes) was published in 2003 I do believe. Of all the load data I've ever tried, a .44 magnum load in a Sierra handgun manual was the only one I could not build. It used W296, a 180 grain JHC, Winchester case and Winchester LPP. When I assembled all of the exact same components, drop the charge specified by Sierra into the case and tried to seat the bullet; the bullet could not be seated into the case and crimped. One of the things I learned is that neither W296 nor H110 will compress much if at all. This was a maximum load and at that time Winchester recommended that maximum charges of W296 be used as listed without reduction. Anyway, so much for Sierra's data being gospel.

Bruce