reloading .357 magnum

[jack danials]

general reloading

I started reloading in '73, thinking noise and recoil were signs of speed. About 25 years ago I bought a chronograph, coupled that with reading all of the leading reloading manuals, (not just the powder charge tables) and purchasing the latest manuals I have learned to load for bullet weight and barrel length. Chronograph has given me good speeds without the 3 feet of flame, terrible recoil and head splitting noise.

 

[old&slow]

I prefer 2400 powder for warm to hot loads in the .357.
Unique is good for medium to warm.
If you can find it,, W231 for light target loads.

As far a load data I like Lyman, Hornady , or Speer reloading manuals.
If you are new to reloading , there is alot of good information in the reloading manuals that should be read prior to loading the first round.

And I would never use information that some one gave me over the internet unless I triple checked it against a good reloading manual or two.

 

[gwpercle]

Click on the Skeeter Skelton link and download the articles "Handgun Loads" and "My Friend , The 357 " . Those loads are tried, true and Skelton tested....still good and a great place to start.
The Lyman #358156 with 7.5 grains of Unique is a tack driver out of my old Ruger Blackhawk. With today's "new" Unique I would drop back to 7.0 grains and see how that perfoermed
Gary

 

[Fishslayer]

Ron hit the nail on the head, you have to decide what you want the load to do for you, then choose the powders. For big fireball hunting loads that push the cartridge to it's full potential, 2400 is a good place to start. For economical plinking/target loads Unique or W296 are popular choices.

2400 is my personal favorite but is unobtanium right now. H110/W296, while a bit less user friendly, are available multiple places online.

Did you mean "Unique or W231" for target loads?

 

[Mad_Charlie]

2400 is my personal favorite but is unobtanium right now. H110/W296, while a bit less user friendly, are available multiple places online.

Did you mean "Unique or W231" for target loads?

Would make a lot more sense, W296 isn't a "plinking" powder, unless you like "plinking" with full power/velocity loads.

 

[LostintheOzone]

I like that new Hornady manual. Of course it isn't my only manual but I find I use it more than the others. That would be my first stop for a manual.

Accurate #9 and Alliant 2400 are both excellent low to mid range powders. Because I don't load anything high end I find those fit my needs very well. #9 will probably be more economical if you can find it at a reasonable price. It's the first powder I bought for 357 and 30 carbine and it works. The only reason I went to 2400 was my dealer saved me 8 lbs out of the last real shipment of powder he got when things went south. I'm glad I tried it as it also does the job very well.

Start with #9 if you can get it. If you find you want a hot load 296 would probably get you there. It's ball powder so consider using mag primers.

If you want load data that isn't published call the powder company. Don't use anything someone passed along on the interwebs without a published source. Bad Ju Ju.

 

[venomballistics]

don't forget about some of the more obscure thunder makers.
AA#9 is at least dead on the heels of H110/296 without the tight load range issue.
IMR 4227 might have some issues, but some report it to make for a laser beam load.
300MP is supposed to surpass the great H110, LilGun also has merit.

I figured these underdogs need some mention.

 

[LostintheOzone]

It also depends on your definition of "plinking"

The mind is one of the first to go

Actually your memory is the second thing to go. I can't remember what the first one is but my wife knows. I'll ask her again.

 

[LostintheOzone]

don't forget about some of the more obscure thunder makers.
AA#9 is at least dead on the heels of H110/296 without the tight load range issue.
IMR 4227 might have some issues, but some report it to make for a laser beam load.
300MP is supposed to surpass the great H110, LilGun also has merit.

I figured these underdogs need some mention.

When is your new book being published?

 

[RDub]

Hello

If you're after absolute max performance in .357 Mag, then you need to look at MP-300, followed by 2400 and 296/H-110.
300-MP is a newcomer from Alliant and it proved to be the top performer in my guns.

I was curious about all this also and finally a few years ago I put this together;

http://smith-wessonforum.com/reloading/267122-357-mag-158gr-study.html

Several powders are useful in .357. You usually have to shoot and chronograph your own loads to see what combination will work best for you. But the results of the above study have been pretty universal from the feedback I've received.

Anyway, hope you find a load you are happy with.
Have fun!

 

[venomballistics]

When is your new book being published?

New book ?!?!?
Still draggin the river for the manuscript of the OLD book

 

[derek45auto]

.... For economical plinking/target loads Unique or W296 are popular choices.

W296 is best for full power, accurate, loud magnum loads.

...but it's probably the least economical, because you fill the case with it. 17-19gr with a 140gr XTP

for cheap economical I like a faster burning powder, like CLAYS, 231, Titegroup, because you'll use very little of it.
Titegroup... 140gr = 2.7-3.2grs of powder....that make a 1lb can go a long way.

combined with cast & coated bullets from MBC. SNS. or Bayou, you can make a lot of ammo for little money.


for mid-range loads, I like UNIQUE

for full magnums, W296/H-110, a magnum primer, and a FIRM roll crimp.

 

[rwsmith]

General rule of thumb......

This is only a general rule of thumb but fast powders, (Bullseye, Titegroup, etc) are usually for slow target rounds. Medium burning powders (Unique, Acc #5 etc) are for, guess what? Medium power general purpose loads. The slower powders (2400, H110/W296) get the highest velocities for defense, hunting and all around thrills.

Look at a powder burn chart, Hogdon has one on line.... Check the data for .357 in several sources. What velocity range do you want to work with? Some powders are more versatile and cover a wider range. Try to buy the powders that suit your purpose best. You are lucky in that more powders are available after well over two years of shortage.

 

[Moe Mentum]

In .357 mag, I use a 125 grain bullet, with 6 grains of w231.
In .357 mag, with a 158 grain bullet, I use 5.0 grains of Red Dot . These are mid range target loads.