So....I'm waiting for the "Magnum" in .357 Magnum

[kennethdlarson]

Ladies and Gents,
I've owned and reloaded for a 6" Model 28-2 the past two years. In an attempt to minimize the battering to this revolver while attempting to keep performance up, I've limited myself to 158gr plated bullets from Xtreme and powders like 2400 and IMR4227. I've read the posts about the performance (on the plus side) and wear and tear (on the negative side) that W296/H110 can have on revolvers, especially with the lighter bullets - so I've steered clear of those. After all, this forum's namesake ain't making any new P/R revolvers and the ones out there ain't getting any cheaper! All this being said, I'm waiting for the "magnum" to show up in the .357! I've been loading 16.0 grains of 4227 w/ mag primer and 15.0 grains of 2400 w/standard primer and have been getting ~1200fps+/- out of the loads. There is no massive recoil snap or muzzle rise. You can tell when you light one off but nothing that makes me think "magnum."

Before I start a flame war about this powder or that load or just to go to a .44 Maggie, I want to defer to the "old hats" and reloaders that are more experienced than I. Am I doing anything wrong with these loads? Am I expecting too much? When I pull the trigger on this ~44oz beauty of 'Merican ingenuity, I don't get the feel of overwhelming 38 caliber "power." Yes, it is a heavy revolver but, I'm just not getting the sense of power that I'm expecting out of the world's first magnum cartridge and the most powerful commercial magnum for 20 years.

Any sage advice or recommendations are welcome. I like the .357 Magnum and what it means to the revolver community. I just want to make sure that I am expecting the correct performance out of the cartridge and not making overly presumptive demands on it. Thanks and Happy New Year!!!

 

[slickracer]

H110/296 = real magnums.

 

[ralph7]

Shoot those loads in a J frame and get back to me.

 

[Will2]

I reload 15 grains of 2400 with 158 grain jacketed bullets, to me it feels like the 145 grain Winchester Silvertip HP... a moderate 357 mag load.

Will

 

[Mikeinkaty]

What velocity for a 158 grain FMJ would you expect to be able to call it a magnum round? The Federal SJHP in 158 grain has the hardest recoil I have experienced in my 686 L-frame. I have no idea what velocity it has as it doesn't say on the box.

 

[rwsmith]

I forget what I clocked them at.....

.....but one of my favorite 'barn burner' loads is a 140 gr. jhp out of a 686 "L" frame and when I get over 15 grains of 2400, it starts to smart. Over 15 1/2 gr. I find to be damaging to my hands, wrists, elbows, shoulders. A 29 is a heavy gun to chamber in .357

 

[DocB]

I don't reload anymore, but the 357 Magnum was designed to get just a bit over 800 foot pounds with a 158 grain bullet out of a 6 inch barrel. It looks to me that you're loading to attain around 525 foot pounds at muzzle. Don't worry. You can't break a M28. Just stuff in some more powder until you hit 1500 FPS with a 158 grain bullet, and you will see the magnum effect.

 

[Just another 22 shooter]

16.7 grains of H110 behind a Hornady 158 gr XTP is right off of Hodgdon's website. I shoot this in my 6" 586 and feel that it is a genuine "magnum" load.

 

[amazingflapjack]

hard to hurt the workhorse 28-2

 

[epj]

hard to hurt the workhorse 28-2

True, but it can hurt you

 

[moosedog]

That gun will out live you. Shoot it and stop worrying.

 

[gregintenn]

Shoot those loads in a J frame and get back to me.

...or even a k frame can be a handful in 357 mag.

 

[cowboy4evr]

I have the exact same gun . when I load 180 gr cast bullets with a slightly compressed load of H110 / W296 it gives you that " magnum " feeling . The current load data falls a bit short . I have always found that a slightly compressed load of the above mentioned powders have always worked better for me . Your results may vary .

 

[colt_saa]

I have been shooting full power 357 Magnum loads with H110 powder since the 70s. Well over 10,000 of them have been 125 JHPs

Your Model 28 and all N-frames are built for it. Shoot it all that you want. With any weight projectile that you want.

 

[Jackcpat]

Magnum

Running the same combo as Just another 22. 16.7 gr of H110, small pistol CCI magnum primers over 158 gr Hornady XTP out of a 28-2 4 inch cut for moon clips. Nice stiff recoil, fireball big enough to make you lose you night vison. No flame cutting, no forcing cone damage. It's a N frame.

 

[Alk8944]

If you are talking about "original" 1935 performance of the cartridge there is only one way to do it. Shoot cast lubricated bullets and get a gun with 8 3/8" barrel!

Because of the higher coefficient of friction of Copper coated bullets, whether jacketed or plated makes no difference, you will lose from 100-150 FPS compared to a Lead alloy bullet. Shorten the barrel from 8 3/8" to 6" and you will lose another 75-150 FPS. Now you are down to 1325 FPS best to 1200 FPS worst velocity for a plated bullet from a 6" .357. What more do you expect to get?

Buy some 158 cast SWC bullets and load them with 15.3 gr./2400 and chronograph them. Consider whatever you get as your best velocity for your gun, because it is.

 

[Lee's Landing Billy]

We get 1,250 FPS with a 200 grain Cast Performance Gas Check out of 4 inch guns. I will never need more from a .357.

 

[rwsmith]

I almost ruined my friend......

He said he wanted a .357 and I let him shoot some, included some max loads. it turned him off like crazy. I had to show him that you could shoot ANYTHING below that, even 148 gr HBWCs and it still took a few outings to convince him otherwise.

Then he bought an alloy .38 and he doesn't like that. I put a Hogue monogrip on mine and now my wife shoots it. I'll let him shoot it next time.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Light bullets at high velocities are known to damage the forcing cones on K frame revolvers, not N frames like the M28.

If you want a real magnum load but 158gr Hornady XTP bullets and load them over a full charge of W296/H110 and you won't search any longer. I'm happy with 158gr Cast SWC bullets but that's not what you're looking for here.

 

[rwsmith]

What is 300 MP?

The Alliant tables show that it can push a 170 grain GDHP at over 1600 fps. Ok, take off a little for the exaggerated 'published claim' but you still have a round that will knock your socks off.