357 Bunny Loads for old man

[drayks]

I reloaded several different weights of UNIQUE to give me a 357 Mag load of 1050fps with 6 grains of powder, and 1300fps with 7 grains of powder for my 6" barrel Model 66 with jacketed 125gn Hornady XTP bullets. It did look quite odd to see my Magnetospeed chronograph hanging under the barrel. The powder load is quite a bit lighter than manuals show it should be. I used a taper crimp on the light bullets and low recoil.
My next project will be to load 38 SPL with 158 gn Lead bullets for my model 14 with 6" barrel to achieve 800fps with Trail Boss powder. Anyone tried the TB loads?

 

[hardluk1]

I loaded different powder in 357mag barss for soft fun shooting our girls to step up to after several years of 22lr pistol shooting . Wad cutters was an early favorite in the 740fps range But I'll have to hunt for that load info as that was 20 years ago .

 

[gwpercle]

I can't help you with Trail Boss loads but I can give you my Pet 38 Special with Unique ... I see you have Unique !
158 gr. cast SWC load with ... Unique .
4.2 grs. Unique will give you 800 fps .
You may need to adjust this slightly slightly, +/- 0.1 gr. , for your gun ...
but it will put you in the 800 fps ballpark .

Loading 38 spcl / cast lead / Unique since 1967 ...
I have tried a lot of loads !
Gary

 

[smoothshooter]

I can't help you with Trail Boss loads but I can give you my Pet 38 Special with Unique ... I see you have Unique !
158 gr. cast SWC load with ... Unique .
4.2 grs. Unique will give you 800 fps .
You may need to adjust this slightly slightly, +/- 0.1 gr. , for your gun ...
but it will put you in the 800 fps ballpark .

Loading 38 spcl / cast lead / Unique since 1967 ...
I have tried a lot of loads !
Gary

Why all the series of dots in each sentence?

 

[old tanker]

4.5 grains of Unique has been my standard load for 158 grain .38 Specials since Eisenhower was in office.

 

[gwpercle]

Why all the series of dots in each sentence?

I have a stuttering problem
I'll try to watch it
Gary

 

[alwslate]

I have never used Trail Boss and I no longer use Unique. I have used my standard .38 spl plinking loads of a 158 gr cast RN bullet at 800 fps with various fast burning powders out of a 4" barrel to hunt Rabbits and Squirrels with one of my .357 revolvers.

 

[Model19man]

Most wadcutters are 148 grains. Never seen any 158 grains. Are you sure?

 

[glenwolde]

Why all the series of dots in each sentence?

Google "ellipsis"...

 

[glenwolde]

Most wadcutters are 148 grains. Never seen any 158 grains. Are you sure?

Not sure who you were replying too. I don't really see mention of a 158gr wadcutter but maybe I missed it.

There are heavier WC bullets. Or at least there are molds for bullet casters that make heavier wadcutters. I use an IDEAL 358432 which is an atypical wadcutter as the nose is long and outside the case. Mine cast out as 161gr.

 

[rwsmith]

Any .38 load.......

..is good in a .357 case. And I've gone lower, than recommended but don't come close to sticking a bullet in the barrel.

Some say you have to adjust the powder charge for the longer .357 case, but to me it is inconsequential as the little bit of extra length is only there to prevent loading .357s in a .38.

I was sighting in my 686 at the range today and shot nothing but .38 wadcutter loads. I can still shoot the full bore stuff, but I find that it isn't quite as much fun as it used to be. I'm happy just to shoot.

 

[BC38]

Why all the series of dots in each sentence?

It is called an ellipsis and in online forums it is meant to signify a long pause "for effect" - or to indicate an unfinished thought - or a sentence "trailing off" (kind of being left hanging).
It is a stylistic thing.
Hope that helps.

 

[BC38]

Most wadcutters are 148 grains. Never seen any 158 grains. Are you sure?

I have some 158gr Double-Ended-Wad-Cutter (DEWC) bullets in my inventory - both in hard cast bare lead AND copper-plated.

They are definitely available.

 

[BC38]

..is good in a .357 case. And I've gone lower, than recommended but don't come close to sticking a bullet in the barrel.

Some say you have to adjust the powder charge for the longer .357 case, but to me it is inconsequential as the little bit of extra length is only there to prevent loading .357s in a .38.

I was sighting in my 686 at the range today and shot nothing but .38 wadcutter loads. I can still shoot the full bore stuff, but I find that it isn't quite as much fun as it used to be. I'm happy just to shoot.

I generally agree - as long as you aren't loading MINIMUM charge weights for 38 special loads in 357 magnum cases.

The extra length of the 357 case gives more empty space under the bullet. This extra volume can significantly reduce pressure and velocity. There is the distinct possibility that the pressure may be TOO low - causing a bullet to stop before exiting the barrel.

But that should only be a concern if you use the absolute minimum amount of powder for a 38 special load in the 357 magnum case.

Even just a little "bump" of .1gr above the minimum 38 special charge should be enough to prevent this kind of problem.

IMO, I will only load mid-range 38 specials in a 357 magnum case. Most of my reloads are mid-range. I don't feel the need to load barn-burners, but I don't feel the need for bunny-fart loads either.

Middle of the road seems like the best course to me.

Better safe than sorry.

But that's just my opinion and YMMV.

 

[glenwolde]

It is called an ellipsis and in online forums it is meant to signify a long pause "for effect" - or to indicate an unfinished thought - or a sentence "trailing off" (kind of being left hanging).
It is a stylistic thing.
Hope that helps.

It explains it pretty well...

 

[LoboGunLeather]

My standard loads in .357 magnum:

1. Range/practice: 6.5 grains Unique, 158 cast SWC.
2. Field/hunting: 7.0 grains Unique, 158 cast SWC or 150 cast SWC-HP.

In .38 Special:

1. Range/practice: 4.5 grains Unique, 158 cast SWC.
2. Standard pressure field load: 5.0 grains Unique, 158 cast SWC.
3. +P load: 5.4 grains Unique, 158 cast SWC or 150 cast SWC-HP.

Tried a lot of other combinations over the past ~50 years but none have done any better or been more consistently useful for all purposes.

I haven't come across any bunnies who would know the difference, but I have eaten a lot of bunnies.

 

[Nevada Ed]

In my 686 6" revolver with Trail Boss and a 158 Lwc at 1.48" OAL;

TB at 4.0 grs gave me 755fps.
TB at 3.5 grs gave me 700 fp.

Try a light and medium crimp on the case to see it it helps with accuracy.
Good shooting.

 

[gwpercle]

Not sure who you were replying too. I don't really see mention of a 158gr wadcutter but maybe I missed it.

There are heavier WC bullets. Or at least there are molds for bullet casters that make heavier wadcutters. I use an IDEAL 358432 which is an atypical wadcutter as the nose is long and outside the case. Mine cast out as 161gr.

Lyman made the 358432 in two weights , 140 grain and 160 grain , same number !
Both discontinued by Lyman but NOE makes the 358432 - 160 gr WC . I have this design to be the most accurate cast wadcutter in all my 38's and 357's ...it's an accuracy sleeper that few realize is out there . When NOE started making 4 cavity 358432 - 160 WC moulds I ordered one so fast it made my head spin ... the single cavity Lyman mould was so slow ...
but I just love this bullet ... I don't cast much of anything else !

If you can put your hands on one of these ... try them out ,
the accuracy just may surprise you ... realy like the 160 grain weight !
Gary

 

[stansdds]

My bunny fart loads for 357 Magnum was 357 Magnum brass, CCI 500 or Winchester SP primers, 148 grain commercial hard cast DEWC, and 4.0 grains of Bullseye. This combination produced 949 fps from my 6 inch barreled Ruger GP-100.

 

[max503]

Anyone tried the TB loads?

Not TB, but I've loaded so light with Bullseye and Unique that you could see the boolit going through the air.