I just ordered some of the Hornday XTP's in 125 and 158 grain. What powder and primers are you folks seeing the best results from? I am loading for my 627 UDR and 627 Pro.

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Dyin ain't much of a livin

I like win296 or hodgedon 110(same thing) and cci 550 primers in my 686.

I use 2400 and am experimenting with 300MP. Both are ignited by Winchester small pistol primers. I only use the XTP in a carbine so YMMV.

Well, I have a marlin 357 that should be arriving at the gun store thursday so it is good info. I am looking for a good load that doesnt require me to keep a bunch of different powders on hand. Everywhere I look I get different info. Grrrrrrrrr

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Dyin ain't much of a livin

What do you think of alliant 300 mp? My reloading book (Lee second edition) doesnt list any pressure values for it but it seems to be a step up from 296. Maybe a bit much???

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Dyin ain't much of a livin

I got my wife a Henry rifle in 357 last year .. sweet little rifle. didnt think I'd ever warm up to a lever gun but that one earned me.
We feed it a cast 160G HP over 2400 most of the time. It seems to augment the character of the rifle somehow

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it just needs more voltage

Ya? I dont see a lot of loads for 2400.

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Dyin ain't much of a livin

For full house magnums at max loads, H110/W296

2400 is a lot more forgiving and can be downloaded and no mag primer needed, from mild to full magnum.

Mr ArchCD will recommend HS6 with a Mag primer

Depends on what you want to do with them???

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Still Running Against the Wind

If I'm not running Unique then I'm probably using Blue Dot.

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S&W M642-2,
ATI 1911a1, 4.25"

I don't load light bullets for the .357 magnum and I really don't use .357s in barrels under 4" but for 158 and 180 grain XTPs in my 4-8" barrels I use 4227 and 2400. These powders are on the slow side and make quite a flamethrower out of a snubbie.

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Regards,
Guy-Harold Smith II

So are you using 38's in your "shorties"?

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Dyin ain't much of a livin

.38 +ps in the snubbies give a lot less of a light show and are easier on the ears and wrists. But then I'm old and frail. If I were loading .357 for a snubbie I would go with Unique or W231 as they are much faster burning and work in the short tubes, they don't give the best velocity's out of the longer tubes but they are more than sufficient.

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Regards,
Guy-Harold Smith II

I tried both 2400 and 4227 with the 158gr XTP's, and found the 16.0gr 4227 load to be slightly more accurate.

Don

I am optomistic about the potential of the powder in a rifle but, so far, I have only been able to chronograph the low end of the recommended loads. Next time I get out where I can set up the chrono I will try the higher end.

Alliant 300 MP powder in a carbine

Did you ever do any follow up testing?

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Dyin ain't much of a livin

I agree, W296 and a CCI-550 primer is also my choice.

@Rule3,
Yes, I do like HS-6 with a Mag primer for lower than full house magnum loads! (I wonder how you knew though?? )

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Freedom is never free!!
SWCA #3437

Just a lucky guess.

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Still Running Against the Wind

11- 12 grains 2400 158 gr.XTP This is the load I use for lever action pistol cartridge silhouette. It is the most accurate jacketed bullet load I have found. If you cast try a Ranch Dog 175 with the same load with lyman #2 alloy. This one is super accurate. By the way use standard small pistol primers for your first try. Magnum primers with 2400 have never been the most accurate, and that comes from many other shooters that use this load.

Any good .357 Magnum load that you build for your revolver will work in your Carbine, I know because I have one. BUT, because the Marlin is heavy and long it's easier to handle 180gr ammo than with a 4" revolver. You don't need different powders but you might want heavier bullets.

I have a few loads using 180gr bullets that I load with Lil'Gun that deliver surprising velocity. I load them only for the Carbine. They are good hunting loads IMO. (Hornady XTP and Cast Performance Hard Case)

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Freedom is never free!!
SWCA #3437

I have had good results with 2400 powder in both the 125 and 158 grain XTP and I use small pistol (non Magnum) primers. Right now in my 27-2 I am carrying some 125 grain XTP with 16.5 grains. They work pretty good for a carry load.

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Vaya con Dios

I have only loaded the 125 gr. XTP's so far (a box of 158's is sitting on my bench but that's as far as it's gotten so far).

I use CCI 550 primers and 14.9 gr. of 2400. I get 1800 and a little out of a Marlin and 1150 out of a 4" L-frame. I could load hotter and get more velocity out of the revolver but then I'd have to be careful not to put them in the rifle since 14.9 gr. is less than a grain (.6?) from the top of the rifle load data I have.

When I get around to loading the 158's I'm likely to try and use 296 so I don't have the discrepancy between pistol and rifle data.

I have been loading the 125s over 21.6 grains for H110 for several decades now. I light them up with a CCI 550. I have launched many thousands of them down range in everything from a 2 1/8" model 60 to a 20" Marlin.

I have a few chronograph results.

From my 3 1/2" model 27 I get 1315 FPS
From my 8" Python they head out at 1599 FPS
From the 20" 1892 I get 2196 FPS

I load the 158s over 16.5 grains of H110 but I cannot find my chronograph notes on that load. I have not fired nearly as many 158s as 125s or even 180s

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"Acta non verba"

Arch-you seem to be the only one using lil gun. Some of the horror stories I read don't seem to favor it but I'm curious since I have a good bit of it. Should it only be used in carbine loads?

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Dyin ain't much of a livin

2400 has been my favorite for decades in 357 mag,and regular primers.
I also started using it in my 44 mag last year with lead.Still regular primers.

I have had great results with AA#9 for jacketed and hard cast at max loadings. I like WSP or CCI 500 for accuracy but I here rumors that in cold temperatures mag primers should be used ?

I like Alliant's 2400 for it's flexibility, it is forgiving.

I'm using 14gr of 2400 under a 158gr JHP and getting silly accuracy.
This load runs 1250fps out of a 6in 686 80ft above sea level with a temp. in the 70s.
Moderate crimp at recommended OAL.

what qualified as "silly" accuracy? You shooting clowns or mimes?

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Dyin ain't much of a livin

While shooting Clowns might be silly, remember if you plan on shooting a Mime you need to use a Silencer

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"Acta non verba"

You only need 3 powers for hand guns, unquie,2400 and bullseye

Ha Ha ha. Just read the mime thing....priceless. Anyone got any carbine loads using Lil gun?

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Dyin ain't much of a livin

ha-ha-ha. silent shooting.
I use Power Pistol for 125gr. don't have a carbine though.
quite a fireball though

I also use 14grs of 2400 and the 158 xtp in my Blackhawk. I use an awful lot of Unique though, 12gr in 30-30, same in .308 all with 170gr cast with a gas check. Use 231 for .38 loads and I'm starting to use Trail Boss but haven't shot them yet. Be safe.

Am using V V N110, Fed 100 primers and load weights based on Speer's manual. Not quite as fast as 296 loads, less flash and cleaner.

I don't know why Alliant buries this notice on their website and it is hard to find but FWIW and FYI...

"During the latest review Alliant Powder discovered that Alliant Powder's Blue Dot® should not be
used in the following applications:

Blue Dot® should NOT be used in the 357 Magnum load using the 125 grain projectile (Blue Dot® recipes with heavier bullet weights as specified in Alliant Powders Reloading Guide are acceptable for use).

Blue Dot® should NOT be used in the 41 Magnum cartridge (all bullet weights).

Use of Blue Dot® in the above cases may cause a high pressure situation that could cause property damage and serious personal injury."

Although I haven't used it yet I hear a lot of good things about PowerPistol.

Now thats interesting. Wonder whats up with it. FYI- I need some load suggestions. I just got 100 hard cast (brile 18) flat points to load up. Gonna do half as pistol rounds and half as rifle. They are 195 grain. Anyone got a good starting point? Cant find loads for them anywhere

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Dyin ain't much of a livin

I've seen Blue Dot described as "the psycho girlfriend of powders."

I've also seen that Alliant has changed the formula recently?

My LGS owner likes the stuff for .357 Magnum.

The 14gr of 2400 is a go to load for many. I like it under a 158gr XTP or Nosler SJHP. The Noslers seem a bit more accurate.

For 125gr I've used Bullseye & W231. Haven't shot enough of 'em to really form an opinion except that the recoil is pretty stout.

I will second Arch Angel on the 180gr XTP and Lil'Gun in a Marlin. You will get some pretty impressive velocities. Although it generally likes heavy for caliber bullets, it does work pretty well in a carbine with 158s too.

My log shows 18.0gr Lil'Gun and a 158XTP averaging 1910fps in my Marlin 1894C.

The controversy about Lil'Gun seems more directed toward revolvers. I have no problems with using it in carbine or Contender. In fact, one of these days I intend to experiment with it some in my 14" 357 MAX barrel with 158s and 180s. I still have a bunch of 1680 though and that proved to be a pretty decent powder for it.

I also like Blue Dot and WW296, but I get the best velocity and accuracy from Lil'Gun in the Marlin.

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" I said, good DAY! "

Any suggestions on the bullets I listed above?

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Dyin ain't much of a livin

We still talking about 357 Mag.? The original post was XTP's??

Lyman cast 4th edition does not list a bullet that heavy in rifle or handgun. The max they have is 180gr.

If you find jacketed bullet data for that weight, you can use that for the lead.

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Still Running Against the Wind

Last fall I did a bit of testing with Alliant Power Pro 300MP and 158gr XTP's. The test guns were a 6" 686 S&W and a 4" 686 S&W and speed screens were set at 10 ft. The results were

4" 686 17.8gr 300MP, Rem SP, 158gr XTP
1330, 1330, 1325, 1317, 1340fps

6"686 17.8 300MP, Rem SP, 158gr XTP
1404,1344,1342,1356,1360fps

The groups shot with the 6" 686 were shot at 50yds and they are the best groups ever shot from this gun in the 15 yrs I've owned it. Alliant power Pro 300MP will be my powder of choice for full power loads from now on.A word of caution, MP300 is a pain in the butt in a powder measure. As ALWAYS these loads were safe IN my gun, Always work up slowly and be safe
TX...........Buckey

I emailed hodgon regarding the loads for lil gun and h110 for the 195's. Waitin to hear back

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Dyin ain't much of a livin

What primers did you use? I tried my 17.7 gr loads with small pistol primer from a 686 w/3" bbl and there seemed to be quite a bit of unburned powder in the barrel. The same load in the Marlin was clean.

Plain old CCI. They seem to light 300mp just fine.

I stand corrected, I was using Remington small pistol.
Sorry, I'm getting old and it's almost 8PM,time for bed.

I load 357Mag for a Marlin 1894 for the wife. She is pretty accurate with it all the way out to 100 yards, as witnessed here:


The top 3 shots are from a 44Mag Encore that I was sighting in. The 5 smaller holes are from her and her gun. The one on the farthest right was a sighting shot and after moving the scope, she shot the 4 shot group. She was pretty happy.

Then, we set up a hedge apple @ 50 yards with the same load and produced this: (Click on the picture to watch video)


The load is a 158gr XTP over a load of Lil' Gun. The load can be found in Rifle Magazine #226 - July, 2006.

From my wife's 20" octagon barrel with Ballard rifling, we are getting 2016fps from that load. At that velocity, it puts the 357Mag at the very bottom of the 35Rem performance. Not bad for the little carbine and it is legal for deer here in Indiana where the 35Rem really isn't.

FWIW

My load for a revolver is NOT going to have Lil' Gun in it. Barrel/forcing cone erosion has been a problem for some BUT, my load for the 357Mag comes out of on older manual and utilizes SR4756 as a propellant. I get around 1300fps with a cast 160gr LSWC from my 6" guns.

Hope this helps.

It amazes me how much easier the 357 mag is too reload than the 50 beowulf I learned on. I cannot imagine why anyone who shoots 38 or 357 doesnt reload. Its a breeze

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Dyin ain't much of a livin

I have been loading 14.5 g of 2400 with the 158g XTP, and also with the Sierra 158g JHC. My 627 Pro shoots them both well, especially the JHC load. Flash is significant but the N frame absorbs the recoil to the extent that this load is not punishing at all.

From yesterday (Saturday 04/28/2012)

Temperature was 89F
Humidity was 24%
Firearms was a Marlin 1894C w/18.5" bbl

The maximum load Alliant recommends is 18.6 gr.

I prefer W296 because I usually have an 8lb jug on the shelf for loading 410.

For 357 magnum with 158gr XTP I have had very good results with AA#9 with standard and magnum primers. This has worked well for me with 2.75" and 4" barrels.