I'm looking for a load using LSWC 158 gr and HP38 (aka 231) that gets me at least 1,000 fps from 4 inch revolver.

Hodgdon lists 5 grs but that seems low. Maybe I'll just stick with 6 grs of Unique?

Hodgdon lists 5.0gr of HP38 at 1109fps for 357mag/158gr LSWC
I sure like metering HP38 instead of Unique.
K

6 grains of 231 is what I load with the 158 lead SWCHPs.

While I have never chronographed this from a 4" barrel, it should get you just above 1000 FPS

The problem here is that according to Hodgdon's website, velocities are measured from a 10" test barrel

Totally different than a 4" revolver with a B/C gap.

My old Win manual shows MAX 6.7 at 42,500 CUP.
Use at your own risk.

If you look at Hodgdon online, they show their 5 gr load at only 23,900 CUP, far below SAAMI .357 magnum max pressure.

Don't ask me why they stop there; don't know.

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Science plus Art

Hodgdon says that load generates 23,900 psi...don't know why they decided that should be "maximum" when the .357 can handle 40,000.
And, of course, they don't say what barrel generated that velocity; doubtful it was a 4" revolver.

Now that the Winchester data is under new "ownership", I like to use the data from the original owners. This is a scan from one of the Winchester paper booklets. If it were me, I'd start at 5 grains with a hardcast (maybe gas checked) bullet and a chronograph and go up .5 grain at a time, until I struck a happy balance of accuracy, velocity, recoil & extraction.

But, if it were really me, I'd be using Alliant 2400.

Online data is a joke. The real wealth of reloading data exists in the paper manuals the powder companies gave away in the 80's and 90's.

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Carry.."hope" isn't a strategy

I'd bet Hodgdon keeps both velocity and pressure low in their LSWC data because they wish to keep leading at a minimum. I believe Speer has stated that this is the reason for their lead bullet data.

I've shot the 296 load from the Winchester manual Mike posted and will tell you that unless you are very experienced with cast bullet shooting, you will have enough lead in the barrel to fill in the grooves after a couple of cylinders full.

The Speer lead bullets are a soft bullet abd they say to try to not go over 1,000fps to prevent leading.
One reason in my 6" I only load 5.0grs of w231 for only 899fps for my target loads.

I would move up to a 15 hardness or more if going past the 1K mark. I see no problem reaching that speed.
Good loading.

If you look at Hogdgon's data for LSWCs, they drop it down to 4.5. I'm sure the rifle will handle the pressures from the 5.0 loads listed for handguns.

I called Hogdgon about this a while back. The guy told me he thought it was to keep velocities down with lead.

Also think about using a gas checked lead bullet design . They help you avoid leading at the 1000 fps velocities.
A lot of times the companies sell the soft swaged lead bullets , which is what they are testing , drive these too fast and they lead the bore.
Check Lyman,s Cast Bullet Handbook data for cast gas checked bullet data such as #358156. Mine's at home or I would look it up.
Gary

Update:
Have checked 3 Lyman manuals , 2 Speer manuals and one Hornady manual, not one has data for 357 magnum , 158 gr. lead SWC and HP38 / 231 powder ! Have no idea why no data.
Go with the Winchester data...it's their powder and they should know.
Gary

Win 231 is a great powder for mid range loads in the .357 with 158 gr
cast SWCs. Try this load chronographed from two of my 4" N frame
.357s on different days with different temps and set-up etc. Win brass
and SP mag primer, 5.8 grs 231 and a 158 gr cast SWC. Gun 1 vel =
1039 fps ES = 10 fps. Different day and gun, vel = 1061 fps ES = 6 fps.
For a load in this velocity range this load seems pretty good to me.

Am I looking at the Hodgedon website wrong?
For me it shows for a .357 158gr. HP-38 max 6.9, W321 max 6.9

Yes I was looking at XTP, sorry.
But the Lee 2nd edition shows 6.7 for 231.

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NRA Certified Instructor