357 + H110

Miracle Man · Oct 28, 2022

I've been reloading 357 for some time now but I've never used H110 in them. I've had very good results in 44 Magnum with it. Powder as we all know has been hard to come by. Opening back up now some. But I recently got ahold of some H110 and I'm thinking about giving it a try in 357 Magnum.

What you guys think ?

GB · Oct 28, 2022

H110 and 2400 have been the go to powders for top tier loads for the 357 since before I started to load in the mid 60s. All depends on what you are looking for. H110 is best used near the top of the reloading chart, so proceed with caution. Fast and clean (compared to 2400) a good choice for hot stuff. A little temp sensitive and it is often suggested to use magnum primers. But then you know that if you have been loading it for 44s.

Miracle Man · Oct 28, 2022

GB said:
H110 and 2400 have been the go to powders for top tier loads for the 357 since before I started to load in the mid 60s. All depends on what you are looking for. H110 is best used near the top of the reloading chart, so proceed with caution. Fast and clean (compared to 2400) a good choice for hot stuff. A little temp sensitive and it is often suggested to use magnum primers. But then you know that if you have been loading it for 44s.

I've reloaded for rifle for years. Started in like 1983? Somewhere in there? But in the big scheme of things, I'm fairly new to pistol about 2000 or so? And I've loaded nowhere near as much pistol as rifle. I have used 2400 almost exclusively for 357 and a touch of blue dot.

I believe I've got a couple hundred Magnum SPP's so I'm going to give H110 a try.

Golphin · Oct 28, 2022

Always worked well for me and plenty of published loads using it.

DeplorabusUnum · Oct 28, 2022

I use H110 for 357 mag. To me where it really shines is my Henry rifle. H110 really likes a longer barrel, and the Henry is super accurate shooting H110 loads. I've also shot my 357 loads out of my model 66 snub and it's just a big flame ball. Not enough barrel length to take advantage of the slow burn rate. It's not as bad out of my 6" model 19, but the recoil in a K frame isn't much fun if you're going to be shooting a steady diet of them. It's much more tolerable in my model 27. I've also found that H110 doesn't perform very well with light loads. It's not really a plinking powder.

oldman10mm · Oct 28, 2022

Good crimp required.

rockquarry · Oct 28, 2022

Ive never seen an accuracy difference between H110 / 296 and #2400. The muzzle flash and blast with H110 /296 is far greater than with #2400, but some don't find that objectionable. As for #2400, fine tune your load and try different primers. You can cut down or eliminate unburned powder particles.
I've tried roll crimping and taper crimping the .357; either works fine. I've yet to see a need for the heavy or extra heavy crimp suggested by many, but do good load development and shoot benchrested groups at 25 yards, including trying out different crimps and degrees of crimps. Group size will tell the handloader far more than the Internet will.

Miracle Man · Oct 28, 2022

DeplorabusUnum said:
I use H110 for 357 mag. To me where it really shines is my Henry rifle. H110 really likes a longer barrel, and the Henry is super accurate shooting H110 loads. I've also shot my 357 loads out of my model 66 snub and it's just a big flame ball. Not enough barrel length to take advantage of the slow burn rate. It's not as bad out of my 6" model 19, but the recoil in a K frame isn't much fun if you're going to be shooting a steady diet of them. It's much more tolerable in my model 27. I've also found that H110 doesn't perform very well with light loads. It's not really a plinking powder.

I was wondering what the muzzle blast with it would be out of a 4" model 19. I've used it with great results out of 7.5" Ruger Super Redhawk 44. And fully agree it's not a plinking powder. I might try a few and see if I like it with H110. My guess is I'll just wait until I can find some 2400.

Miracle Man · Oct 28, 2022

rockquarry said:
Ive never seen an accuracy difference between H110 / 296 and #2400. The muzzle flash and blast with H110 /296 is far greater than with #2400, but some don't find that objectionable. As for #2400, fine tune your load and try different primers. You can cut down or eliminate unburned powder particles.
I've tried roll crimping and taper crimping the .357; either works fine. I've yet to see a need for the heavy or extra heavy crimp suggested by many, but do good load development and shoot benchrested groups at 25 yards, including trying out different crimps and degrees of crimps. Group size will tell the handloader far more than the Internet will.

I know it's a dirty word in some fancy rifle circles but I've had good results with the "Lee" factory crimp dies with 44 Mag and 45 LC loads. I don't have a 357 die though. I believe all my SPP's are CCI. I think I have a few magnum SPP's?

I'm hoping the primer problem is getting close to the end?

rockquarry · Oct 28, 2022

Miracle Man said:
I know it's a dirty word in some fancy rifle circles but I've had good results with the "Lee" factory crimp dies with 44 Mag and 45 LC loads. I don't have a 357 die though. I believe all my SPP's are CCI. I think I have a few magnum SPP's?

I'm hoping the primer problem is getting close to the end?

I've found some very limited usefulness for the Lee factory crimp die. Everyone's requirements are different and if you find this die truly useful, use it. Standard loading dies have worked well for me in all handgun cartridges, but I seldom use anything except cast bullets. Maybe jacketed bullets have different requirements.

Try both standard and magnum primers if you have them handy. Lots of suggestions but really no concrete rules on any of this. Accuracy counts and it's often not related to the current ES and SD low numbers fad.

Miracle Man · Oct 28, 2022

rockquarry said:
I've found some very limited usefulness for the Lee factory crimp die. Everyone's requirements are different and if you find this die truly useful, use it. Standard loading dies have worked well for me in all handgun cartridges, but I seldom use anything except cast bullets. Maybe jacketed bullets have different requirements.

Try both standard and magnum primers if you have them handy. Lots of suggestions but really no concrete rules on any of this. Accuracy counts and it's often not related to the current ES and SD low numbers fad.

Yes the bulk of my experience with pistol reloading has been JHP,JSP, and FMJ for 45ACP and 9MM. I've only recently ventured into the cast bullet arena, Last 3/4 years and only few boxes of 38 and 45LC. And I like em.

I guess with my rifle loading background I just kind of turned up my nose to cast. I'm going to explore with them some more.

And I'm 100% all about accuracy.

ArchAngelCD · Oct 29, 2022

H110/W296 is a great powder for full.power .357 Magnum ammo. It is a little flashy and I suggest you not download it. I also suggest using a magnum primer because it's a hard to ignite a slow ball powder and a firm crimp helps it a complete burn and will make the ammo more consistent.

You will like the results and enjoy the velocity it generates especially in the longer barrel of a levergun. It's a handful in a 4" K frame but not unmanageable.

STORMINORMAN · Oct 29, 2022

Like its counterpart, WIN 296, it is primarily a Magnum powder and is intended for true Magnum

loads: also pretty good in the 300 Blackout, BTW... I've always used small rifle magnum primers or cci #41s in that application.

Most of the Hodgdons data shows a pretty small range between their START & MAX loads and calls for a small pistol magnum primer: as they are the manufacturer, a word to the wise...

Cheers!

twodog max · Oct 29, 2022

I have used 296/H110 a fair amount over the years and it gives good results. I hardly ever shoot bullets lighter than 158's and then nothing lighter than 140's. It has done well with those. I will admit to not using it much these days as I go with a little less performance and use 2400 or Blue Dot and standard primers. I do have a good supply of 296 on hand and at some point will burn it up

Forrest r · Oct 29, 2022

FWIW:

Awhile back I did some head-to-head testing, 2400 vs H110 vs mp-300.

Used several cast and jacketed bullets that were 150gr up to 170gr.

The 357mag revolvers had 2 1/2", 4". 6" & 8" bbl's along with a 10" contender barrel.

At the end of the day the 2400 outperformed the h110 & mp-300 in the 2 1/2" bbl. Ended up with a 1200fps/170gr cast bullet load.

All powders were pretty much equal in the 4" bbl's (2x).

The h110 & mp-300 started to outperform the 2400 (+/- 50fps) in the 6" bbl's (3x).

In the 8" & 10" bbl's the h110 and mp-300 really shined along with being pretty much equal in performance.

All loads tested were full house loads using mag primers and heavy crimps.

Miracle Man · Oct 29, 2022

twodog max said:
I have used 296/H110 a fair amount over the years and it gives good results. I hardly ever shoot bullets lighter than 158's and then nothing lighter than 140's. It has done well with those. I will admit to not using it much these days as I go with a little less performance and use 2400 or Blue Dot and standard primers. I do have a good supply of 296 on hand and at some point will burn it up

From what I'm hearing from you guys I'll probably try a few test loads but I'm nearly convinced I'm just going to wait until I can find some 2400.

I'm just not sure all the muzzle blast is worth it out of a 4" model 19?

scooter123 · Oct 29, 2022

IMO, it's a fantastic powder and a lot more versatile that some would suspect. I use H110 to load 357 Magnums, 300 Blackout, and 410 Target loads. That is a pressure range ranging from 9000 to 38,000 PSI and these are all LISTED recipe's. So much for those warnings to not use it in light handgun loads. One load I've worked up produces sub 1 MOA loads in my iron sighted 1892 Winchester. The load is simple and BELOW the recommended charge range per Hodgdon. However the SD for Velocity is 7 and centered around 1620 fps. Note the advantage a 20 inch barrel can produce. As for the load, it's 14.6 grains of H110 over a 158 grain Hornady XTP. I'll also note that I used 22.5 grains of H110 with a 125 grain XTP and that load produces a muzzle blast equal to the 500 Magnum and per some bystanders a flame about 9 feet long from a 4 inch model 610.

BTW, I shoot 4 gun Skeet and practice primarily with the 410. The 3 primary powders for loading 410 Target loads are Alliant 410, Hodgdon Lilgun, and H110/296. Most of those shooting 410 prefer H110/296. Because it's moderately clean and produces nice consistent shells. So it has a very long history as being suitable for low pressure shotgun loads.

stansdds · Oct 29, 2022

I've loaded 357 Magnum with H-110/W-296, it's a good powder for full power magnum loads. It is not advisable to reduce loads by more than 5% from published maximum loads as erratic combustion can occur with significantly reduced charges. I used it with 125 and 158 grain JHP bullets. I don't really recommend the 125 loads as they produce a truly impressive flash and all that ball powder that is burning in the air will erode a forcing cone. It is a powder that is better suited for 158 grain loads, I never tried 180 grain bullets, but I expect it would be a top velocity performer there as well. This powder does need magnum primers as it is a very slow powder for handgun cartridges. Bullets need plenty of case neck tension and a firm roll crimp.
In a nutshell, top velocity with 158 grain or heavier bullets, full or very near full power loads, magnum primers, and good neck tension and a roll crimp. I think you will be pleased.

DeplorabusUnum · Oct 29, 2022

Miracle Man said:
I was wondering what the muzzle blast with it would be out of a 4" model 19. I've used it with great results out of 7.5" Ruger Super Redhawk 44. And fully agree it's not a plinking powder. I might try a few and see if I like it with H110. My guess is I'll just wait until I can find some 2400.

Here is my wife shooting an H110 load from a 2.75" barrel. I haven't shot this load from my 4" model 66, but I'm guessing it would be similar.

boatbum101 · Oct 29, 2022

Both are good powders & I keep both around . 2400 is a bit more flexible . Use a Winchester or a mag primer as ball powders are harder to light . Both will throw fireballs with hotter loads & shorter barrels . H 110 / W 296 get high velocity at lower pressure than most & performs best with high loading density . Years ago they used to advise not to reduce a max load more than 3% . 2400 like most of the Alliant flake powders also likes the upper end of the loading scale . With both the chrony is your freind , when spreads ( ES & SD ) tighten up you're in the ball park .

357 + H110

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