My brother and I want to load for our Rugers, my Security Six and his GP100. I've searched the web and it seems everyone and his cousin has a load. I'm a bit overwhelmed by all the possible combinations. If I could find two people to agree on the same recipe We'd try it. We're looking for an accurate mid range load. Any ideas or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Slim Jim

My brother and I want to load for our Rugers, my Security Six and his GP100. I've searched the web and it seems everyone and his cousin has a load. I'm a bit overwhelmed by all the possible combinations. If I could find two people to agree on the same recipe We'd try it. We're looking for an accurate mid range load. Any ideas or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Slim Jim

There are several medium powders that give satisfactory .357 mid-range loads. I use HP38/231. Consult Hodgdon on-line tables.

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Science plus Art

try

http://www.alliantpowder.com/reloaders/recipedetail.asp...ellid=28&bulletid=28

16.5 grains of Alliant 2400 work well in my 627. Keep in mind that different firearms of the same model will usually perform differently with a certain loading. Everyone has their personal favorites. I like 2400 & unique.

I suggest you buy a 'magnum' powder and start with one at the low end and work up a load for your revolver.

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Hook686

I also use 231 and load short of the max load listed.

Slow powders like 2400 and H110 are IMO too slow for the light weight 125gr bullet. You use lots of powder, get lots of muzzle flash along with plenty of flame cutting. With slightly faster powders you can get the same velocities with 15 to 20% less powder by weight.

Now gold dots are really just a heavy plated bullet that has been die formed and not a true jacketed bullet. Since Alliants married to Speer bullets and all their data is based on the GD bullets they have since warned against using Blue Dot with 125gr bullets in the .357 mag. Now I've used Blue Dot for over 25 years and still have several hundred rounds of 125's loaded with it and its been one of the best powders IMO for 125gr bullets but I wouldn't load GD's with them just because of Alliants current warning.

The next best alternative burn rate powders to use that are close to Blue Dot would be Alliants Herco, HS7 or AA#7. A medium burn rate powder like Unique, AA#5, Universal or Power Pistol would be good alternatives.

Do you have some inside tech data that shows this to be so?

This is contrary to Speer's advertisement of the bullet's construction as a BONDED jacketed bullet.

In their manual, Speer's load recipes for their Gold Dots are exactly the same as their recipes for their other regular jacket bullets. These recipes also cross reference to other manuals of mine for other 125 grain jacketed bullets. You should be able to use recipes from your own manuals for a 125 grain jacketed bullet. As always start at the lowest recommended load and work up.

Most manuals list the data for the bullet in a group that produced the highest pressure. Gold Dots generally are "grabbier" and produce higher pressures than the standard jacketed bullets.

For the 357 mag 125 grin loads tried, Sierra's listed accuracy load has been an excellent starting point with standard jacketed or Rem Golden sabers. AA-7 also seems to work well with Fed small pistol mag primers, but with slightly less powder.

Certainly there are a considerable number of other good loads, depending on bullets used and purpose desired.

I would still like to know whether or not Speer has compromised its Gold Dot. That is a very serious charge and not to be taken lightly.

Dave Sinko

From the Hodgdon website:
125 GR. HDY XTP Winchester 296 .357" 1.590" 21.0 1881 38,400 CUP 22.0 1966 41,400 CUP

I loaded some 125 gr jacketed solid point bullets from MagTech and went up to the max load at 22.0 gr of WW296. I occasionally shoot my .454 Casull, so I think I know what goes "bang" and that load was too hot for me. I was shooting a GP100. Flattened primers, but no other signs of pressure. I guess I don't need no stinkin' 2000fps .357s... And it would also pay to use ONLY the bullet the manual refers too. If I ever pick up any XTP's I might try again...

Tom

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AmVets Life Member
19-3 .357
25-7 .45 Colt
34-1 .22 RF
M916T 12 gauge
2007 Eagle, Alaska - scoped rifle champion

I wondered about W296. The Winchester book lists a load of 18.5gr. producing 1800fps at only 32,500 cup. The bullet maker wasn't listed only as a 125gr.JHP. This sounds really good but you could expect them to be a little optimistic. I've got a pound of Unique I could try, from my reserch it seem to work fairly well also.

For 125gr I use AA #9 to lessen the effects of gas cutting on the top strap;
125gr GD mid-1600s/AA #9, low recoil M686 plus;


AA #9 gives a lot of flash at the cylinder gap, but minimal muzzle flash for a mid 1600s GD as shown in this time lapse picture;


Bob

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NRA Life Member since '67

Information on how GD's are made can be found here:
http://www.gunaccessories.com/Speer/...tolBullets.asp

The extracted quote below is the very definition of electroplating esp. the one molecule at a time.

The electroplating process has differing degrees with the terminology changing with the amount of plating used, i.e. there is gold plate and there is gold filled, both depend on electrodeposition.

If I can remember 40 years ago, I believe we used electrodeposition in quantitative analysis determinations, where the weight gain of an object was the amount of copper in the solution.

My point is, the difference between plating and a cup type jacket may only be in the method used to apply the same thickness of copper to the core.