357/44 Bain & Davis load data wanted?

[Pantera Mike]

All,

I posted a query for general info about 357/44 B&D elsewhere and was advised to make a specific inquiry for load data here.

I have pretty much all the info that can be gleaned from the Internet, which is precious little. I’m missing the four-page data sheet that B&D themselves used to offer, along with data from Lyman, I think? I have the Hornady and Accurate Arms pages however.

Any good data, pet loads, words of wisdom etc. would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[colt_saa]

I have not loaded for my 357B&Ds in years. I have a Model 27 along with a couple of T/C barrels

I just grabbed this off my Home file-server, it is a PDF of the Hornady data from one of the older reloading manuals

I should have more data on my reloading commuter, but that is not accessible through the Internet. I will have to look through it when I get home.

 

[Pantera Mike]

Great, thanks. This is the most reputable data I’ve seen so far. They used a T/C as their test platform; I wonder if they loaded to pressures that would be unsafe in a Model 27?

 

[Sevens]

The (admittedly very short) wikipedia page for the .357 Bain & Davis round has a link to a .pdf file of a write-up by an author named Lee Martin of Arlington, Virginia. I'm not familiar with this gent but the short write-up is nice and it includes some chronograph results using his load data.

When we are talking about a wildcat cartridge that isn't part of the SAAMI standard, ya pretty much need to take in all the different things you've seen, compare them with each other, start low, and see what ya get!

 

[Pantera Mike]

This site has the most comprehensive collection of links to articles and information I have been able to find.

357/44 Bain & Davis (B&D)

I just hoped that others here might have first-hand experience, or resources not found on the site above?

 

[Pantera Mike]

Lee produced a loading manual in 2017 that included 357 B&D data. Since you can never have too many manuals on the shelf I just ordered one. I will share what I find in there.

Anybody have anything else to offer?

 

[boatswainsmate]

Here is a old data sheet I've used for loading my Ruger 357/44.

 

[Pantera Mike]

Interesting, thanks!

I wish they had shown loads for H110/WW296 with 158 gr jacketed bullets? But 2400 is a close second. I think of Blue Dot as being more suitable for high powered semi auto cartridges like 10mm auto and 45 ACP +P.

The idea of high powered loads with the 148gr HBWC is downright frightening. Those are soft lead bullets intended for very low velocity target loads. There are warnings in the loading manuals about attempting to drive them at even normal 38 special velocities, much less this.

Keep that data coming! It will be awhile before I can start loading, much less shooting, but slowly the pieces of the puzzle are coming together.....

I just learned Loadbooks USA sells a book on loading various calibers for the Contender pistol, including 357/44 B&D, so I just ordered that. If the data isn’t relevant it will wind up on eBay....

 

[Pantera Mike]

A fellow forum member was kind enough to send me the data from a 1980 Hornady manual, which appears below. Thanks!

 

[Pantera Mike]

He also sent me some pages from Bain & Davis. I would be very skeptical of much of this data. There is an obvious typo at the motto of the second page, where 20 grains is listed as being a more powerful load than 20.5 grains, with the same bullet.

I would consider using these loads for a broad reference, but the Hornady data is likely more scientifically developed. I will soon get the Lee data, and some other data is forthcoming as well which I will also share.

 

[Pantera Mike]

Here is the newest version of Hornady data:

 

[Pantera Mike]

Data from a website called shootersreference.com:

 

[Pantera Mike]

Accurate Arms powders (modern data)

 

[Pantera Mike]

Hodgdon powder:

 

[Pantera Mike]

I find it interesting to compare the data from Hodgdon with that from Hornady, with the same powder. WW296 is H110 in a different package; the two powders aren’t merely similar, they are literally identical. With a 158gr JHP Hodgdon shows a very narrow range from 20.0 to 21.0 grains, while Hornady goes from 18.0 to 24.9 (!) grains. That results in a max velocity difference of 1604 vs 2100 FPS in a 10-inch Contender barrel.

I suspect Hodgdon is being overly conservative (ostensibly to avoid case setback, which I suspect is an unnecessary precaution), Hornady seems to be perhaps overly aggressive.

I may choose to exceed 21.0 gr but I don’t think I will ever approach 24.9.

It will be interesting to see what the Lee data suggests. I should have that next week.

 

[Pantera Mike]

Here is the data from Lee (as in, the reloading machine people) which seems to mirror Hodgdon’s data. I now regret buying this book, because at least in this caliber, it is literally just copy and paste from another source that I already had. I have only glanced through the text in the book, but it seems to be little more than an extended advertisement for Lee products with some good reloading advice sprinkled in.....

 

[ArchAngelCD]

There is current data available on the Hodgdon Load Data Site too.
Set your sights on pistol reloading data | Hodgdon Reloading

 

[Pantera Mike]

There is current data available on the Hodgdon Load Data Site too.
Set your sights on pistol reloading data | Hodgdon Reloading

Ah, cool, thanks. Looks like it’s the same data as the Hodgdon data printed above (on paper instead of online).

My Model 27 cylinder has arrived, but I’m still waiting for the Model 27 itself (that will be another month) and once I find a set of dies I will start putting all this theory into practice. Stay tuned....

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Ah, cool, thanks. Looks like it’s the same data as the Hodgdon data printed above (on paper instead of online).

My Model 27 cylinder has arrived, but I’m still waiting for the Model 27 itself (that will be another month) and once I find a set of dies I will start putting all this theory into practice. Stay tuned....

You're not going to like the price but Midway has 1 set of Redding dies in stock.

Redding 2-Die Set 357x44 Bain & Davis

 

[Pantera Mike]

By coincidence I found those dies for sale on eBay for about the same price a few days ago. I bought them only to find out the seller didn’t actually have them. Seller has to order them from Redding and I have to wait weeks for them to be made. Thanks for pointing me at Midway—I use them all the time and should have thought to look there....