.357 combo birdshot wadcutter

[jkd88]

Anyone have handload data/advice/experience for a 357 combo wadcutter birdshot load similar to:

38 Special DT SnakeShot™ 20rds – Doubletap Ammunition

Looks like power then wadcutter then bird shot topped off with a gas check (30 cal gas checks)?

Thanks!

 

[gwpercle]

That's an interesting play on the old Buck & Ball load ...Bullet & Birdshot !
Should work well on snakes and such .
The only place that might have loading data or at least discussion of the subject is on the Cast Boolits web site / forum ... scroll down the Casting & Reloading Section and you will come to Shot Loads For Pistols ...
that is all they talk about there ... if more better info is to be found I don't know where it is ... Join and start a discussion , them boy's like to talk about handgun shot loads .
Cast Boolits
Let's See if this link is right ... I'm not good withy computer stuff .
Gary

 

[LoboGunLeather]

I have not tried combinations of birdshot and wadcutter. I have loaded multiple lightweight wadcutters in .38 Special and .357 mag cases. Used a mold for 50-grain .358 wadcutter, a short stubby button-nose cylinder with a single lube groove, ran them through the lube-sizer, then loaded them in stacks of 2 or 3 (total weight of projectiles 100 or 150 grains). I used Bullseye powder in loadings similar to the usual 2.5 to 3.0 grains used with 148-grain wadcutters in target loads.

After a few attempts I dropped that experiment when I learned that my little bullets were not well-stabilized, prone to erratic impacts due to tumbling in flight. As I recall, about 5 yards was the maximum range to expect any predictable results.

 

[max503]

An unsized 38 case with 1.5g of BE and a lightweight bullet seated all the way down on the powder has given me cloverleaf patterns at 50 feet from my Rossi lever action rifle. The same load with the bullet seated conventionally gave poor results.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

I load my own extra-long 45 Colt Shot Shells, maybe you can use some of these ideas.

I start with 460 S&W Brass trimmed to overall length of a normal round. 1.51" (You may need to trim a little shorter for Model 25 cylinders) I full length size in a 45 ACP die (it worked so I didn't try anything else.) I use a 44-40 size die to create a bottle neck about 3/8" long. Prime case with normal large pistol primer (any brand).

My normal 45 Colt bullet is a 200 or 220 grain bullet, 1/2 ounce of shot is 220 grains. So I use my normal 45 Colt powder charge (WW231, 6.7 grains) for about 750fps.

Put an over the powder card over powder. Made from fiber or milk carton. Next scoop in 1/2 ounce of shot, I use 7 1/2 bird shot (12's are hard to purchase and do not retain energy at distance. Over the shot use a second card.

Seal in card. Old-timers used a chemical called Water Glass. I use a silicone based Gutter Seam Sealer. You can get it at Lowe's or Home Depot Roofing department. Comes in Caulking gun Cartridges or a big toothpaste type tube. I fill the case mouth and allow to dry THREE WEEKS! (if too soon leave a gooey mess in rifling! I use a popsicle stick to trowel smooth with case mouth.

From a 5.5" Rugar Vaquero: about 750 velocity. Pattern is 12" at 12' result rips Copperheads to shreds!

I found 61 once fired brass and converted all of them to 45 Colt Extra Shot Shells in about 3 hours. Since I know what to do now, 40 takes less than an hour! Also Note" Lead shot will not pean or dent the rifling but may or may not cause leading. If only a few are shot at a time, the next full power jacketed round will clear the lead out!

Failures: Do not use Elmer's Glue to seal case mouths! It gets brittle and falls out, taking the shot with it. Note: Snakes are not scared by blanks.

A source of small quantity of bird shot are a few 12-gauge hunting or trap shells. Or "borrow" a cup of shot from a reloader.

I have experimented with 38/357 shot shells and never found a way to bottle neck a longer case to utilize the bullet area. If going with a multi-ball buckshot load. You must have an over the powder card! Then seat lowest ball tight against the powder card. Depending on case length and number of balls, fill voids between balls with corn meal or shot buffer. Use a heavy roll crimp into center of top ball. Note: I never tried an over the shot card then bird shot then a crimped round ball. Just be mindful of total weight and proper powder charge.

I found 750fps to be an ideal velocity. 410 Shell run 1155 to 1300 fps and hold no pattern in revolvers. 7 1/2, 6 and 5 shot are the best for my 45 shells. 9, 8, & 7 1/2 should give best pellet count and retained energy in a 38/357.

I bought a box of 100 357 Maximum brass and never found a way to come up with longer/more volume shot shells.

Ivan

In the 90's, Remington loaded two ball 38 special and 3 ball 357 Mag cartridges to about 700 fps. They pattern about 4" at 12'. They used OOO buckshot for balls.