Help me to figure out this 357 Magnum load problem

I would say continue as you are (You seem to be an experienced, careful reloader). Carefully watch for signs of overpressure (don't rely on primers) such as extraction problems and by measuring case heads. Your loads won't match the tester's, their equipment, universal receivers, or test guns so the max. may not be the same for your loads/gun. Just "proceed with care"...
 
Speer tradition

I think Speer still publishes the accurate range of loads and stop when they get beyond that rather than list full bore loads. (which I find fun to shoot even if accuracy suffers). Speer also has a tradition of being conservative in general with lawyered limits stacked on top of that that. I think it's best to compare published data. My experience with Sierra is that they are on the hotter side (unless the lawyers have gotten to them, too) and probably designed more with hunting in mind. It has gotten where I can't find the components I need and take what I can get. Of course this causes one to reduce their load and work it up again watching for pressure signs
 
The link worked -you just about vaporized that thing. I guess they have the expansion worked out pretty well on the XTP.

Andy

Especially at 50 yards and 2000fps +! hahahaha

Some of it came back towards us and landed at 25 yards or so! It was COOL!

:D
 
Odd as it may seem, there is an optimum charge for each load, below or above which velocity will drop off. For higher loads, increased friction may be the limiting factor. I used to shoot the same load, with 14.5g of H110 for just under 1100 fps.
I have switched to using 2400, with a non-magnum primer. 14.2g gets me around 1250 fps. 14.5g goes faster, but the recoil becomes somewhat brutal.
I have changed my approach to handgunning over the years, and am no longer looking for the absolute maximum power. It is hard on your hands and unless shooting through engine blocks it is not needed.
 
I've loaded with H110/296 for ages, and I too remember when there was no recommended charge reduction, and like Skip, I only use it for loading train stoppers. This is simply because that's what it was designed for, and the only thing it's good for. Actually great for. I've loaded it in the three original magnums, and I've loaded really heavy bullets in 38 Spl with it. Perhaps my most famous use for it was in my silhouette days when I shot a 357 mag Contender with 125 gr Hornady bullets (pre XTP) with a case load of 296 and a small rifle primer. Magnum pistol primers left too much unburned powder in the barrel. That load never got chronographed, but actually shook the ground when fired. My goal at the time was to shoot out to 100 yards without having to adjust the sights. A "357 Swift" if you will. It didn't work, but it was interesting trying. Even the 100 yard rams simply disappeared in the blink of an eye when hit with this monster. I should have tried it in a rifle, that would have been fascinating. Nowdays it's heavy cast bullets and big bores. I too have settled down over the years, but in my prime I was truly a menace to public safety.
 
I've loaded with H110/296 for ages, and I too remember when there was no recommended charge reduction, and like Skip, I only use it for loading train stoppers. This is simply because that's what it was designed for, and the only thing it's good for. Actually great for. I've loaded it in the three original magnums, and I've loaded really heavy bullets in 38 Spl with it. Perhaps my most famous use for it was in my silhouette days when I shot a 357 mag Contender with 125 gr Hornady bullets (pre XTP) with a case load of 296 and a small rifle primer. Magnum pistol primers left too much unburned powder in the barrel. That load never got chronographed, but actually shook the ground when fired. My goal at the time was to shoot out to 100 yards without having to adjust the sights. A "357 Swift" if you will. It didn't work, but it was interesting trying. Even the 100 yard rams simply disappeared in the blink of an eye when hit with this monster. I should have tried it in a rifle, that would have been fascinating. Nowdays it's heavy cast bullets and big bores. I too have settled down over the years, but in my prime I was truly a menace to public safety.

I believe it was mostly our own safety! We're lucky to have survived our iron man youth.
 
Life was simpler then. Maybe a dozen pistol powders to choose from, and the bullets you used depended on where you live. Nebraska is Hornady territory, or it was back then. I never even saw a Speer, Sierra or Nosler bullet until I was at least ten years into shooting. And there were only 3 shooting magazines at the grocery store. We seriously need a separate thread for this stuff.
 
Speer handgun Deep Curls(formerly Gold Dots) are a plated bullet as opposed to a XTP or other jacketed bullets. This is why Speer recommends using their recipes when reloading them. While their 158gr .357 loads are mild compared to Hodgdon and Lyman, the 15.5 load shoots very accurately outta my 686s. Since I load for accuracy first and then velocity next, approximately 1200fps is all I really need outta a 158gr plated bullet. As Skip said, you probably cannot get enough H110/W296 in a case to blow your L-Frame up. Also as mentioned before, amount of bullet below the cannelure decides case capacity, not OAL. Different brands of cases can have different volume and thus produce velocities different than others. Same goes for different lots of powders and ambient temperature. But just cause you cannot obtain the same velocity as shown in a reloading manual, I cannot really see a problem. My Speer manual shows the test barrel is a 6'', but does not state if it is a revolver or standard test barrel. Hornady claims to get similar velocities outta a 8'' Python barrel. No two guns or barrels will give the same velocity. I have two different 6'' 686s that give different velocities with the same loads. Not a problem for me as the loads are accurate and have good terminal performance outta both. Since you did not mention accuracy at all in your post, I tend to think that it must not be of any importance.
 
I am new to this website and I am very glad I found it as you all have provided me with a wealth of information. While I haven't mentioned accuracy it is definitely a major concern I have posted a picture of a target I shot at 25 yards with a 16.0 grain H110 load with the deep curl 158 gr bullet with iron sights to show my accuracy with that load. After all of your guidance I will most likely continue to work the load up slowly to see if accuracy drops off. I in no way want to go above 16.5 gr of H110. The 16.0 grain load did shoot very well for me.
 

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Do yourself a favor, when you're done with the H110, go to Alliant 2400. Your problems will be over.
 
Do yourself a favor, when you're done with the H110, go to Alliant 2400

Sure. That way you can have lower velocities, higher pressures, more perceived recoil and all those nice little kernels on unburnt 2400 in your gun.

Actually, I've used quite a bit of 2400 in .357 magnum loads and it's really good. Just not better in most guns than H110/W296.

Bruce
 
The only manual I've got that lists pressure is the Lyman #49 Handbook:

Max load w/158 gr. JHP
2400 41,800 CUP 1279 fps
H110 38,400 CUP 1309 fps

Max load w/170 gr. cast SWC
2400 41,100 CUP 1242 fps
H110 40,900 CUP 1285 fps

It isn't like there is a night and day performance difference between these two powders.

Lyman #49 also indicates the loads they found to be most accurate for the 14 bullets they tested. 2400 is listed as the most accurate powder for five loads; H110 for one (the 358429).
 
Regardless of what the Lyman Manuals say, H110/W296 is usually but not always more accurate, depending on the individual gun. The differences are even more obvious as the bore diameter goes up. Further, as related to perceived recoil, it's not the calculated number of ft/lbs. of free recoil that matters but how the powder burns (pressure spikes and duration) that govern perceived recoil. It makes a difference on both the shooter & gun.

Look, I'm not saying that 2400 isn't a good propellant because it is, only that there are better choices IMO for full power loads and the reasons why.

Bruce
 
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