Hornady Leverevolution and K frames?

[Krull]

Just bought some of this to try out and noticed on the box the fps is listed as 1440 at the muzzle.

Now 125gr thermo nuke type stuff is close to 1500fps so I'm thinking this lever stuff may not be so good for a K frame since it's threading on the famed,or infamous,125gr load.

I don't plan to shoot much mag stuff in the 66 anyway just when I'm out in the woods or when I get my CCW and drag it into town with me,and then it'll be mostly 158 to 180gr JHP or JSP,may carry the 135gr "short barrel" Gold Dot when I CCW

So what say you? is a few of these leverwhatsis ok in a K frame or should I shy away? again I only use mags in the woods or for carry,and if I get a new load a few to check the sights,the rest of the time it's plain 'ol .38 for fun use.

 

[stiab]

I'm not an expert in these matters, but I would not shoot it in my K frames. The UMC 125 grain I chronographed averaged 1427 fps from a 4" M28, and I also do not shoot that in my K frames.

 

[Sprefix]

Spice it up..........

KRULL--(Just bought some of this to try out and noticed on the box the fps is listed as 1440 at the muzzle.Now 125gr thermo nuke type stuff is close to 1500fps so I'm thinking this lever stuff may not be so good for a K frame since it's threading on the famed,or infamous,125gr load.)


I shoot them out of my M&P 360 to spice things up a bit.............and they chrono'ed 1200FPS out of that little Nub of a barrel!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YEAHHHHH...........

 

[Krull]

When I got it home I went then I just went since I have that Ruger SP-101 in my box so I shot it out of that,some ride! that's why I went online to check what this stuff is doing,and wether that was out of a carbine and not a pistol, and saw it's a might "warm" so I thought I'd ask.

sprefix's readings pretty much back that up,it'll be Ruger fodder.

I've seen member had it in some speedloaders with his 66,so if anybody wants to tell him that may not be such a good idea.....

 

[ronsm]

Thanks for the info. I just bought a box to shoot in my 13-3. I'll put it up on the shelf to shoot in something else. Never paid any attention to the velocity. RonS

 

[flop-shank]

What's the bullet weight?

 

[Krull]

What's the bullet weight?

140gr-frankly that seems pretty dang hot!

 

[flop-shank]

I don't know how much bearing surface that bullet has, so it might achive free flight before it hits the forcing cone (in which case it will peen the bottom surface of the forcing cone and that, if nothing harmful, definately does the gun no favors). As I recall, that load is designed to be a compromise that works somewhat well in rifle and pistol length barrels (someone correct me if I'm wrong, could be, that bad boy really scoots out of a snub). I would just use a cartridge designed for handguns. If you like that weight bullet, Corbon makes a 140 gr. JHP utilizing an excellent Sierra bullet (think 125 gr. style fragmentation) that should be perfect for a K frame.

One other thing comes to mind (a total SWAG actually) about Hornady. While Hornady products never seem to get me excited, they seem to turn out some pretty hot loading data and that same thinking may be what's coming to bear in that ammo. I've said more than once that the best thing Hornady ever made was loading data.

 

[ronsm]

hornady leverevolution

Contacted Hornady's tech service by e-mail this week concerning the subject at hand. I told them what was said here and their reply was. " The 357 lever evolution ammo is loaded to SAAMI spec., which any 357 mag on the market is loaded to. This is NOT a hot load. It can be fired in any 357 mag firearm."
RonSm

 

[flop-shank]

I don't think anyone here is refering to this ammo as being overpressure. By "hot" I mean at the upper end of modern factory pressure and performance without exceeding SAAMI specs.

 

[nn]

I don't know how much bearing surface that bullet has, so it might achive free flight before it hits the forcing cone (in which case it will peen the bottom surface of the forcing cone and that, if nothing harmful, definately does the gun no favors). As I recall, that load is designed to be a compromise that works somewhat well in rifle and pistol length barrels (someone correct me if I'm wrong, could be, that bad boy really scoots out of a snub). I would just use a cartridge designed for handguns. If you like that weight bullet, Corbon makes a 140 gr. JHP utilizing an excellent Sierra bullet (think 125 gr. style fragmentation) that should be perfect for a K frame.

One other thing comes to mind (a total SWAG actually) about Hornady. While Hornady products never seem to get me excited, they seem to turn out some pretty hot loading data and that same thinking may be what's coming to bear in that ammo. I've said more than once that the best thing Hornady ever made was loading data.

Looking at some and comparing them to other .357 loads on hand, the bearing surface is about the same.

 

[Faulkner]

I've not used it in my M65, but I have fired it out of both of my .357 carbines. I was very impressed with the accuracy at 75 yards and it'll be the ammo of choice in my 16 inch barreled Winchester 94 carbine in my ATV scabbard at deer camp this year.

 

[FHBrumb]

I have fired it in a 686, and it wasn't THAT hot... I fired some Gold Dot 170gr stuff that had much more pop.

You won't catch a manufacturer the likes of Hornady loading something that's not safe as can be in everything without a big warning on the box.

Out of a 5 inch 686 with factory sights, I could hit an 8 inch target pretty consistently.

 

[Krull]

I have fired it in a 686, and it wasn't THAT hot... I fired some Gold Dot 170gr stuff that had much more pop.

You won't catch a manufacturer the likes of Hornady loading something that's not safe as can be in everything without a big warning on the box.

Out of a 5 inch 686 with factory sights, I could hit an 8 inch target pretty consistently.

I'm not worried about "hot" just that it gets the velocity up close to the 125gr stuff,since I'm told that's not so good for a K frame then it may have to be watched in said Smith.

What I'm really ? about is that the 125gr is bad on the forcing cone at that speed,but dunno what effect a heavier bullet may have going almost the same fps so I just thought to toss the idea out and see what everyone thinks.

Now in an L frame? or a Ruger? en it's just normal stuff.

 

[FHBrumb]

I thought the k frame weakness (flat spot on the forcing cone) was exploited by escaping gasses and residual powder. The shorter bullets cleared the forcing cone in a shorter period of time, so the "sand blasting" of expanding gas and powder took it's toll. Longer bullets, seated deeper, allowed another micro second or two, to get more solid powder turned to gas before the bullet passed, making it less damaging.

I don't think the bullet itself has anything to do with it. It's not the bullet, but the blast furnace behind it that matters. I don't think it ever had anything to do with pressure or recoil. I'd also wonder if newer and faster powders make this less of an issue now?

I'd shoot it. Not all the time, but I'd shoot it...

Just an opinion...

 

[BigRich315]

I carry them in .44 in the woods, but then again it's not a particularly hot load in .44, but an amazing round. In a J-frame I would say don't even try it, but the K should be able to handle a few rounds of it.

 

[reerc]

Something I haven't seen mentioned in this thread, is that since this cartridge is designed for a carbine, most likely the powder used won't have sufficient time to get all burned up to achieve the intended pressure - at least that's the response I got when I asked about this stuff a couple of months ago.

 

[drafter58]

Shot this stuff at the range yesterday through my 4" 686 it shot 1 3/4" group at 25yds. It shot great love this stuff.

 

[rz625-8]

I shoot the 140 grain hornadys in my Ruger GP100 and SP101 and,,,,, I feel better than shooting them out of a S&W K frames. rz625-8

 

[H Richard]

I've used the .44 mag stuff, and it is amazingly accurate.