Loading for 28-2

[Duskykiller]

Just got my first 28-2 a very nice used one with 4" barrel. I have wanted one for about 40 years and finally made it happen. Starting to load for it and planned on loading 21 gr of H110 with 125 Hornady XTP bullets. As I am used to loading relatively light loads for a 66 Smith this looks like a very hot load. Will my 28-2 take this kind of load as a steady diet? Let me kn ow what you think.

 

[Duskykiller]

Just got my first 28-2 a very nice used one with 4" barrel. I have wanted one for about 40 years and finally made it happen. Starting to load for it and planned on loading 21 gr of H110 with 125 Hornady XTP bullets. As I am used to loading relatively light loads for a 66 Smith this looks like a very hot load. Will my 28-2 take this kind of load as a steady diet? Let me kn ow what you think.

 

[Skip Sackett]

Dusty,
First off, welcome to the forum. You just so happened to pick the best place on it to start!

As for the question you pose, yes, the M28 will take a beating. It surely needn't though. If it were me and I had waited 40 years to get the gun of my dreams, I would save those "shock and awe" type of bullets for when company came over! I would shoot the snot out of it with 38spl loads. That's just me though!

 

[Paul5388]

I have a M28-2 I bought new in 1972. I've shot loads out of it that are plenty hot, but you won't catch me shooting H110/W296 out of it again!

Here's a picture of the top strap and the almost nonexistent flame cutting.

Here's the whole gun.

For comparison on flame cutting, here's a Dan Wesson M715 top strap that I bought used.

If you stick with flake powders, you won't have nearly the problem with flame cutting.

 

[Duskykiller]

Thanks for the answers that is why I am asking the question.

 

[Hoptob]

I bought M28-2 recently and it has deepest flame cutting groove I've ever seen. Looks 0.05" deep. I guess I got nothing to loose...

Mike

 

[Snapping Twig]

158g cast with 15.5g H110 should be plenty 'nuff to get the juices flowing w/o damage.

It's said that the short 125g rounds are the biggest contributor to gas cutting as the bullet jumps the gap before the powder is consumed. 158g bullets take longer to clear the cylinder and the powder has enough time to burn up. So THEY say. I agree however, but I can't prove it.

Want some fun under a dull roar? Try a 158g bullet over 5g W231 in a magnum case. Sort of like a 38spl +P. Hell, bump it up a mite (check book), still not enough to hurt it and might just pop a little nicer.

 

[pownal55]

switching to 2400 powder will reduce the flame cutting a bit.

 

[Duskykiller]

Thanks a lot I hadn't considered the flame cutting issue. I just want a little more fun than a standard .38 load. I will move up to 158 grain bullets and some other powders.

 

[Paul5388]

The picture I posted of the top strap of my M28-2 is the end results of many 125 gr bullets shot at 1575 fps. Since I always used SR4756, it should be pretty obvious it isn't a problem with the bullets and it does indicate it's a powder problem. It should also be obvious the flake powder I use didn't produce any appreciable top strap damage.

 

[Duskykiller]

OK what powder and bullets are recommended for 357 magnum loads that will not cause flame cutting? It looks like I should not use the 125 grains and I will switch to 158. But what powder is best?

 

[Snapping Twig]

What powder? Depends on what you want to do.

Here's my line-up.

W231 for lighter loads up to midrange.

Unique for midrange to moderate.

W296 for hot.

 

[pinkymingeo]

AA9.

 

[Duskykiller]

Is 2400 a good choice for the hotter 125-158 gr loads? How about HS-6 as well?

 

[zercool]

2400 is a pretty good powder in my experience. I don't have a chrono to run things over, but 13.0gr of 2400 behind a Venom Ballistics cast 137gr LSWCHP has got good snap and is plenty accurate from my 28-2.

For target and plinking I've been shooting 3.5gr of Trail Boss behind 158gr cast LSWC in .38Spl brass. Talk about a creampuff load.

 

[aphelion]

Originally posted by Duskykiller:
OK what powder and bullets are recommended for 357 magnum loads that will not cause flame cutting? It looks like I should not use the 125 grains and I will switch to 158. But what powder is best?

In my experience, 4227 is the gentlest powder for magnum type loads on forcing cones and topstraps. Velocities aren't the highest, but they are up there. I established this to my satisfaction back when I shot 357 Supermags in the silhouette days.

 

[Littledragon777]

I like shooting a mild 38 special load in my 28-2 for puching paper. I use 5.6 grains of AA#5 with 158 Win. JHPs and CCI primers. This load is extremely accurate and is fun to shoot. Hardly know when it goes off. I also use AA#5 when I load it up with Hornady 180 XTPs and they shoot great as well.

 

[Wayne02]

Originally posted by Paul5388:
Here's the whole gun.

What grips are on that 28?

Thanks

 

[Paul5388]

Wayne,

Those are Pachmayr Grippers.

I didn't even leave the shop with the original wood and originally had some Jay Scotts on it. Later, I switched to these, because they fit my hands better than Hogues.

 

[WR Moore]

Originally posted by Snapping Twig:

It's said that the short 125g rounds are the biggest contributor to gas cutting as the bullet jumps the gap before the powder is consumed. 158g bullets take longer to clear the cylinder and the powder has enough time to burn up. So THEY say. I agree however, but I can't prove it.

The only flame cutting my 28 experienced was from factory 158 gr softnoses. I fired 6. The rest of the box is still unused after almost 40 years.

I've not tried IMR 4227 in the .357, love it in the .44. Does need magnum primers to light it off.