Okay to shoot a steady diet of 125gr bullets in J frames

[1sailor]

I have access to a good supply of 125gr JHP bullets and would like to load up a little stockpile. I know that there have been some issues using light bullets with hot loads but I would not be loading really hot. My smallest .357 is a little M&P340 so I wouldn't be stockpiling anything that would be considered overly stiff for it. They would be plenty hot compared to a 38+p but on the lighter side for a .357. I really don't want to end up eroding the forcing cone on my M&P or my Model 60.

 

[kaaskop49]

Don't know about the wisdom of handloading for a Scandium 340. There already seem to be enough problems already with bullet-inertia-pull and metal erosion with factory ammunition. I believe your M&P has a stainless cylinder, so erosion may not be a problem. Others can comment more knowledgeably.

I would crimp the bullets solidly as I have even had bullets pull out of .38 Spl. factory loads when firing my 360Sc. My Model 60s, both the .38 and .357 Models, handle everything I feed them.

 

[Rpg]

Forget your worries about the forcing cone.

Shoot what works in your revolver.

Don't try to get the most gee whiz ammo.

Use what works best and that you shoot best and most often.

Forget the ballistic tables and wonderful pictures of ballistic gel unless you're reading them on the throne

Use what you shoot most and best.

 

[gtmtnbiker98]

Your hands will explode before you have time to wear out that scandium revolver! Trust me!

 

[1sailor]

Well i doubt that I'd be shooting much of it through the Scandium revolver. But I would like to shoot the heck out of my new model 60 and my new (to me) 8 3/8" model 27. The model 27 I don't worry too much about.

 

[kaaskop49]

Some great advice from very savvy posters above. While the 60 can handle any reasonable .38 Spl load, you may find it shoots better with the factory service load (or its approximation). This is the load around which the Chief was designed and with which it shoots Point of Impact.

Chiefs have been mounted in machine rests to test accuracy and the combo of its snub barrel and 158 gr. service ammo can be incredibly accurate at 25 yards, despite the small sights of the earlier models.

 

[hotrod150]

Seems like I just saw a photo of an airlite (?) 357 and roll-marked on the barrel was some sort fo warning about not shooting lightweight bullets?

 

[gtmtnbiker98]

Seems like I just saw a photo of an airlite (?) 357 and roll-marked on the barrel was some sort fo warning about not shooting lightweight bullets?

This is due to bullet pull or the potential.

 

[36general]

Seems like I just saw a photo of an airlite (?) 357 and roll-marked on the barrel was some sort fo warning about not shooting lightweight bullets?

This is only on the 340pd. Says do not shoot bullets less than 120gr. That only refers to .357 ammo, not .38s. 125gr .357s are just fine in any .357 J frame.

 

[photoman]

No problems at all with the 125 grain bullet that I'm aware of. The 110 grain .357 magnum load in K frames is to be avoided due to possible forcing cone damage. The 110 grain .357 magnum load is to be avoided in the ultra-light J frames due to possible bullet pull.

 

[Jaymo]

I'm with Rpg on this one. Solid hits in the pumphouse, with good bullets beat mediocre hits with loudenboomers.

If I had a bunch of 125s available, I'd experiment with loading them for maximum accuracy.
The most accurate load is highly unlikely to be the highest velocity load. I'd load them to a velocity that is highly accurate and comfortable to shoot.
Then, I'd shoot a lot of them.

 

[JonF]

yup

I certainly agree with Jaymo, cause that is what I do for thousands of rounds out of all my Jframes.

 

[Jaymo]

Great thing about reloading manuals, is that they often list the potentially most accurate loads for specific bullets.
Those are not the hottest loads.
That is good.
Hottest=harder to shoot accurately/consistently.
Most accurate=milder than max loads/easier to shoot with consistent accuracy + it your powder goes a lot further.

 

[hotrod150]

This is due to bullet pull or the potential.

I'm no physicist, but it seems to me that bullet pull is more liekly with a heavier bullet-- there's more inertia to overcome.

 

[photoman]

The bearing surface of the lighter bullets is much less than the longer, heavier bullets.

 

[M3Stuart]

Ok, I'm going out on a limb here by saying: IF (and I don't think there is) there were the possibility of damaging your gun with 125gr projectiles; I don't think it's the bullet WEIGHT as much as the pressure being generated by the combination of load & bullet.

So my answer is "no", if you are using factory ammo. Because I think S&W takes the 'spec' data into account when they say your gun will handle that ammo.

 

[colt_saa]

I have access to a good supply of 125gr JHP bullets and would like to load up a little stockpile. I know that there have been some issues using light bullets with hot loads but I would not be loading really hot. My smallest .357 is a little M&P340 so I wouldn't be stockpiling anything that would be considered overly stiff for it. They would be plenty hot compared to a 38+p but on the lighter side for a .357. I really don't want to end up eroding the forcing cone on my M&P or my Model 60.

Your M&P340 is 100% capable of safely firing any 125 grain 357 Magnum load that conforms to SAAMI specifications. Your loading manuals will not recommend loads that fall above SAAMI specs. Internet advice is another story.