I am looking for the best compromise between velocity and low flash for a .357 with a 1 7/8's inch barrel. I am looking for a few hundred feet more volocity than can a .38 special can provide. So what is the best powder to start with for 125 grain bullets for good velocity, lower flash, and good accuracy.
power/flash .356 snub
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I've always gotten the best velocity vs. pressure with H110/W296.
I have used 2400 when I was trying to get that flash.
I have used 2400 when I was trying to get that flash.
If you are talking about factory ammunition, this is easy.
Most all Premium offerings from the big ammunition companies (Winchester, Federal, Speer, Hornady, Remington) contain flash suppresant. This is part of the reason for the higher price.
This is not true of most of the offerings from the smaller Boutique companies.
There is no flash supressant in any of the bargain priced ammo like UMC or WWB. After all we are buying those to save money.
If you are talking about loading your own, that is much harder. I am not aware of any end user powders that have flash suppressant. Again, we usualy handload to save money.
Most all Premium offerings from the big ammunition companies (Winchester, Federal, Speer, Hornady, Remington) contain flash suppresant. This is part of the reason for the higher price.
This is not true of most of the offerings from the smaller Boutique companies.
There is no flash supressant in any of the bargain priced ammo like UMC or WWB. After all we are buying those to save money.
If you are talking about loading your own, that is much harder. I am not aware of any end user powders that have flash suppressant. Again, we usualy handload to save money.
I too love this powder in the Magnums. Performance is really great. However it does have a spectacular orange fireball when fired from a snubby.
Back in the 70s when I started loading 357 Magnum my buddy started calling the round The Attention Getter since he would fire them from a 2 1/2" model 66.
Charles
Member
Steve C
Member
There are no free lunches and you are not going to get 1200 fps with a 125gr bullet out of a 2" barrel AND little muzzle flash. 38spl +P is leaving the muzzle at perhaps 850 fps so anything over 1,000 fps not only achieves what you originally stated "a few hundred feet more volocity than can a .38 special can provide" but is enough velocity to ensure reliable expansion with JHP bullets.
If you don't like the Ramshot powder perhaps you should try Unique. I saw a post showing pictures of muzzle flash using different powders and Unique had a relatively modest red flash when compared to many others.
If you don't like the Ramshot powder perhaps you should try Unique. I saw a post showing pictures of muzzle flash using different powders and Unique had a relatively modest red flash when compared to many others.
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fredj338
Member
If you want 1200fps w/125gr bullets, you need to be feeding it magnum loads or midrange mags. Unique isn't bad for muzzle flash, WSF a bit better. Both nedium burners. Either 9gr of Unique or 9.1gr of WSF will go 1225fps+ in my Sp101. I haven't shot them at night but muzzle blast is nothing like full house factory 125gr mags.
