- Joined
- May 5, 2012
- Messages
- 2
- Reaction score
- 0
hi all; looking for experience on load data for .357 magnum .revolver is a 686-6 .bullet weights are 140gr jacketed and 158gr jacketed what i'm after is best powder ,start and max charge.
reloading .357 magnum
- Thread starter rustybass44
- Start date
Register to hide this ad
Hodgdon - The Gun Powder People
Many loads available there for IMR, Hodgdon and Winchester powders, straight from the source.
What are your goals? Maximum performance, economy, accuracy, other?
Many loads available there for IMR, Hodgdon and Winchester powders, straight from the source.
What are your goals? Maximum performance, economy, accuracy, other?
Smith357
US Veteran
Ron hit the nail on the head, you have to decide what you want the load to do for you, then choose the powders. For big fireball hunting loads that push the cartridge to it's full potential, 2400 is a good place to start. For economical plinking/target loads Unique or W296 are popular choices.
silentflyer
Member
Check the link below, found here on the forum, Skeeter Skelton's loads have worked for me over 40 years.
Skeeter Skelton
Skeeter Skelton
RIDE-RED 350r
Member
Don't forget Western Powders, (makers of Accurate Arms and Ramshot powders).
While I have not yet used Accurate Powders for 357 just yet, I have worked up to a tack driving, yet near full power 44mag load with Accurate #9.
They have a very good online loading table using a fairly wide variety of bullets. Dowloadable/printable PDF file is VERY handy to have and add to your list of resources.
Click this link and then click "View centerfire metallic load guide edition 5.0" button. Enjoy. Load Data « Accurate Powders
PS: I think you will find most handloaders will be hesitant to post up their own load data that works for them. It is the responsibility of the handloader to exercise caution, consistency, and due diligence for safety when reloading ammunition. What recipe works for one person and his weapon may not work for another. It is best for you to look at the published information that is available to you and work your loads up. I know more experienced handloaders concoct their own recipes that may or may not be within maximum limits of published load data and that is fine, they know what they are doing. But me being relatively new to reloading, I never exceed maximums listed by published data. It's also a good idea to not charge below listed minimums either. You can get a bullet stuck in the barrell...Which can be very dangerous.
While I have not yet used Accurate Powders for 357 just yet, I have worked up to a tack driving, yet near full power 44mag load with Accurate #9.
They have a very good online loading table using a fairly wide variety of bullets. Dowloadable/printable PDF file is VERY handy to have and add to your list of resources.
Click this link and then click "View centerfire metallic load guide edition 5.0" button. Enjoy. Load Data « Accurate Powders
PS: I think you will find most handloaders will be hesitant to post up their own load data that works for them. It is the responsibility of the handloader to exercise caution, consistency, and due diligence for safety when reloading ammunition. What recipe works for one person and his weapon may not work for another. It is best for you to look at the published information that is available to you and work your loads up. I know more experienced handloaders concoct their own recipes that may or may not be within maximum limits of published load data and that is fine, they know what they are doing. But me being relatively new to reloading, I never exceed maximums listed by published data. It's also a good idea to not charge below listed minimums either. You can get a bullet stuck in the barrell...Which can be very dangerous.
Last edited:
stavman11
Member
Love my .357 and .38s loads
I suggest see what Powder you can get and Plan accordingly
I love w231 for tame loads and h110/W296 for Full magnum Loads..
So find some powder that works in .357 Then load accordingly
I suggest see what Powder you can get and Plan accordingly
I love w231 for tame loads and h110/W296 for Full magnum Loads..
So find some powder that works in .357 Then load accordingly
RIDE-RED 350r
Member
Love my .357 and .38s loads
I suggest see what Powder you can get and Plan accordingly
I love w231 for tame loads and h110/W296 for Full magnum Loads..
So find some powder that works in .357 Then load accordingly
Holy cow have I been dealing with that! Just the other day I FINALLY got 2lbs of h110! WOOP WOOP!
Smith357
US Veteran
Did you mean W231/HP38 for the plinking target loads??
(W296 is of course H110)
I could have, doing it from memory, which is why one should never trust anything on the internet.
I could have, doing it from memory, which is why one should never trust anything on the internet.
It also depends on your definition of "plinking"
The mind is one of the first to go
I have shot the 140 Xtp out of my M19 and 686, both 6" tubes, with good results. I have used Unique, Blue Dot, Sr 4756, imr 4227 and 2400 powders.
I loaded it at medium speed for target and tipping over the rabbits in the desert, every now and then. My fps ran from a low 1210 with the 4227 to a high of 1296 with the 4756.
I did not have a chrony back when I loaded the Blue Dot but ten grains with the 140gr was very accurate in my two long barrels back in 2/28/2010. Groups at 25 yards were at 1" to 1.25" with six shots off a sand bag and iron sights.
I loaded it at medium speed for target and tipping over the rabbits in the desert, every now and then. My fps ran from a low 1210 with the 4227 to a high of 1296 with the 4756.
I did not have a chrony back when I loaded the Blue Dot but ten grains with the 140gr was very accurate in my two long barrels back in 2/28/2010. Groups at 25 yards were at 1" to 1.25" with six shots off a sand bag and iron sights.
Alk8944
US Veteran
I will not give loading data to anyone who has no knowledge whatsoever of reloading as your question indicates! What I will do is tell you to buy a good reloading manual (Really they are all good!), or several preferably, read and study them thoroughly before doing anything else. They will contain all the data you will ever need. If you really want to be a "Shooter" then studying loading manuals will be a joy, not work.
Thanks for that link . I really enjoyed reading his articles back when he was alive .
scooter123
Member
My preference is to use Accurate #5 for 125 grain bullets and H110 for the 140 grain and heavier bullets.
BTW, I've tried H110 with a 125 grain bullet and it's too slow for a bullet this light, the muzzle flash and post barrel blast is beyond reasonable. In addition the Barrel/Cylinder Gap flash was heavy enough I'd be concerned about excessive gas cutting on the top strap.
As for loads, 10.3 grains of Accurate #5 produces an excellent low flash magnum load with a 125 grain Hornady XTP. As for 140 grain loads using the hornady XTP I'm still testing. So far 17.3 grains of H110 has worked out well. It's a somewhat moderate Magnum load in terms of recoil without the excessive muzzle flash or blast I observed with the lighter 125 grain bullet.
BTW, I've tried H110 with a 125 grain bullet and it's too slow for a bullet this light, the muzzle flash and post barrel blast is beyond reasonable. In addition the Barrel/Cylinder Gap flash was heavy enough I'd be concerned about excessive gas cutting on the top strap.
As for loads, 10.3 grains of Accurate #5 produces an excellent low flash magnum load with a 125 grain Hornady XTP. As for 140 grain loads using the hornady XTP I'm still testing. So far 17.3 grains of H110 has worked out well. It's a somewhat moderate Magnum load in terms of recoil without the excessive muzzle flash or blast I observed with the lighter 125 grain bullet.
Kilibreaux
Member
Medium - slow handgun powders will work best if you have the tube length to get all they deliver.
140-158 grain is a great middle-weight slug that will generally provide optimal performance though I would suggest you consider running hard-cast between 155-180 grains of a SWC design...NOT the currently popular RN, broad meplat.
At the speeds a .357 can launch a 160 grain LSWC, even with modest expansion it is a VERY potent round that will penetrate. The reason the SWC design is prefered has to do with how bullets respond upon striking hard surfaces at oblique angles. A rounded nose - even with decent meplat will tend to glance AWAY from a bone upon striking. A SWC has two points of contact that tend to "grab" or "snag" upon striking bone causing the slug to turn IN (toward) the bone, which improves the odds of a good strike, and also causes the slug to tumble - a GOOD thing if it has enough KE.
If you're loading for two-legged animals your selected weight is very good. If you're looking to "humanely" drop 4-legged critters in the 300-500 lb range you really want to go 180 HARD-cast with a "slower" powder and at least 6" of barrel.
I would not advise going for "grazing" animals over 500 pounds, nor tooth & claw beasts over 250 pounds with a .357 Magnum and even then, be wary.
ArchAngelCD
Moderator, SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
Every gun is different and what works for me may not work well for you.
There are a lot of very good "magnum class powders" out there that will produce the highest velocity and accuracy unlike in the past when there were few powders available for reloaders.
Some are:
W296/H110, Lil'Gun, IMR4227, AA#9, 4100, Power Pro 300-MP, 2400, Enforcer and a few VV powders too. There are probably more but those are the ones I can think of off hand.
Load data is available online from:
Load Data « Ramshot (for Western Powders, Ramshot and Accurate)
http://data.hodgdon.com/main_menu.asp (for all Hodgdon/ IMR/ Winchester powders)
Alliant Powder - Reloader's Guide (for Alliant powders)
Products - Lapua (for Vihtavuori Powders)
mongoose65
Member
When I reload .357, I use a 125 gr bullet and 6gr of 231 for a comfortable target load. You can also use Hodgdon HP38 that is the same as Winchester 231.
Last edited:
aviserated
Member
- Joined
- Jan 24, 2014
- Messages
- 26
- Reaction score
- 8
Try to keep velocity around 1000fps to prevent premature wear on gun. Max loads are veryhard on double action revolvers...especially if you shoot alot. I like using Tin Star powder with my 140gr Hornaday XTP bullets.
