[warddc]

My favorite target snubby load so far for my M-60 S&W is 6.8 gr of Universal Clays and a Rem 125 gr JSP. I get about 1050 fps and the round is accurate and doesn't bite the hand that shoots it. The load is still hot enough though to remind you that you are shooting a .357 mag. Very clean shooting. With my Crimson Trace lasergrips attached, I can shoot 3" - 5 shot groups at 20 yds.

Anyway, anyone looking for a good target snubby load may want to try Hogdon's universal clays.

dave.

[Johnny Guest]

warddc, are you putting that load up in .357 mag cases, or .38 Spls?

Personally, I think a 125 load that chronos 1050 from a two-inch is just about plenty - - sufficient velocity to probably expand the JHP, and yet controllable, given the proper stocks.

Best,
Johnny

[warddc]

that's from .357 mag cases. the recoil is actually very tame. it could easily go hotter. i think max load is like 7.8 gr or there abouts.

i was looking for an accurate, clean burning round that would be easy to handle shooting all day from a snubby.

d.

[Grump]

I know you're talking snubbies, but we chrono'd the old yellowbox Speer 125-gr +P .38 Specials out of a 4-inch and got just over 1,000 fps.

How fast do Federal 1250gr .357 Mags go out of your snubbie?

[warddc]

i dunno. i don't buy commercial ammo.

d.

[ChristopherG]

This is why the 357 snubs are a handloader's delight. You can fool around with projectiles and power levels to find a balance of controllability and potency that works for you.

Ward, why a JSP? It would be unlikely to function (i.e., expand) at that velocity, wouldn't it? For my 340pd, I've latched onto Speer's new 147 grain Gold Dot, which they load only in 38+p (for full-size revolvers), but for which they have published reloading data for .357. I aim to push this bullet at around 900 fps from my 1.825" barrel; this produces a nice, controllable and accurate load out of my airlite gun that will penetrate and expand with authority.

Folks who say a .357 is a bad choice in a snub must not reload ;)

[warddc]

i don't care about expansion. i use the JSP cause i get them in bulk from remington cheap. I'm just punchin' paper and knockin over firewood (poor mans bowling pin ya know). i love hitting a big oak chunck of firewood standing on end with a snub from 25 yards out. I stand a bunch of them on end and knock em over. logs make environmentally sound targets. they don't pollute and i can burn em when i'm through with em. by the way that round will generally penetrate a quartered oak log at 20 yds. pretty impressive from a snubby.

I also like to load up the 686 6" with full tilt H-110 loads and watch the flames and feel the report. :-)

dave

[Poohgyrr]

I picked up 1K rounds of .38 brass really cheap about ten years ago, and loaded it to around 1000 fps with Unique & 125 JHPs for my .357 snubs. Even with my old eyes, this batch has done pretty good on targets. Handloading .38/.357s is sweet.