.357 and .38 plinking and woods suggestions

I spent a bunch of time working out a 38 special and 357 load that will shoot to the same point of impact in my 4.2" ruger sp101. The magic combo for me is;

125gr Berry's FP with 4 grains of 700x with S&B primer in 38 special
140 gr Hornady XTP with near max load of 18gr Win296 and a federal small pistol magnum primer in 357

In my gun these both shoot to the same point of aim at 25 yards and hold about a 2" group at that distance. Unique would be a fine powder for 38 special and light/medium 357 loads, and AA9 would be a good full house 357 powder.

Oh, I was also going to mention that I am not an avid cast bullet shooter but I try to avoid shooting cast and jacketed in the same gun. I tried it in my ruger and the combination of copper and lead in the barrel made it lead foul something awful. It was fine if I shot either or but I had to clean it out before switching from one to the other. I switched to plated bullets and no more issue. I'm no cast bullet expert so maybe this is not a common problem.

AA#9 isn't a good choice for 38 Special and Unique is easily used for both 38/357. I suggest to new reloaders to find a tried and true load combination from your manual(s) when starting to reload a new cartridge. For these cartridges look at a 158 gr JSWC or JHP ( jacketed is easier to reload for a new reloader) and a starting load of Unique (Lyman manual; 4.7-5.0 gr., and 6.4-8.3 gr. for the 357). Once you get the hang of reloading you can "branch out" to other combinations in your manual(s)...

Go slow. Double check everything. And most important, have fun...

I do not use 38 spl brass in my 357, never had. But I load 38 spl loads in the 357 brass. 4.8gr WST behind a MBC 158gr SWC (12bhn) Hytec coated. Very soft shooting, if shooing in 38spl brass drop down to 4.7gr. These crony at 770 fps out of my 6" Python. For the full house loads I use W296/H110 behind a 158gr XTP or 2400 powder.

Should add that the WST burns super clean at these light charges.

I will toss in a DEWC suggestion for plinking. Cheap cast bullets and modest powder loads and they can be both extremely accurate and soft shooting. I have been working with HP38, but I imagine that you could use Unique.

I also tend to shoot only 357 Magnum cases in my 357 Magnum revolvers. I can load light plinkers in them or full power loads as I desire. As an aside, I do ahve several 38 Special revolvers so I have an outlet for my 38 Special cases.

Good suggestions on bullets and loads posted so far. These days, I load 158 grain cast SWC in a hot 38 Special level loads in 357 Magnum cases for my 357 Magnum guns. Generally, I use Unique but other powders work well as well.

I could load them softer if I want.

As a side note, I use other pistols/cartridges for defense so I do not need to load the 357 Magnum at hot levels.

Missouri Bullets is a good choice for a bullet source.
http://www.missouribullet.com

For plinking .38 Special ammo I would and do use a 148gr DEWC
http://missouribullet.com/details.php?prodId=118&category=5
or a 158gr LSWC
http://missouribullet.com/details.php?prodId=52&category=5

For the .357 Magnum at full power I would suggest a 158gr COATED SWC because the coating will allow higher pressures and velocities without leading.
http://missouribullet.com/details.php?prodId=213&category=5

Unique is a good choice for the .38 Special but I use W231/HP-38 instead.

AA#9 will work very well with the magnum loads as will 2400 and W296/H110 which is what I use.
All the powders but for W296/H110 should be loaded with a standard Small Pistol Primer, W296 should be loaded with a Small Pistol Magnum primer.

Welcome to reloading.

If you don't want coated
https://rmrbullets.com/shop/bullets...n-thundercast-semi-wad-cutter/?v=7516fd43adaa
$42 -5% THR discount makes it about $40 for 500 free shipping.
MBC has nice coated+uncoated bullets and also offer THR members a 5% discount with the code. Acme has nice coated bullets as well.
I had good results with the MBC 158 SWCs in .357 and I really liked the 140gr Zingers. Nice compromise between 125s and 158s.
Missouri's .357 bullets tend to be BHN 18 and they offer most of the same bullets under .38 in BHN 12.
I had better results with the softer bullets in light loads but you probably need the harder ones for full house .357. Problem there is you would have two different bullets.
I think the coating is worth the few extra $, but I have shot lots of uncoated bullets as well.

I shoot .38 special with coated lead bullets in my GP-100 for IDPA. SNS Casting in Illinois makes a variety of very good coated bullets that do not lead the barrel and smoke very little. Eggleston bullets in Colorado Springs also makes some good coated bullets. My preferred loads for IDPA include a 125 gr SNS coated round nose over 4.5 to 4.6 gr American Select and a 148 grain Eggleston over 4.1 American Select. If you want a more full power .38 spl load, a 152 grain lead flat point over 4.4gr American Select gave about 1,000 fps in my 4.2 inch GP-100. (American Select is a flake powder with a burn rate between Bullseye and Unique. Unlike these two powders, it has almost no nitrogylcerine, burns very clean throughout its load range, has no muzzle flash, and makes little smoke with coated bullets.)

From my .38 snub nose, I use Berry's plated 125 gr. over about 4.7 gr Win 231 or HP-38. These run well but make a nice flash around the barrel-cylinder gap, assuring me that I'm not blinking.

Make sure you buy your bullets in .358" diameter. Check the cylinder throats in your revolver - if they are smaller than .358, have a gunsmith open them up to that spec.

The "problem" of shooting 357s after shooting .38 spl is overblown, especially with coated or plated bullets. Squirt some non-chlorinated brake cleaner through the chambers after you shoot the .38s and run a bore brush through them several times. Rinse with a bit more brake cleaner and you're good to go.

For a good 357 range load, use Univeral Clays under a 140 gr. coated lead bullet. Use the Hodgdon data for 135gr lead bullets.

Chris

I am loading for .357 Magnum using BE-86 powder. I use Hornady 158gn XTP (JHP) with 7.6gn BE-86 provides approx 1170fps in 6" Colt Python.
For plinking I use the Xtreme 38-158gn FP (plated) with 7.4gn BE-86 provids approx 1060fps from same 6" Python.

Both shoot clean and great groups.

LeftyTSGC

In a .38spl revolver I like the HBWC or DEWC over 2.7 grains of Bullseye or Red Dot. I get around 750 fps to 800 fps depending on the revolver. This satisfies my needs in normal woods rambling. If I need more authority I carry a .357 loaded with a 150 grain SWC over 12.5 grains of 2400 in .357 brass. This load gives from 1150 fps to 1200 fps again depending on the revolver. If, for some reason, I need more power and don't want to carry my OM .45 Colt BlackHawk, I carry a home cast 158 (nominal) grain GC SWC over 15 grains of 2400. This load gives 1420 to 1450 fps depending on barrel length. And, NO, I don't shoot a lot of these and only in my M27s and 28s.

I load the SNS Casting 158 gr LSWC Bullet in my 38's and they are great bullets, very reasonably priced, and will work very well for your purpose. These are hardcast bullets that can be driven pretty fast without leading... Just use the right data for them, not data used with softer swaged bullets like what is found in the current Sierra and Hornady Manuals. SNS also makes coated bullets, which I haven't tried, but heard good things about. The coated will make clean up easier. The SWC design is a great all around bullet.

For full house, serious purpose, 357 Magnum loads, I favor the 158gr Hornady XTPs or Speer Gold Dots and VV-N110. Driving even HC lead to max may cause leading problems in the 357 Magnum.

You may also want to look at Berry's Plated Bullets for plinking bullets that don't make a mess to clean up. I load those in my 9mm and they are great bullets, just ensure you don't load them faster than Berry's printed maximum velocities, since they are swaged lead with a lighter copper coating than what you would find in a jacketed bullet.

I started with Unique years ago, but have dumped it, because, whereas it is capable of working well in the 38, it does not burn clean and makes an awful mess. Unique will burn clean in higher pressure loads, like higher end 44 Magnum loads, but not in the 38. Universal Clays is very similar to Unique and much cleaner, so I would recommend that if you want to go with one powder that has a wide range of applications.

I forgot to add my current practice/fun bullet for .357 is from RMR
https://rmrbullets.com/shop/bullets...8-gr-rmr-round-nose-plated-hp/?v=7516fd43adaa
I also use the 125s.
These are for practice not for hunting/defense.
RMR recommends keeping them under 1400 so not for full power loads in .357.

Plated are nice to cut down on lead exposure.
With RMR 5% discount and free shipping they are about the same price as coated by the time you add shipping.

I'm undecided about 38 Spl. plinking loads. I've got a bunch of them for 357 use and can't decide which one is best. You could probably work up something your gun likes without a lot of extensive load development. But for a 357 woods load I always use a 180 gr hard cast WFN with a gas check and some of that AA #9 that you already have on hand. 11.1 gr. of AA#9 (not even a max load IIRC) with that 180 gr hard cast bullet and a magnum primer yields an average 1159 fps from a 4 & 5/8" Ruger Blackhawk and has proven to be very accurate. There are some areas in some times of the year where there's a chance of running into a black bear and that's my worst case scenario insurance load if it ever came to that.

JR24 said:

I should have noted that I have loaded plenty of 9mm, .45 and 10mm in the past, mostly I'm new to thinking on hardcasts. For the other calibers I usually run rainier TMJ, except the 10mm which Ive mostly loaded XTP.

I was looking at something like.
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/20...er-357-diameter-158-grain-lead-semi-wadcutter

As an all around round. At $.10 a round they are cheap enough to plink and lool like they would also work for woods use.

Working up loads is a process I am familiar with and am looking forward to (more range time! And since the .38s will be for my wife too she'll be extra understanding... win win). I just need to pluck the collective knowldge for a solid place to start.

Gun I'll mostly use is a Ruger Vaquero, which is just too fun to shoot l.

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Before you use any lead bullets, you should be aware of the throat diameter of your gun and preferably slug the barrel to know what will work best. If a jacketed bullet drops through the throats without any resistance, you should do pretty well with common commercial lead offerings. Those who shoot lead bullets commonly have their gun's throats reamed to something like .3575.

On the .357 load, I would never use plated, because the cartridges need to be firmly crimped in a groove provided by the bullet profile.

For SASS I load 4.0 gr Bullseye in both 38 for the pistols and 357 for the rifle. The difference is the bullet, using LTCFP 125 for 38 and LRNFP 158 for .357. For a woods load in .357, I would use AA#9, but I think finding a load for a lead bullet at that power level would be a challenge. I would advise using XTPs or the like (jacketed HPs) in the stout .357s, because they work well and are readily available.

JR24 said:

Could someone please PM me the discount code for RMRBULLETS.com?

I also need new plated rounds for my 9mm and .45, are RMRs any good?

Thankall

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PM incoming.

You're welcome Sir...

ArchAngelCD said:

Missouri Bullets is a good choice for a bullet source.
http://www.missouribullet.com

For plinking .38 Special ammo I would and do use a 148gr DEWC
http://missouribullet.com/details.php?prodId=118&category=5
or a 158gr LSWC
http://missouribullet.com/details.php?prodId=52&category=5

For the .357 Magnum at full power I would suggest a 158gr COATED SWC because the coating will allow higher pressures and velocities without leading.
http://missouribullet.com/details.php?prodId=213&category=5

Unique is a good choice for the .38 Special but I use W231/HP-38 instead.

AA#9 will work very well with the magnum loads as will 2400 and W296/H110 which is what I use.
All the powders but for W296/H110 should be loaded with a standard Small Pistol Primer, W296 should be loaded with a Small Pistol Magnum primer.

Welcome to reloading.

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I would like to add that, depending upon your gun you might want to try a 180gr XTP. They work well in the Rugers. The cylinder needs to be long enough to handle the extra length and you need a stout framed gun. A load of AA#9, H110, or 2400 works very well on whitetails and should be mean on bear or hogs..

When I only had a 357, I would load 148 wc over 2.8gr of Bullseye, 158 swc over 5.0gr of bullseye, and a 158 swc over 14.5gr of 2400 in nickel cases, all in 357 brass. Easy enough to keep them separate and all worked just fine.