looking for light 357 loads

Try 7 gr of Unique. Works well for me.

Find a 38+ p load with 231 and start there. Guessing 4 grains or a touch more would do it.

To achieve only 900 fps powders with the speed of W231 will work although I usually go a little slower, in the HS-6 speed range.

HS-6, Power Pistol, True Blue, AA#5, Universal and a handful of others in the same speed range will deliver what you need without pushing the pressure limits.

I use mostly 3 powders for loading all my handgun ammo. The original powder trinity was Bullseye, Unique and 2400. My powder trinity is W231/HP-38, W540/HS-6 and W296/H110.

buck460XVR said:

Try 7 gr of Unique. Works well for me.

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Interesting that 7gr Unique is also very accurate in 357sig. I will definitely try this load in 357mag also. What type of bullet gave you the best accuracy?

vaalpens said:

Interesting that 7gr Unique is also very accurate in 357sig. I will definitely try this load in 357mag also. What type of bullet gave you the best accuracy?

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This is with various jacketed 158s, like Zero, Montana Golds and Nosler bulk 158s. 7.5gr of Unique gives me a tad more accuracy, but iffin I remember correctly, that gives me more than 900 fps.

buck460XVR said:

This is with various jacketed 158s, like Zero, Montana Golds and Nosler bulk 158s. 7.5gr of Unique gives me a tad more accuracy, but iffin I remember correctly, that gives me more than 900 fps.

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Any pressure signs with 7.5 grains?

5.0grn HP-38/W231 under a 125 Plated is my "plinking load" in the 357mag.

Get yourself the Lyman handgun reloading manual, and then use the loads listed for .38 Special. My bible. Even when using .357 cases. They'll be even milder than what is listed for .38 Spl.

ArchAngelCD said:

...

The original powder trinity was Bullseye, Unique and 2400. My powder trinity is W231/HP-38, W540/HS-6 and W296/H110.

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Amen, brother !

Although I'm a fairly recent convert to HS-6, I am enthusiastic about it. Particularly in midrange 44Mag, but useful in midrange 357Mag. Also a good 9mm powder.

I keep an 8-pounder of all 3 of those powders.

brewer12345 said:

Any pressure signs with 7.5 grains?

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Of course.....the bullet exiting the barrel is a sure sign of pressure. As for excessive pressure signs, none, not even when going slightly higher. Alliant and Speer both give 7.7 as max for under a 158 jacketed. Lyman shows 8.3.

My snubnose light load is 5.7 of Unique with a 158 gn LSWC. I haven't chronographed it, but it'd be .38 +P levels.

LUCKYDAWG13 said:

I do have some HS 6 I will look for some loads with that too

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My HS-6 load is not a "light target load". It's more like the real deal, 357 Magnum, kindest to the shooter in a gun of substantial mass like yours.

I've used between 6 and 7 grains of unique with CCI 500 and lead 158s. I settled on 6.8 gr, very close,to the earlier mentioned load. I have loaded 6.8 gr Unique behind 158 gr plated rn as well. Pretty good lighter load.

LUCKYDAWG13 said:

I do have some HS 6 I will look for some loads with that too

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I had good results with the 158 gr Xtreme plated FP not the rnfp
7.5gr HS-6 with GM- 200 primers. I seated to the worthless cannelure on the bullet and used a Lee collet crimp die.
I was loading for a Ruger SS w/a 2.75" barrel the velocity was 730 FPS and this powder is about 30 yrs old or more, it was in a card board container

Unless you are restricted to .357 Magnum cases (for any reason, including your own preference) do some .38 Special wadcutter loads. Or low level .38 Special loads with lead 158 grain bullets. (I suggest RNL to distinguish them from full charge loads.)

I just shot some that I loaded with HS-6 and found 8.5 grains under a 158 Campro plated flat nose is a really good shooting load. Very clean as well.
You know you are shooting a .357 magnum in my 4.25" 686 but in a 6" 28 it is easy shooting.

Work up a .38 Special cast bullet load using Unique and load it in .357 cases. No fuss. No bother.
4.7 of Unique is the Max load for 158 grain cast bullets. Reduce by 10% and work up. Max load velocities run around 815 in a 6" barrel.

LUCKYDAWG13 said:

I'm looking for a light target load for my 6" 686 S&W using 357 brass powder on hand
231 red dot unique bullet will be 158gr X-treme would like to keep under 900 fps

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http://www.handloads.com/loaddata/default.asp?Caliber=357 Magnum&Weight=All&type=Handgun

I'd start with the information listed on this site. They're talking about a starting load of 6.2 grains of 231. My guess is anything less may either give erratic results in a 357 or be susiptable to detonation (something you really don't want to see.)

LUCKYDAWG13 said:

Thanks all i'm going to try and see if i can work up a load using Red Dot going to start at or just under 5gr and see how this works
for me I'm looking for two things 1) Accuracy and 2) low noise level

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In that case, look into a dewc 38 type load. These are very, very accurate and modest noise and recoil.