Powders like CFE Pistol and Unique in 357

Look at BE-86 or Power Pistol. I use both in .357 with good results.

When I loaded .38/.357, I used Unique in about 99.9% of my loads... it really works well, and you can load from target .38's to upper-mid .357's without problems. Some people complain about poor metering quality, what I've found is the small variances in charge weight make little difference at the target... and it's not like you are benchresting a .357 pistol, anyway.

BE86 works well for me to make less than full power .357 Mag loads.

trekker73 said:

Can anyone suggest any other powders of similar burn rates to these two for a 357 mag?

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I sure have burned a lot of Unique in various revolvers over the years, but right here on THR I've read about a lot of folks who swear by Universal for low to mid-range loads. I myself have been experimenting with TiteGroup for pistol and revolver loads for a couple of years now, and like you, I've been experimenting with CFE Pistol too. Unique is still my "go to" powder for mid-range revolver loads though.
Edited to add: I don't really have much of a choice right now about which powder to use for mid-range revolver loads. Unique is what I have the most of, and it's futile to look for any other kind of powder with similar characteristics anywhere (that I know about) in SE Idaho these days.

I'm with Charlie98---Uhique for all my 38/357 loads.

I use WST in my soft loads for my 357mag. It's easy to see, a ball powder so it meters accurately.

I use 6.2 gn.. CFE Pistol with a MBC 158 gn coated SWC and CCI SPM primers for a medium power load for my 4.2" GP100. Pretty inexpensive to make, very little case char and fun to shoot. Chrono says 1014 fps.

trekker73 said:

Fellas I like the look of CFE pistol powder data in Hodgons, not for magnum loads, but gets medium power levels with only 7-8 grains of powder, very economical reduced load option. Unique looks like it does similar across bullet weights, needs an extra grain or two so it must be slightly slower.

Can anyone suggest any other powders of similar burn rates to these two for a 357 mag? Interested in anything with decent 'fluffiness' or low density too, for filling space in the case. Unique seems 'fluffier' than CFE pistol on that note.

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I just checked Hodgdon's website and it seems you are looking at data for a 125gr bullet.

I use w231 for my midrange .357 loads with a 158gr jsp. Just under max gives me good accuracy and mild recoil.

Looking at Ultimate Reloader's burn rate chart, w231 is fastest, followed by Unique, and then CFE.



chris

I used to load Unique for my mid range .357 Magnum, but have switched to Power Pistol. Power Pistol offers closer to top end performance but uses half the charge weight of H110/W296. Good accuracy, too. I haven’t tried BE86, but it supposedly is similar to Power Pistol with less boom and flash.

My favorite moderate magnum powder has been HS-6 for a long time. I ran out in February right when the panic buying started and my local powder supplier has been out of stock ever since.

Bought some Blue Dot and have come to really like it. Fluffy like Unique for good case fill, excellent velocities, and I've put together some really accurate groups with this stuff.

This Blue Dot will let you know when you hit it's sweet spot. Groups get real small and it will start burning amazingly clean.

For all it's good qualities there is one negative and that is the huge fireballs this stuff will throw. Double up on earpro and put on some shades with Blue Dot 'cause it's about to get loud and bright when you pull the trigger.

Power Pistol and BE-86 work well for midrange 357 loads. They gave me less residue and/or better metering than Unique, Universal or CFE Pistol. PP does have noticable flash though.

HS-6 and AA#7 are also worth a look, but they aren't as bulky as PP or BE.

mrawesome22-250 said:

My favorite moderate magnum powder has been HS-6 for a long time. I ran out in February right when the panic buying started and my local powder supplier has been out of stock ever since.

Bought some Blue Dot and have come to really like it. Fluffy like Unique for good case fill, excellent velocities, and I've put together some really accurate groups with this stuff.

This Blue Dot will let you know when you hit it's sweet spot. Groups get real small and it will start burning amazingly clean.

For all it's good qualities there is one negative and that is the huge fireballs this stuff will throw. Double up on earpro and put on some shades with Blue Dot 'cause it's about to get loud and bright when you pull the trigger.

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I never tried BlueDot. Does it smoke a lot also? I love smoke at the open range!

During the previous powder shortage I ended up with quite a bit of Universal and found it to be a good all around powder, imagine that. .357 loads were very acceptable. I also use CFE Pistol and that works well. If you want alternative slower powders, N340 and 3N37 also work very well in .357 and .38s. Good luck!

Catpop said:

I never tried BlueDot. Does it smoke a lot also? I love smoke at the open range!

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I've never noticed it as smokey but I've gone to all coated or occasionally jacketed bullets.

ACME bullets puts a really nice coating on their bullets. Their site says they coat them 3 times then size them. I believe it. Looks good.

Catpop said:

I never tried BlueDot.

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I tried a pound of it many years ago... for some reason I used it to load target velocity .38SPC loads... and it did not work well. Knowing now what I didn't know then... it has to be loaded to higher pressures to burn efficiently, like MrAwesome suggests. Alliant issued a warning against using it in the .41MAG, so that is a deal-killer for me.

CFE pistol to me is an odd powder. In 9mm it is about as dirty as can be. Cases, gun everything all covered in soot. That is with a load worked up near max. In 357 sig it's not especially clean, but it's not crazy dirty like 9mm.

While I don't dislike CFE pistol, it doesn't seem to offer me anything I can't do better with a different powder.

I used to use unique a lot in 357. Then I tried herco. Meters about the same and is kinda dirty like unique but gives me the most accurate 158 swc loads I have ever shot. About 7gr. Lately been trying some be86. Shows promise but that herco load is awesome in my eaa windecator, Rossi,Taurus and Ruger. It is as accurate as 38 special 158swc and 3.4g bullseye.

Oh yeah, Herco! Great for 3/4 throttle loads.
I don’t know about lately, but often times it’s still on the shelf when all the other pistol powders are gone.

I do like Unique and use it for lots of stuff, but Herco is pretty shiny in 38/357

trekker73 said:

And what are those different powders? That is the question of the thread

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My favorite right now is Clean Shot. Second to that is True Blue.

Clean Shot was very clean and it had what I would call a really quick gentle recoil. I felt like it didn't take me off target. True Blue was much cleaner than CFE and for some reason my daughter liked it's recoil better than Clean Shot or CFE P. I however, much preferred Clean Shot.

packetloss said:

CFE pistol to me is an odd powder. In 9mm it is about as dirty as can be. Cases, gun everything all covered in soot. That is with a load worked up near max. In 357 sig it's not especially clean, but it's not crazy dirty like 9mm.

While I don't dislike CFE pistol, it doesn't seem to offer me anything I can't do better with a different powder.

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Just a thought, does CFE pistol work best in a shouldered case?

I have also used CFE on my 357 mag loads. When I went looking around, I settled on Titegroup. It meters well and feels good for midrange loads. Ericuda recommended 2400 powder for magnum loads. I typically use ACME 257 LSWC loads. With 2400 there is quite a light show. Doesn't feel bad, but the first couple of times it does surprise you. I settled on Titegroup. I like WST as it is really fluffy. Haven't seen loaddata for 357 magnum loads, but there is data for 38 special. I really like WST and use it on 45acp for all my loads. It meters well, takes up space because it is so fluffy, and burns super clean. The only downside (to me) is that is is messy and sticks moreso than all the other powders I've used. Because I started with CFE (most readily available locally pre COVID), I was not aware what others meant by clean burning. WST does burn clean.

I use Power Pistol quite a bit for 9mm, but haven't tried it on 357. I will say that Power Pistol is quite bit lowder than other powders I've used. For 9mm I do like it quite a bit. I've loaded 9mm with WST as well, but because it's so fluffy, while I settled on a load I like for WST and 9mm, I have since settled on Power Pistol.

Good luck.

CH

I would try VV N340 or N350. WSF has impressed me for 44spl with 200gr lead, I haven't tried for mild 357 mag yet.

.308 Norma said:

I sure have burned a lot of Unique in various revolvers over the years, but right here on THR I've read about a lot of folks who swear by Universal for low to mid-range loads. I myself have been experimenting with TiteGroup for pistol and revolver loads for a couple of years now, and like you, I've been experimenting with CFE Pistol too. Unique is still my "go to" powder for mid-range revolver loads though.
Edited to add: I don't really have much of a choice right now about which powder to use for mid-range revolver loads. Unique is what I have the most of, and it's futile to look for any other kind of powder with similar characteristics anywhere (that I know about) in SE Idaho these days.

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I'm one of the ones who swear by universal. But I wouldn't try to talk you out of using unique.
For me CFE-P &Titegroup are bums in 38&357. CFE is great in 40S&W & 45ACP
My current test is autocomp and it shows some potential in my Blackhawk. Accuracy is running about 1.5"@25 yards with 125xtps.