Looking for Midrange load for 357 and LSWCHP 158Gr

I shoot 7 gr HS6 under a Penn 158 TC for field pistol silhouette to 100 yards. I have used both standard and magnum primers and noticed little to no difference. No chronograph data, but according to Lyman 48th it should be in the speed range of what you're looking for. I'd work up both h6 and unique and see what shoots best.

I would probably use Unique or HS6 for that range.

What bullets specifically, are they Speer swaged, hard cast and/or gas checked? It makes a difference on exact load but Unique will will work for mid range loads nicely. You can data for it from the Alliant website and if they are Speer swaged they also list data for Unique

https://www.alliantpowder.com/reloa...x?gtypeid=1&weight=158&shellid=28&bulletid=30

The above loads are for the Speer bullet specifically and is rather tame because of the soft lead and lube used in those bullets. If hard cast and better lubed they can be turned up a notch. 6.5 grains will put you right at that 1100 FPS number with a hard cast bullet.

W231, Unique, or HS6, will all work very well.

save 2400 for hotter stuff.

here's 6.5gr win231 . . .

I third the Unique or HS6.

Unique. Yeah loaddata has data but I could never get to it. The search is very very specific, like the beginnings of a dos search.

I have fired thousands of rounds of 5.0 grains of bullseye under a 158 lswc with a CCI 500 for years. It’s probably going around 1000 FPS. Very accurate and pleasant to shoot all day.

I like HS-6 for lots of loads including midrange magnums.

I’m in the HS6 camp works very well for me.

Unique or 231, lead data.

BKS said:

I am looking for a 1100-1200fps loads for some powder coated 158gr LSWCHP that I bought. I have Bullseye, W231, 2400, Unique, HS6. I only have regular primers though.

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My load for 158 grain 357 is 6.5 grains Unique. It's a lot of fun in my model 19 S&W. Snappy.

The Speer reloading manual gives the max charge as 6.0 grains Unique for a velocity of 1034 fps. Their starting load is 5.5 grains Unique for a velocity of 970 fps.

BE86 makes nice midrange .357 loads.

Also note on the Hodgdon online data, the max load is well below Pmax for the cartridge with both 231 and HS-6. This is in deference to the velocity limitations of the bullet they are using. If you have a good, hard bullet capable of higher velocities, there is some room on the top end. In my case I found 7gr HS-6 to be suitable for my purposes and stopped there. I did try the HP-38/W231 load also, but found it a bit "blasty" and unpleasant to shoot vs the HS-6 load.

I load 158 gr cast semi-wadcutters in 357 Magnum cases to about 1000 fps from a 4” revolver with Unique and standard primers.

It is my standard 357 Mag load these days. I’m not into many full power loads these days. In fact, the last full power 357 Mag ammunition I loaded up were in 2005 and I still have a few boxes left.

For that speed lyman is keen on a dose of 2400.

Out of a 4 inch gp100 i get 932 fps avg using 7gr of hs-6.

Another vote for Unique

cfullgraf said:

I load 158 gr cast semi-wadcutters in 357 Magnum cases to about 1000 fps from a 4” revolver with Unique and standard primers.

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What charge powder and how do you know it's "about 1000 fps from a 4" revolver?"

SunnySlopes said:

What charge powder and how do you know it's "about 1000 fps from a 4" revolver?"

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I tend to not give out my powder chsrges for safety reasons.

I have a chronograph to measure the the speed of my ammunition.

Me too with 158gr LSWC and Unique in .357 cases.

BKS said:

I am looking for a 1100-1200fps loads for some powder coated 158gr LSWCHP that I bought. I have Bullseye, W231, 2400, Unique, HS6. I only have regular primers though. Im not asking for specific load data( but would take it if you offer) but generally where to look with the components I have.



FWIW I bought a subscription to load data last night and so far I am not really impressed

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For what action and barrel length? In a 6" revolver, of the powders listed, I prefer Unique, HS6 and 2400. I like to check the powder and bullet maker's recommendations against Lyman's published hard-cast data. They usually concur and when they don't, I avoid that powder/bullet combination. In this case, it will also really help if you have a chrony.

Hs-6, BE 86 are the consistent winners for me. 231 also works well.

From personal experience Unique would be my first choice with the listed powders and that caliber/weight/style bullet.

Though I burn more Unique than any other powder, I actually don't like it when looking for more than about 1,000 FPS. 1100 to 1200 is getting pretty close to max. according to most sources.

I personally use 2400 when looking for that velocity range, and in fact in my Model 19, that is my velocity range. I have settled on 13 grains with 158 SWCs. In my 4" guns that generally puts me right about 1200 FPS.