130gr 357 Magnum with Unique

[Jonesy814]

I have only been reloading 4.5 years and load only for handguns.
After messing with mostly plated and some cast bullets I tried Hi Tek coated and love them. I have been loading a 158gr RNFP that seats fairly deep over 15gr of Win296 for my regular plinking load for K and N framed while I run a different load for K frame snubby and j frames.
The lighter load is where I have a question. I am using a 130gr Hi Tem coated bullet by Summers Enterprises. I have 4 manuals plus check online and data for a cast 130 gr is slim. Using data for 120,125,135 and 140 grain bullets I arrived at a safe start of 7.3 with a max of maybe 8.3 of Unique I have not gone past 8.1gr, but they ejected easy, but my goal was less recoil. I finally loaded a lot at 7.9gr and have found them to be very accurate and not too wimpy. The one point I noticed is in the few guns I have shot them in, they shot right to my sights which are regulated for the 158 bullet and 15gr of 296.
Was wondering if anyone has any idea what velocity these may be developing. I wondered if it is near the same speed as my heavier load and that's why they impact the same. Shot both in a 3 inch 686, 4 inch m28 and 4 inch 686

 

[buck460XVR]

IMHO, while velocity may be close, I'd guess the reason the two different type of loads are printing similar is due to similar recoil. Regardless of bullet weight and velocity, bullets generally come out of the barrel in a straight line. Neither is much of a factor at the close range I'd guess you are shooting your handguns at. Velocity and bullet weight are more of a trajectory factor downrange at greater distances. Handguns move much more with muzzle rise when shot than rifles. So barrel dwell and recoil impact POI considerably more than in rifles. How much this is controlled in a handgun impacts POI also. This is why many times revolvers properly shot off a rest impact differently from us just holding at arms length. More recoil generally means more muzzle rise before the bullet exits the barrel in it's straight line.