my 180 grain load:
Support pics:
luck,
murf.
p.s. load development from Speer #14 manual pg. 900
357 load development and casual observations
- Thread starter AJC1
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Support pics:
luck,
murf.
p.s. load development from Speer #14 manual pg. 900
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AJC1
Member
Makes me feel like a 156 with 10.6 is tame. Additional weight and less case capacity... probably hits with authority!
Smacks a steel plate quite well. I went with 180s @ 1200 fps because the 158s leaded the barrel past 1250 fps. Good thing because the 180s are much more accurate at distance.
murf
Shivahasagun
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I tried the 125 gr XTP HP's in the 3 inch 686 Plus in 95 degree heat with 18.0 gr of Enforcer.
Yea, it's magnum powder! Blast / noise! Saw some fire, too.
Avg. 1327 fps. ES 88, SD 28.
Accuracy was fine. Not as accurate as the 180 gr Missouri bullets I tested on the same day. Those were VERY accurate.
Extraction was fine. Recoil sharp. Less push than heavier bullets and they hit a little lower but there is enough recoil that you have to be focused to rapid-fire and get A zone hits. And the pace of fire is slowed a little by the recoil. Even in the 3 inch 686 Plus I think the recoil is just past the limit of what I think is acceptable for self-defense.
I have been pleasantly surprised with the accuracy of cast bullets in my pistols and rifles both. That XTP load is making tracks even from the 3” barrel. I have a coupon hundred 125 grain cast bullets to use up before I have to find any new 357 loads, and even then only if I can’t find the same components.
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AJC1
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Working up another 38-44 load with the 358429 swc Keith bullet in winchester 38 cases. Started at 5.6 grains of Silhouette and it patterned like a shotgun. Stepping up just .2 grains to 5.8 gave a highly accurate soft shooting load... I worked up to 6.6 and it was still doing great.... zero primer pressure signs to this point, and the cases fell out of the cylinder, zero extractor effort required.... loaded up 48 more today at 6.6 and 12 at 6.8. Did I mention how clean the cases were! Modeling says I can go a lot further but why??? There are zero listings for this powder in 357 so having data for junior later in ye old Lyman manual is a big part of the goal.
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AJC1
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With a cast 158 you should be in the 8.0-8.6 range. 8.4 is my boys match load with the 154 noe at 1.585
BRatigan
Member
I was working up a load for the MP Carb mold in 357 using an alloy of BHN 13. I powder coated them and then tumble lubed them in LXL from White label. Size to .358. My powder to experiment with was AAC 5744. AAC recommended to another shooter to use 14.4 as a starting point and no more than 16 grains for max. I used Small pistol magnum primers from Winchester. The below target is from my Uberti El Patron at 15 yards using a two-handed hold. While this may not excite many who shoot tighter than this target, I am really looking forward to how it shoots out of my Model 73 Winchester sporter.
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AJC1
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Played around with my 38-44 loads and conographed them. 170 grn Keith swc in 38 cases with 6.6 grains of Silhouette went 940 fps and with 6.8 grains went 985fps 32es 12sd. This speed isn't off the herco 357 load much at all. The 6.6 grain load is very tame and quite accurate. I will likely log the 6.6 grain load as gooder at 1.535 oal and try a different powder like 2400. I like to have a good Silhouette load for every bullet and then something slower. I could play with 4227 and see how crunchy things get.
Had some fear fliers
Had some fear fliers
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.45Coltguy
Member
180gr rnfp coated from Missouri and 11.5gr 2400 in .357 Henry rifle is a whopper on steel. My favorite .357 load.
bluetopper
Member
I'm new to this thread but the pics of the first couple of pages of him posting his 10 yard 357 target with magnum loads he was so proud of, I'm surprised he didn't get powder burns on the target.
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AJC1
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So what exactly are you contributing???? Go home troll.
.45Coltguy
Member
Perhaps he was trying out some new to him handloads[in fact, he was] and simply seeing how they worked for consistency. New loads, check results. Then go from there.
I’m about to embark on a new path with some Berrys 148 grain DEWC. I plan to try some 38 Special and 357 cases using Hodgden and Lyman Cast Handbook data. They’re awful purty, so they'll be paired with some freshly tumbled 357 Mag brass from my new FA Tumbler and walnut media.
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AJC1
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Never loaded a wadcutter... I just packed up the ones my dad had in a trade for 30-30 brass.... I was curious about them for a while because of the accuracy claims, but I shoot way more carbine than pistol... might try some eventually
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AJC1
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I'd like to try a cast wadcutter. One with a crimp grove....
The Berrys don’t have one, but Acme and MBC DEWC & BNWC both do. These just happened to be at Cabelas when I found the walnut media I needed. Whenever I order more 135 grain 30-30 from Acme I plan to get some too. I’ll have to shoot up all these 165 grain MBC bullets first though.
Shivahasagun
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I haven't loaded wadcutters and probably won't.
Just loading WFN bullets in .357 slows things down a little because the bullet has to be more perfectly aligned to go up into the dies.
Having a smaller meplat is fine. A WFN slower and sometimes a little frustrating. So I'm imagining WC's to be even more so.
More trouble to load into the gun, too. I use a couple types of loaders.
Just loading WFN bullets in .357 slows things down a little because the bullet has to be more perfectly aligned to go up into the dies.
Having a smaller meplat is fine. A WFN slower and sometimes a little frustrating. So I'm imagining WC's to be even more so.
More trouble to load into the gun, too. I use a couple types of loaders.
That's true they are a little more difficult to load into the cylinder. I haven't found them to be more fussy than regular cast bullets in terms of seating or loading. If anything, I figure the solid DEWC with plating should load a little easier. If these work out, I'll go back to see if they have another box of them. Wadcutter target loads out of that giant Blackhawk leave equally giant holes in paper. They raise some eyebrows, even though they're almost slow enough to see.
Getting them in the loading gate? SWC isn't smooth. Those ftx 140 gr are slick and even better in a speed loader. I'm a .357 junky and have burnt gobs of 296 and 2400. All shapes and sizes plus casting. You all have good conversations
GeoDudeFlorida
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Check your seating stem. If it’s concave and has almost no rim, then it will have a hard time gripping the top of a WFN evenly. Switch to a wide, flat stem and see if that works better. Once you know, I would suggest buying a new seating die just for flat nose bullets.
There’s no law that says you have to use the same seating die for everything.
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AJC1
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I'm guessing the button nose wadcutters need relief in the center to seat correctly???? I have a flat swc stem but pushing on just the button might be a bulge issue?????Check your seating stem. If it’s concave and has almost no rim, then it will have a hard time gripping the top of a WFN evenly. Switch to a wide, flat stem and see if that works better. Once you know, I would suggest buying a new seating die just for flat nose bullets.
There’s no law that says you have to use the same seating die for everything.
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