.357 Mag, 158 gr. JHP w/ Unique Fans ?

[geo57]

Does anyone else have a pet medium to medium heavy load ( 90 % or so ) they use in .357 magnum with Unique and the 158 gr. JHP ? Observations / velocity obtained ? Seeking about 1100 - 1150 FPS with this recipe from a 4 " Ruger GP100 . I've worked up to 7.5 grs, but still feels pretty mild, fired primers look great and cases almost fall out without touching the ejector rod. . Thanks

 

[loneviking]

Need more info---who made the bullet? There's quite a bit of difference in loading data depending on who made the bullet. 7.5 sounds like quite a bit for a 158. I just woke up so I'm a bit fuzzy, but I think I'm loading around 6.5 to 6.9 for my Winchester 158 JHP. I load a Sierra 125 JHP with 8.0 gr. of Unique and a heavier bullet needs less powder, so at 7.5 you should be close to max.

The main thing to look for is how your gun is holding up. If the shells slide out easily then you're probably O.K. Just make sure you also check your primer pockets to see if they are deforming. If not, the load is O.K. for your gun.

 

[geo57]

loneviking, I'm using a bulk, Win. bullet. FWIW, your 125 gr. load is pretty light according to my data . I too, load 6.5 grains of Unique with this same 158 gr. Win. bullet for my wife and her Sec. 6 . Felt recoil with it is much like a .38 + P load . As far as my 7.5 gr. load, it is a few tenths below max in my current data publications and quite a bit under in older manuals . I was just asking if other loaders out there also enjoyed a similar formula. Best regards

 

[broham]

I have loaded from 7.0 to 7.5 with a 158 sjhp.(Zero brand). I am not sure what max is off hand but this was pretty mild as far as felt reciol. I am using a 6" GP100.

 

[loneviking]

geo57, yeah, my load tables say I can take the Sierra 125 gr. up to 9.3 gr. of Unique---I've just never found a good reason to do so!

And yes, the 6.5 gr. of Unique does make the recoil feel about like a 38 spcl.
Your wifes' Ruger is about the same size as my Colt. And you're going beyond that to 7.5 gr. and the recoil is still mild?

You don't happen to be one of those guys that shoots the 45-70 revolver for grins and giggles are you?

 

[GooseGestapo]

My Ruger Sec.6 likes a Lee 158CSWC-GC over 7.8gr of Unique or 6.8gr of Universal. (actually weighs 165gr w/gascheck).

Chrono's about 1,275fps. Gives as good of performance as 14.5gr of #2400, but with better accuracy and half as expensive to load.

I've taken the largest pig I've ever taken with this load. The bullet was perfectly expanded and lodged just under the skin of a 300lb pig.

Good Load.

At 6.0g, it's about like the .38-44 loading (about 1,000fps), and excellent for practice and SD.

You could really get by with just the Unique for loading the .357mag.

 

[geo57]

loneviking, respectfully, you need to read what is typed. The 6.5 load for her , feels like a .38 + P load from HER revolver, a Security 6, not one of our GP100's, a much heavier weapon. Never once did I say the 7.5 load was intended for her Security 6 . The 7.5 load does indeed feel rather mild from a GP100 in comparison to many factory offerings , and those handloads made up from heavy doses of slower burning powder, which kick much harder . I just have no use or desire of these heavier loads . You mistakenly seem to think this 7.5 Unique load is a very heavy thumper, when infact, it isn't at all from a GP100, or similar weight sixguns. And no, I do not have or load for a .45-70 revolver. I do however load for .45-70 rifle, and my mild handloads from it have put a lot of venison on the table over the years. Again, regards to you and everyone who shared their pet formulas .
GooseGestapo, that's an interesting reply and read you gave, and I thank you for it . The only big game I've hunted & taken with a revolver were whitetail with a Ruger SBH . 44 from 2 different handloads. I did take a nice Russian boar several years back, but with a rifle. Do you smoke all your wild pork ?

 

[rcmodel]

Lyman #47 lists a 158 grain Hornady (Not XTP):
8.3 grains of Unique as a Max load giving 1,185 FPS @ 38,500 CUP.

rcmodel

 

[buck460XVR]

I use 7.5 grs. of Unique under 158gr. HP's for plinkin'. My son calls them "*ussy loads" because of the light recoil. I suggest using a different powder for your Medium Heavy loads......but then that's just me.

 

[44Magnum]

7.5 grains under 158 grain bullets does feel fairly light with a medium frame 4" revolver; however, the maximum load in my book for Unique is 7.8 grains. If you want more use a slower powder. You aren't going to get 90% loads with Unique.

 

[geo57]

As I stated above, I have no need or desire for anything more from this cartridge, and I'm content with the load I've worked up to. I certainly take no issue with those that do feel they need more . Top end loads with this jacketed bullet in .357 run about 1250 FPS, depending on bbl. length, and this 7.5 Unique load does put it in the 85-90 % ballpark and chronos about 1100 FPS . It's certainly close enough and all I need for my plinking needs . In reality , both of my .44 mag handloads I used on deer were downloaded somewhat from max, yet performed very well. Happy shooting.

 

[buck460XVR]

As I stated above, I have no need or desire for anything more from this cartridge, and I'm content with the load I've worked up to. I certainly take no issue with those that do feel they need more . Top end loads with this jacketed bullet in .357 run about 1250 FPS, depending on bbl. length, and this 7.5 Unique load does put it in the 85-90 % ballpark and chronos about 1100 FPS .

Outta my gun geo57, 7.5 grns of unique under a 158JHP chronos @ just under 1000fps.....about 300 fps slower than my hunting loads using H110 or Lil' Gun. That puts the unique load @ 75%....thus my suggestion of using a different powder to get to the desired 85-90%. Like I said before, I use the Unique load for plinkin' cause it's easy on me and the gun and I can load twice as many shells outta a pound of powder...... I just do not consider it a medium-heavy load.

 

[XD-40 Shooter]

I'd suggest Blue Dot for 90% loads, with 10 grains under a 158 gr JHP, I'm getting 1100-1150 fps from a 4" barrel. That's a good "medium-heavy" load. Plus, I get a whole lot more rounds/pound compared to winchester 296, 16.6 grains vs 10 grains.

 

[GooseGestapo]

geo357;

In response to your question, yes I do smoke/barbeque all my pork. I do cook it very thoroughly. (falls off the bone, or rather pull the bone out of it!).

I've not gotten one that really tasted bad, though several have had a decided wild, but mild aroma to them, enough to know they weren't domestic pork.

It seems that there is an apples vs. oranges comparison going on here.
Unique and it's near cousin, Universal Clays, do two very different things, whether you are using a jacketed or lead bullet.

With a lead/cast bullet, it gets about 100-150fps more than a similar weight jacketed bullet.
My load with 7.5gr of Universal gets over 1,250fps with a 165gr GC-LSWC. Switching to #2400, 14.5gr gets 1,375fps with much more flash, bang, and recoil. But, less penetration due to greater initial expansion. Funny thing about that "lead". Expansion limits penetration, or MORE is LESS !

Ditto, 17.8gr of Lil'Gun for ~1,400fps from the 4" Sec.6. (2,050 from the 20" WinM94)- I should add, a jacketed Soft Point....Doesn't perform nearly as well as the slower cast LSWC.

However, just like the FBI found out with the 10mm "lite", bullet on target performance just isn't inhanced that much with the additional punch of full 10mm. It's the bullet that does the job. Whether at 1,000fps or at 1,300fps, the terminal results are pretty much the same, though the shooters perception of recoil and noise is that the higher velocity is MUCH more powerful. (I've killed more critters with the .40S&W than with the 10mm. Who'd-a-thunk?

This is similar to what was seen with the .45Colt in the late 1800's. The "light" Scoville loading (~25gr BP) was found to be pretty much as effective as the heavy (~40gr BP), without the recoil,noise, and increased fouling.

What is old, is new! Or, here we go, reinventing the wheel, again..........!

Enjoy your "Unique" loads. They've been getting the job done for what? 3 or 4 generations....................? And yes, Blue Dot does the same thing with 25% more powder.....

 

[Hook686]

I get 1250 fps from my S&W 686 using 7.8 grains of Unique with 158 grain MagTech SJSP bullets.