.357 mag load using non-magnum primers

[thomis]

I have a bunch of .357 mag brass primed with non-magnum standard winchester pistol primers. I need to use them up. The bullets I'd like to use are the Missouri Bullet Company 158 grain. They need to be loaded hot enough to optimize the Brinell hardness but not require a magnum primer. I have most of the common powders. Can someone suggest a powder and charge?

 

[squarles67]

I use 6 grains of Unique with the #1 Ranger bullet, this load gives me 1100 fps out of a 6" bbl

ETA this was using Winchester std small pistol primers

 

[Remo-99]

Most powders that will work well in 357mag won't need a mag primer, it's just the ball powders like 296 that a mag primer should be used and debateable whether to use one or not with 2400.
But flake powders are much easier to ignite, even the slower flake powders shouldn't require magnum primers in 357.

 

[Waywatcher]

I use the MBC 158 .357 Action! on top of 13.5 grains of 2400, with standard primers. It works fine. They say you don't need magnum primers for 2400; which was one of the reasons I tried it.

Not too hot, but good enough.

When I tried 14 grains I got a little bit more leading at the muzzle, so I'm back down to 13.5 for now. I might try inching up 0.1 at a time.

I have had very good powder burn using a good heavy roll crimp. Little leading with BHN 18. Also, no vaporization of lead. I got noticeable vaporization of lead with Unique, so I don't use that powder anymore and don't recommend it. Unique is also very smokey, the 2400 is not.

 

[Jim Watson]

Elmer Keith agreed with Waywatcher and never used magnum primers even with no 2400.

"Modern" manuals may disagree, and if you go by the book, Blue Dot was the slowest powder that Speer approved for their standard primers. Accurate Arms says none of their powders do not need magnums.

 

[Gryffydd]

Accurate Arms says none of their powders do not need magnums.

Huh? Just to make sure, none of there powders need magnum primers? I can't imagine using them under AA#2

 

[GunAdmirer]

I like Power Pistol in .357. Plenty of flash and bang with no magnum primers. I found it to be accurate and clean too. 2400 also is good to go without magnum primers.

 

[thomis]

Accurate Arms says none of their powders do not need magnums.

I also wanted to clarify this. I have a couple pounds of the AA#5.

 

[Jim Watson]

Accurate Arms says none of their powders do not need magnums.

Auggh!
Coffee wearing off.

I meant to say "Accurate Arms says none of their powders need magnums." OR "Accurate Arms says their powders do not need magnums."

 

[Walkalong]

I use AA #9 in .41 & .44 Mag using standard primers. Works just fine. I do not load any full bore .357 Mag, so I can't speak to it, but can't see where AA #9 would need a mag primer there either.

Unique, to answer your question.

 

[ScratchnDent]

My standard .357 load is a 158 LSWC on top of 6.9gr Unique, lit by a standard Winchester SPP. It runs ~1075 fps out of my 4" barrel with little or no leading. I also use HS-6 and AA#7 and Bullseye with standard primers.

 

[Bula]

2400 doesn't need mag primers. 158 grainers do well at 14.5g of 2400, have downloaded it to 12.2, still shot fine. 2400 does burn cleaner at the higher end of the spectrum, it's my favorite Mag level powder. I have never used magnum primers.

 

[mahansm]

I've loaded up some 125 grain JHP bullets in my .357 with 296 and WSP primers (Winchester Small Pistol). About 1 in 5 did not light the powder; those would leave the bullet either bridging the cylinder/barrel gap or just into the barrel.

Magnum primers (WSPM) worked 100% with the same loading.

 

[CraigC]

Are Winchester pistol primers not all the same? They used to be packaged for standard AND magnum loads and were perfectly suitable for either. Seems like I heard that they are now simply packaged differently because some folks apparently needed to see the word "magnum" to use them with H110 and 296 but the primers are the same.

 

[Gryffydd]

CraigC, last time I looked it was only Large Pistol primers that are the same for mag/non-mag. Winchester Small pistol primers come in both varieties.

 

[Bula]

Correct, the small pistol does come in both flavors. The WLP is for both Mag/Standard loadings.

 

[thetoad45]

Dude, look into Lil' gun powder...... All I use

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Like said above, 2400 is a "real magnum" powder that doesn't require a magnum primer. There are many others suitable for lead bullets like Unique, Universal, Power Pistol and most of the other powders in that burn rate range. I usually recommend HS-6 for lead bullets in the .357 Magnum but it delivers better results with a magnum primer than with a standard primer.

 

[lwknight]

The only powders that I know of that require magnum primers are Win296/H110
Some say that they do just fine with regular primers.
There may be some cases where magnum primers work better but , never required.
As for the powder not igniting , there was something wrong with the powder.

 

[zxcvbob]

The bullets I'd like to use are the Missouri Bullet Company 158 grain.

8 grains of Herco, or 11 grains of AA#7, or 14 grains of 2400. These are all max loads or near-max.

 

[Fishslayer]

2400 doesn't need mag primers. 158 grainers do well at 14.5g of 2400, have downloaded it to 12.2, still shot fine. 2400 does burn cleaner at the higher end of the spectrum, it's my favorite Mag level powder. I have never used magnum primers.

Well, I wasn't gonna put out any numbers but yeah... around 14gr of 2400 with a standard primer & 158gr boolit will really light the place up..though for the Big Dog loads I use JHP...

I load with Bullseye & 2400... don't really recall any loads for either that calls for magnum primers.

 

[1911Tuner]

For .357/.41/.44 Magnum...2400 is the only "magnum" powder that I use, and has been for 30 years. Never used magnum primers with either.