357Mag 158gr SJSP with Bullseye

[Dunkelheit]

Does anyone have good experience with this combination?

 

[Constrictor]

I hated every round of 357/ bullseye I shot and dumped out the rest of that powder

 

[jstein650]

They'll go bang, and make a hole in the paper, but probably not the best combo for the .357 Used a lot with 158gr cast lead which is great in a .38 case, and CAN work for the .357, but such small charges leave a lot of empty space in a .357 which is not so good for accuracy. The current manual doesn't list B'eye for jacketed 158's in the .357, but does for cast in that weight. An old manual gives from 6.1 to 6.8 for a max. (which sounds a bit hot) A slower or bulkier powder (in the appropriate range) would be my preference.

 

[joneb]

I have good results with Bullseye using cast lead bullets and standard primers, for reduced 357 mag loads in short barreled revolvers. But there are likely better powder choices for this ?

 

[JRH6856]

Bullseye is good for .38Spcl loads, not so much for .357. Something a bit slower with more bulk like Unique would work. Or 2400. I use Lil' Gun for most of my heavy .357 loads.

 

[zxcvbob]

There's not as much difference between Bullseye and Unique as you think. But unless BE was all I had, I would use Power Pistol or AA#7 or 2400.

 

[JRH6856]

There's not as much difference between Bullseye and Unique as you think.

Well, I certainly don't think there is very much difference performance wise, but given a choice, I would go with Unique over Bullseye for .357 just because it takes up more room in the case.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

Unique at near max yields some very respectable .357 loads, IMO....Bullseye is the last powder I would use for .357.

 

[JRH6856]

I quit using Unique in favor of Power Pistol. Maybe I didn't push it far enough.

 

[MikeS.]

For SJSP I wouldn't use BE. I do use BE for cast 158grn a lot. Makes for a nice plinker.

 

[Dunkelheit]

Ok, so Bullseye is out for .357Mag. I asked because i try to find a powder which fits for different calibers, so far i had good results in 45 auto and 45 colt with Bullseye.
In Germany it needs a special permission to buy powders and storage is restricted to 6 pounds. I think i will give Pistol Power a try.

 

[chutestrate]

Take a look at TiteGroup. If you are limited in the amount you can store this one is very economical to use, and can use it for many cartridges.

 

[Jesse Heywood]

You have mentioned .357 mag 158 gr. JSP, 45 ACP and 45 Colt. Which bullets for those, and any other rounds you are loading. We might be able to help find a powder or two to get.

 

[Dunkelheit]

At the moment i load .454 Casull,45 Colt,357 Mag, 45 ACP and 9mm. I use only jacketed bullets, the only except is the .45 Colt with cast bullets.
I tried Titegroup in .357 Mag and 9mm with good results and i liked H110 in .454 Casull and .357Mag.
I know there is nothing like a universal powder, but id like to keep my storage small because im planning to buy a 45/70 Marlin and im also shooting cap and ball from time to time.

 

[zxcvbob]

Ok, so Bullseye is out for .357Mag. I asked because i try to find a powder which fits for different calibers, so far i had good results in 45 auto and 45 colt with Bullseye. In Germany it needs a special permission to buy powders and storage is restricted to 6 pounds. I think i will give Pistol Power a try.

If you have the Bullseye already, try it. Alliant shows a load 6.8 grains of BE with a 158 grain JSP for 1250 fps from a 5.6" barrel (max load)

 

[rcmodel]

In your first post, you referred to the bullet as a SJSP.

Is that like in Short Jacket Soft Point?
As in a half-jacket bullet?

If so, be cautious in loading light loads.

You can run into sticking a jacket cup in the bore while the lead core keeps on going.

They should be loaded to standard .38 Spl pressure & velocity at least to prevent stuck jackets.

rc

 

[Dunkelheit]

Im not sure if it means short jacket or semi jacket soft point. They are manufatured by Speer and came in a 2200 bulk pack.

 

[rcmodel]

You are correct.
Semi Jacket is the correct term.

Sounds like a bullet Speer used to sell here in the USA.
It was discontinued some time ago, and there were strong warnings in the Speer reloading manuals of the time about not using them with light loads.

If the jacket doesn't wrap over the ogive to lock the core in, there is always a chance of a light load sticking the jacket in the bore and the lead core continuing on it's way.

rc

 

[Clark]

CAUTION: The following post includes loading data beyond currently published maximums for this cartridge. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK. Neither the writer, The High Road, nor the staff of THR assume any liability for any damage or injury resulting from use of this information.
Today I made a gas deflector for my chronograph and tested it. I wanted to get up close to the chronograph, so I would not shoot it with handguns:
38 special
158 gr XTP JHP 0.674" long bullet
1.435" OAL
26.5" long barrel on Remington rolling block No.5 1902 or 1910 model
CCI 450 small magnum rifle primer
11 gr Bullseye

Reference max loads from Alliant:
5.6 gr 38 special +P 1.435" 160 gr [QL 30,531 psi 1417 fps]
6.5 gr 357 mag 1.58" 158 gr JHP [QL 32,803 psi, 1509 fps]


Results:
1,564 fps
leakage around primer
primer did not pierce
Case head just in front of groove grew from 0.371" to 0.381"
Took 15 seconds to pry the case to come out of the chamber... not good for my finger nails.

 

[JRH6856]

Quickload predicts a pressure of 136665 psi for that load. (2095 fps)

 

[Clark]

If there is a primer that can take more than a CCI450, I would like to know about it. Even with a very good fit of the firing pin to firing pin hole, it can't get much past 85 kpsi without piercing, so, as usual, QL can't do overloaded straight wall cases accurately.

 

[jstein650]

"CCI 450 small magnum rifle primer
11 gr Bullseye

Reference max loads from Alliant:
5.6 gr 38 special +P 1.435" 160 gr [QL 30,531 psi 1417 fps]
6.5 gr 357 mag 1.58" 158 gr JHP [QL 32,803 psi, 1509 fps]


Results:
1,564 fps
leakage around primer"

And I thought I was crazy... This does, however, demonstrate why you don't use too fast a powder for high end loads. Very quick pressure spike, and not much gained in velocity.

 

[JRH6856]

so, as usual, QL can't do overloaded straight wall cases accurately.

It only uses one of several models for internal ballistics and incomplete data at that since it doesn't account at all for differences in primers. It is pretty limited in its operating range as a result and I find the predictions usually to be on the low side within that range and somewhat humorously optimistic outside of it. It's just another tool, not a crystal ball, but it is useful for what it is.

 

[Clark]

QL predicts velocity that is in the middle of the chrono string in 243 with Varget.

And then it thinks that my 9mm loads are over 1,000,000 psi, and yet don't pierce the primer.

Helmut is aware to the straight wall hot load problem, but errs on the side of safety when he does not know how much of the powder will turn into a muzzle fire ball.

 

[JRH6856]

And then it thinks that my 9mm loads are over 1,000,000 psi, and yet don't pierce the primer.

What's that? About 10-11gr of Power Pistol?