Best Powder for Heavy .357 Magnum Loads

[GunAdmirer]

I am going to be loading 180 grain cast and XTP HP bullets for hunting soon. I want to reach between 1200-1300 fps. Some reloading books specify 2400, IMR4227, N110 or H110 powders for heavy loads. What powder is best for heavy loads like these in your experience? I do NOT want to do anything beyond published load data.

 

[caz223]

I prefer H110, but 2400 would work great, too.
Matter of fact, they would prolly all work fine, it's a matter of preference.

 

[P95Carry]

My two most used powders have been 2400 and N-110. I have started trying H 110 but it is so fine it leaks a bit past the measure plate.

Overall the Viht powder wins - so clean and great metering - but regretably a major cost penalty. I guess 2400 is a good way to go - price not too bad and it'll get you up to some good and safe velocities, per published data. I would suggest a fairly aggressive roll crimp - just seems to help these slower powders get of the mark better - and maybe a tad less unburned particles - for which, at least in early days - the 2400 was worst.

There is a load for .357 and 180's that uses a very full case load of Blue Dot - but I won't give figures. It was fine in a bud's Blackhawk but I remember it rather ''stretched the envelope''!

 

[mtnbkr]

H110 works for me. I've heard good things about N-110, but this was after buying 8lbs of H110. I'm still trying to use that up.

I've never been satisfied with the performance of 2400.

Chris

 

[444]

If I am trying to load max loads in .357 I use either H110 or AA#9. They have proven to me, over a chronograph, to provide the highest possible velocities while staying within the SAAMI pressure limits.

 

[Sharps Shooter]

Even though I've used 2400 for heavy loads in 357s and 44s for years, nowadays I'm leaning more and more towards WW296. It seems a little cleaner and being a spherical powder, it flows nicely through a powder measure. The charts show somewhat higher velocities with WW296 than 2400, but I haven't run any side by side chronograph tests.

One bad thing about WW296 - Many reloading manuals warn against going below minimum listed loads and Winchester warns against reducing loads at all. And, it requires magnum primers.

 

[griz]

I've been using 110 and #9, but just bought a pound of Lil'gun to try. With heavy bullets it's supposed to give higher velocities at lower pressures. Ideal if it works.

 

[Clark]

I like LIL'GUN for 158 gr cast.
It out does H110, and that's not easy.

 

[Matthew748]

I love Lil’Gun. I have been using it to load .357, .44 Mag, and .45 Colt (Ruger Blackhawk) cartridges and am very pleased with the results. One of the nicest things I have found is that it meters very well. I am not sure what a heavy load is to you, but I have been using the data available from the Hodgdons website and it is peppy enough for me.