Well, advertised numbers might have reached that high. That was back when manufacturers tested revolver loadings in 15" unvented test barrels and virtually nobody else had chronographs to check the numbers in real-world guns. Unsurprisingly, in 1977 when SAAMI started pressuring ammo companies to provide revolver ammo velocities from 4" vented test barrels, the advertised velocities started coming down to match reality as the companies gradually came into compliance.I am no handloader, do the exact loadings are unknown to me, but from my understanding the old .357 loadings from a service revolver touched 1500 fps regularly.
The 2006 August/September issue of Handguns magazine had an interesting article on the topic. The author managed to find some vintage .357Mag ammunition and tested it vs. current offerings. There was no evidence that the old loadings were appreciably hotter than the new stuff.
If you reload, reaching the velocities advertised by Buffalo Bore can be easily reached especially with lead or coated lead. Jacketed bullets do have a little more friction, so the same charge would run a little slower. I've loaded some Missouri 185 gr Coated lead and got close to their advertised velocities with a N frame S&W but did show some pressure warning signs like flattened primers etc. A quality N frame or a Ruger Single Action will do this with no problem, but constant shooting will cause premature wear and possible damage down the road according to my gunsmith. Supposedly Buffalo Bore uses some special blended powders that will give higher velocities than we normally can achieve with off the shelf powder but you will never convince me that guns wont suffer with long term use. I see no need. If you can't get velocity desired "safely" with a .357 Magnum, then step up to a .41 or .44 Magnum. Or get a rifle.
I load 185gr Coated lead for hog hunting and get around 1350fps out of a 8 3/8" Model 686 and a Model 27 with no signs of excess pressure. That's plenty for a hog at reasonable distance, but even so, I limit my shooting of these loads. Just a few here and there to make sure my red dot is till sighted in.
Western Powders published a load of 16.5gr of Enforcer for a 125gr Barnes JHP at 1750 from a 6" Barrel. I'm willing to bet a Coated Lead with this load will exceed 1750 out of a 5" barrel. From experience, coated lead gives a noticeable increase in velocity over Jacketed bullets. Can't find anything published quite that fast on the 158gr. Some old notations in one of my loading books has a load of 18.5gr of Lil Gun that gave a velocity of 1625 fps with a 158gr bullet, and I'm just guessing it was a JHP since back in those days we hunted deer with a 158gr XTP or Speer JHP and might have been from a 8 3/8" Barrel. No notes on that. Its been a while. I quit using Lil Gun a long time ago. That is such a hot burning powder after 5-6 near max loads, you can't touch the barrel. I have a buddy who swears he dug some lead bullets out of a backstop and the base was melted after using Lil Gun loaded to the max.Deleted.... The same thing I asked earlier, but simpler. Is there any published reloading data anywhere that will get a 158gr to 1550 from a 5" barrel, or a 125 gr to 1700 from a 5" barrel? 100% of data I have seen in this range is from a 20"+ barrel with a sealed breech.
Thanks for the info. I'm not much into mags these days, but its good to know options may still exist. I personally have zero interest in Linlgun either, you may remember Freedom arms destroying one of their barrels in a test a couple years back. I think it took 50 rounds to ruin a barrel. 125@1750 is right there with the BB, and I bet it makes your face hurt from the concussion.Western Powders published a load of 16.5gr of Enforcer for a 125gr Barnes JHP at 1750 from a 6" Barrel. I'm willing to bet a Coated Lead with this load will exceed 1750 out of a 5" barrel. From experience, coated lead gives a noticeable increase in velocity over Jacketed bullets. Can't find anything published quite that fast on the 158gr. Some old notations in one of my loading books has a load of 18.5gr of Lil Gun that gave a velocity of 1625 fps with a 158gr bullet, and I'm just guessing it was a JHP since back in those days we hunted deer with a 158gr XTP or Speer JHP and might have been from a 8 3/8" Barrel. No notes on that. Its been a while. I quit using Lil Gun a long time ago. That is such a hot burning powder after 5-6 near max loads, you can't touch the barrel. I have a buddy who swears he dug some lead bullets out of a backstop and the base was melted after using Lil Gun loaded to the max.
Those were loads shot when I was younger and much dumber. I hardly ever shoot a magnum load in .357 or 44 anymore except when hunting which seems to be less frequent every year or on occasion we will shoot at some steel plates at longer ranges. I just don't see the need to shoot a magnum load at a piece of paper. unless I'm checking alignment on an optic. Took a lot of years, but I finally figured out a .38 Special wadcutter will make a bigger hole in a target at 700fps than a 158gr JHP running at 1200fps. Amazing what wisdom comes with age, weak eyes and shaky hands.Thanks for the info. I'm not much into mags these days, but its good to know options may still exist. I personally have zero interest in Linlgun either, you may remember Freedom arms destroying one of their barrels in a test a couple years back. I think it took 50 rounds to ruin a barrel. 125@1750 is right there with the BB, and I bet it makes your face hurt from the concussion.
right there with you. I figured out hot mags are just me being to lazy to pick up a rifle. I still bring them out for new shooters, who love to try them out, and see what all the fuss is about.Those were loads shot when I was younger and much dumber. I hardly ever shoot a magnum load in .357 or 44 anymore except when hunting which seems to be less frequent every year or on occasion we will shoot at some steel plates at longer ranges. I just don't see the need to shoot a magnum load at a piece of paper. unless I'm checking alignment on an optic. Took a lot of years, but I finally figured out a .38 Special wadcutter will make a bigger hole in a target at 700fps than a 158gr JHP running at 1200fps. Amazing what wisdom comes with age, weak eyes and shaky hands.
Be careful about relying on pressure signs in straight-wall handgun cartridges.Forgot to add that there was no hard/sticky,etc. extraction in any of these guns, primers were no flatter than common major manufacturer .357 ammunition.
Fair enough. In that case, it probably would have been better to complete your comment with the addition of the caveat that lack of pressure signs in a straight wall handgun cartridge provides essentially no information regarding the operating pressure levels just so those who don't have your experience and knowledge will understand the value of the observation.I have been reloading since 1967, and shooting longer than that. I am well aware of the warnings, admonitions, caveats, etc. reference factory or reloaded ammunition, pressure signs or lack of, etc.
Well, to be perfectly accurate, the ones you tested may well have been unsatisfactory in terms of pressure levels, but there wouldn't really be any way to tell that without pressure measuring equipment. Although, I suppose one might argue that over 5 decades of reloading experience could lead to suspicion about a loading that provides velocities dramatically in excess of what is possible with max loads from reputable sources or ammunition from SAAMI compliant manufacturers.I don't know, some other BB load/s might prove unsatisfactory in some way. Should that happen, I would be willing to share that information too.