P5 Guy
Member
I have tried reloading for full powered 357MAG before, but was not happy with the out come. So for the past few years I've stuck with lower power lead 158gr loads using 231.
Well I want to try again to make up some more powerful 357MAG.
I went and got two different 125gr jacketed bullets from the store. Sierra #8310 JSP and Hornady #35710 HP-XTP. And I dutifully went and looked up loads in my Sierra and Hornady manuals. Also my Lyman #49 manual. I have some 2400 and primers of both power levels Standard and Magnum by the Winchester corporation.
Sierra spell out a load that they tested in a Colt MkIII Trooper. Starline brass CCI550 and from 16.2gr to 19.0gr of 2400. I'm not in possession of either that brass or primers.
I have seen many posts on here that Magnum primers are not needed.
As for the Hornady the confusion starts compounding.Hornady uses Frontier brass which I have some once fired. They also did their testing with Winchester's Magnum primers. Starting at 13.9gr of 2400 running up to 16.9gr. (the highest is the lowest almost for the Sierra) in a Colt Python with a 8" barrel.
To further confuse my efforts I went to the Lyman's #49 and found that Federal Brass was used with CCI550 starting at 13gr and running up to the max of 17.7gr of 2400.
My past experiment with 357MAG was years ago and with heavier 158 Nosler and H110. I forget what powder charge but all had very flat primers, so I quit.
Now before I had read so much I got in this wind up I loaded some Federal brass with standard primers 17.0gr of 2400 to push the Sierra 125s And a few Speer brass at 17.5 2400 same primers and bullets. I want to try these in my S&W686.
Thanks for putting up with my long winded story.
Are the above reloads too hot? Did I mess up with the standard primers? Is there that big a difference in the two manufacturers bullets? Do I read too much?
:banghead:
Thanks for helping. P5
Well I want to try again to make up some more powerful 357MAG.
I went and got two different 125gr jacketed bullets from the store. Sierra #8310 JSP and Hornady #35710 HP-XTP. And I dutifully went and looked up loads in my Sierra and Hornady manuals. Also my Lyman #49 manual. I have some 2400 and primers of both power levels Standard and Magnum by the Winchester corporation.
Sierra spell out a load that they tested in a Colt MkIII Trooper. Starline brass CCI550 and from 16.2gr to 19.0gr of 2400. I'm not in possession of either that brass or primers.
I have seen many posts on here that Magnum primers are not needed.
As for the Hornady the confusion starts compounding.Hornady uses Frontier brass which I have some once fired. They also did their testing with Winchester's Magnum primers. Starting at 13.9gr of 2400 running up to 16.9gr. (the highest is the lowest almost for the Sierra) in a Colt Python with a 8" barrel.
To further confuse my efforts I went to the Lyman's #49 and found that Federal Brass was used with CCI550 starting at 13gr and running up to the max of 17.7gr of 2400.
My past experiment with 357MAG was years ago and with heavier 158 Nosler and H110. I forget what powder charge but all had very flat primers, so I quit.
Now before I had read so much I got in this wind up I loaded some Federal brass with standard primers 17.0gr of 2400 to push the Sierra 125s And a few Speer brass at 17.5 2400 same primers and bullets. I want to try these in my S&W686.
Thanks for putting up with my long winded story.
Are the above reloads too hot? Did I mess up with the standard primers? Is there that big a difference in the two manufacturers bullets? Do I read too much?
:banghead:
Thanks for helping. P5