loading 357 w/158gr SWC

[elkhuntingfool]

Okay - looking at various places for a recipie, I've decided upon Win 231 for the poweder and starting with 3.4gr to a max load of 5.0gr. Thinking I might settle upon about 4.0gr.

Does this sound about right? This is my first shot at 357. I've loaded 9mm and 45acp with no issues. But this long skinny cases has me thinking more than twice/thrice about the correct load.

Thanks!!!!

 

[evan price]

Are you shooting lead or jacketed? A 158 jacketed will go all the way up to 6.9 grains.

If lead (and that data you list is straight out of the Hodgdon Cowboy Lead loads) then you are fine, 4.0 will be about a .38 special in that tall Mag case. Should shoot nice and soft.

 

[Hoxviii]

Don't be intimidated by the long sknny case- the easiest cartridge I've ever realoded is .38/.357.

Also, I wouldn't arbitrarily settle on a load before loading anything.

I always load 5-10 rounds in each loading, and then see which delivers best accuracy.

the 3.4-5.0 is what Hodgdon recommends so like anythign else, start light, work your way up, and good luck.

 

[Steve C]

Looks like you got your data from Hodgdon. When Hodgdon took over marketing and publishing data for W231 they emasculated all the loads down to Cowboy level for lead bullets when compared to the Winchester data and lowered all to the HP38 level (-.1grs usually) though HP38 is blended as a slightly faster powder than W231.

You will certainly be safe with the loads listed but they'll be pathetically low powered with 4.0grs not even making standard .38 spl level and expected velocities from a 4" barrel will be around 700 fps. 5.0grs will bring velocities up to the 950 to 1000 fps level and will be fine for soft bullets like those swagged by Speer or Hornady or any soft cast for Cowboy shooting.

If you have commercial hard cast you need to up your pressure to magnum levels for the bullet base to obturate enough to seal in the bore. Too light a charge will fail to get this seal and the buring gas will bypass the base of the bullet and melt lead to the bore from the bullet sides. For commercial hardcast bullets l'd suggest starting closer to 6.0grs. Below is the .357 data from the Winchester free data they published prior to Hodgdon's takeover of their marketing.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I charge 4.0gr W231 under a 158gr SWC in a .38 Special case. If you are using a .357 Magnum case you will need a little more powder to duplicate that load.

Is there a reason you are using .357 Magnum brass for lead loads? Most shooters these days don't like to push lead loads up to Magnum pressures/velocities because they don't want to deal with the possibility of leading in the barrel. I usually don't push lead bullets much past 1200 fps but you probably won't get 800 fps from the load you suggested.

 

[Walkalong]

3.4 Grs of W-231 with lead or plated 158 Gr SWC's would be a good starting point on a plinker load.

 

[Marlin 45 carbine]

interesting post, I just got a .357 GP100 after carrying a .22LR in the woods all my life, reason- coyotes and wild hogs being seen. so got dies also.
the 296 loads in the chart have an asterisk (*) by the slug, does this denote magnum primers?

 

[Walkalong]

the 296 loads in the chart have an asterisk (*) by the slug, does this denote magnum primers?

Yes it does. Mag primers are recommended for W296.

 

[elkhuntingfool]

Is there a reason you are using .357 Magnum brass for lead loads? Most shooters these days don't like to push lead loads up to Magnum pressures/velocities because they don't want to deal with the possibility of leading in the barrel. I usually don't push lead bullets much past 1200 fps but you probably won't get 800 fps from the load you suggested.

I didn't see an advantage in loading 38 for plinking reloads so I just picked up 300pcs of 357 brass and will load for those. I've heard the economics behind going with 38, but it didn't really add up to a real advantage either way.

Thanks for the suggestions!

 

[rcmodel]

One more time!

Are you talking about lead or jacketed bullets?

Your 3.4 load suggestion would be fine, although very light with lead bullets.

But it would be way too light with jacketed bullets, and could result in sticking one in the barrel.

rc

 

[elkhuntingfool]

Lead

 

[ArchAngelCD]

elkhuntingfool,
If you're starting from scratch there's nothing wrong with buying .357 Magnum brass. I use a lot of .38 Special brass because I have somewhere near 5000 pieces so I use what I have. I save the Magnum brass I have (which is much less) for Magnum loads.

 

[Walkalong]

I load all my light .357 loads in .357 brass. I am too lazy to clean the carbon ring out of the chambers I guess.

 

[novaDAK]

Wasn't the original .357mag load a 158gr lead SWC going much faster? Just interested in the history of this load, before the 125gr SJHP took over as the "#1" load in this caliber. I have a box of Speer 158gr SWC and am interested in loading up something warmer than a .38. I figured I'd start with 13gr of 2400. I expect leading to occur, but that's what a bore brush is for (and copper chore boy ).

 

[hithard]

Don't be suprised to not find any leading at all on those upper end loads. And if you do find some, Change your bullet diameter, or lube, possibly both and you may find yourself with a nice clean bore. I shoot a soft bullet, 50/50 pure and WW mix in my 357 loads. No leading here, and that's stuffing 2-3 hundred down range. I think you will find the biggest problems with leading come from having tight cylinder throats. Once those boolits get squeezed so small you have to really push them to get a good seal in the bore.

Shoot more and learn more, go to CastBoolits site, you'll find more info than you wanted.

Greg

 

[novaDAK]

Thanks for the info. My last handloads used whatever I could get locally, which happened to be 148gr cast DEWC I loaded with 13gr 2400. Didn't get much leading from that, but got more from the same bullets loaded to around 850fps in .38spl. The bullets are listed as being .357" so that would explain the leading. Not bad though, and worth the cost savings.

 

[20nickels]

Watch your pressure with those DEWC's. It builds fast with all that bearing surface.

 

[novaDAK]

Yep. That was a concern when I started loading them, but I've shot about 25 of them without any signs of excess pressure. I'm not going any hotter though, which is why I got some of the 158gr SWC to load since they won't be seated almost flush like the DEWC is.

 

[Hoxviii]

First things first:

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.

I've been loading 158 gn SWC and LFP's over 15.5 grains of 2400 in an N-frame smith. On paper it's a good approximation of the original .357 load.

I did get this from an older reloading manual, but I'm not sure of the exact one since I'm not around my notes.

I've taken it to 15.8 with no pressure signs, but at 15.6 accuracy just disappeared. Back down to 15.5 and the group came back. I've put 150 of these through the gun with no visible signs of leading.

 

[earplug]

Load and shoot it.

Really what is your goal for this weapon and load?
I shot thousands of very mild loads from a M-27 using 357 brass. Why not if its avaliable.
If you care about keeping your brass from splitting try and find the absolute minimum crimp that will work for you revolver and load. The more crimp the faster the brass will work harden and start to split.
If your using speed loaders you will find that shorter brass such as 38 spl will work better then .357 brass.

 

[novaDAK]

I just loaded up (and shot out of a security six) 50rds of .357 using

Speer 158gr lead SWC
14.4gr 2400
CCI 550 primers

Didn't lead any worse than my previous load I mentioned above, and were very accurate... and I'm much more comfortable with these for magnum loads because I don't have to worry about increasing pressures to do bullet depth like with the full wadcutters.

 

[Beagle-zebub]

Steve C, what length and variety of barrel are those numbers from? Because getting those 296 figures out of a revolver, particularly the 125gr. load, is impressive.

 

[Steve C]

what length and variety of barrel are those numbers from?

The chart in the manual shows a 8-3/8" barrel for the .357 mag. Does not specify revolver, test barrel or vented test barrel. S&W is the only pistol manufacturer I know of that makes a 8-3/8" barrel for their N-frame revolvers as a standard factory length. It could just as easily be a test barrel.

 

[1911Tuner]

The new .357 ammunition is downloaded quite a bit from the original version. The older stuff is a real handful.

Thingster nailed it with his load data, but I have to warn any who wish to duplicate it approach it slowly and with all due caution.

This is NOT a load for K-frames, and it's not a load that you want to use very much in L-frames. N-frames and New Model Ruger Blackhawks are good to go. This is also a lead bullet load. Substituting a jacketed bullet of the same weight will push the pressures well over what is sane.

For my own purposes, I've found that 14.5 grains of 2400 is more accurate...amply powerful...and the L-frames will take it until ice water is dispensed in the lower regions.

For general-purpose range ammo...I like a 160-grain cast SWC and 7-7.5 grains of Unique. Accurate and mild enough for the K-frames...this one clocks about a thousand fps or so from a 4-inch barrel.