missouri bullet .357 180gr striker

[cncmill]

Missouri Bullet started selling .357 magnum 180 grain rnfp bullet called the Striker.I just had to have some. Bullet is 18 Bn in hardness and is not gas checked. My reload manuals Hornaday7,Lyman49 and Alliant do not have data for lead 180 grain bullets.I have BlueDot,Unique and 2400 for powders. Lyman has 170 lead and 180 jacketed data. You folks have any input on load data? This is for plinking .Will be shooting them out of a 4 inch GP100. Any one try out these bullets yet?

Thanks,Jim

 

[Quoheleth]

Yes - great bullet. I'm using 11.3gr AA#9 and it's incredibly accurate, out to 200 yards, and hits like a ton of bricks out of my 6" GP100.

Here was my previous thread on the subject:
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=505227

Here's a range report I sent to Missouri Bullet:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I loaded up 30 Strikers last evening using mixed cases, CCI SPP, and 11.3gr AA#9. (How did I arrive at 11.3? That's what my Lee disc throws and I didn't feel like messing with the adjustable charge bar for a sample run). Lee claims the velocity to be around 1200, IIRC. Today, I dodged cold rain showers and a stiff north wind and hit the range for my lunch break.

It was worth it.

That 180gr bullet shoots very well and it lets you know you aren't shooting Grandpap's .38 Special. I was shooting a standard, rifle sight-in target (large bull in the center with four small bullseyes in each quadrant) at 50 yards. I shot standing, free-hand. I'll try to get some pics up later tonight but I was pleased with their performance.

What was really pleasant was shooting at our 200 yard berm. Some folks kindly left some clay pidgeons out on the dirt, so from a sitting, rested position I took some pot-shots at them. I don't think I hit any, but I got close enough that I was really impressed. I've never tried shooting my .357 at that distance before --- then again, I've never had slower powders like 2400 or AA#9 before. Not only did these bullets reach out and get there fast, they did it with considerable accuracy. Sighted in for 50 yards, I only had to raise my front sight two "ribs" (the horizontal, anti-glare grooves cut into front sights) and I was close.

I really see this bullet as a silhouette or hunting bullet. Its 180grain weight is about 25% greater than the 158 SWC. While the profile doesn't have the shoulders of the SWC, it's flat face (meplat, yes?) should deliver a sufficient shock to any game that is hit. A steel plate certainly will respond violently- and loudly! - to its mass.

By comparison, I had 20 rounds with the 158SWC charged with Unique (6gr, I believe?). That was like Grandpap's .38 Special compared to the heavy charge and heavy bullet. Both are fun to shoot. I wouldn't want to shoot the 180 gr with that dose of AA#9 all day; I wouldn't want to take the mild Unique load hunting for anything bigger than small stuff.

Q

 

[cncmill]

Thanks for the info Quoheleth. I am looking foward to shooting these bullets. I have a bunch of gallon milk jugs I will fill with water. M 158 grain lswc .357 loads can really make thes jugs jump. It will be interesting to see what a 180 grain will do to these.

Jim

 

[Quoheleth]

As an update, I emailed Alliant and asked for their recommendation of recipies with Unique and 2400. Here's the reply I received today.

I recommend 2400 powder. Start with 10.5 grs and the max should be about 12 grs. A firm crimp on the bullet is recommended along with a standard small pistol primer

Ben Amonette
Consumer Service Manager
Alliant Powder Company

 

[Husker_Fan]

I have only used 2400 so far, but it seems to work well. I have a firm crimp on the bullet over 11.4 grains of powder and a spp. I have only shot a few of these (20 rounds), but I don't seem to be getting much leading.

 

[cncmill]

Thanks Quoheleth and Husker Fan. Quoheleth, thanks for emailing Alliant. I wasnt thinking in that direction at all. I think that in addition to the reload manuals, emailing the powder or bullet manufacturer will be another "tool" in my reloading kit when the reload data seems vague to me.
So it looks like a load of 2400 at 10.5 grains is my my starting point. I will make up some cartridges this week and give em a try.

Thanks guys, Jim

 

[Quoheleth]

You're welcome.

I had twelve of these left tonight when I went to the range. I have a new-to-me 3/8" stainless steel swinger. At 50 yards, these rounds left about a milimeter deep divot the exact shape of the flat face of the bullet. I would say that has some momentum.

Q