Powder and Primer recommendation for 357Mag and 45LC (Possibly 44Mag)

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hawk45

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I try to keep my powders to a minimum and use WIN231 for most of my handgun reloading. I want to take my 357 mag S&W and 45LC Ruger Blackhawk up to some heavier loads using 158gr XTPs in the 357 and 250gr (if I can find any) or 300gr XTPs in the 45LC, and getting some higher velocities with them.. not just target round fps.

Is there a powder that will pull double duty in both and give me the results I'm looking for? Is Alliant 2400 or W296/H110 the way to go?

Also, would magnum primers be recommended with these powders? Right now I use standard primers for all my rounds.

Thanks everyone!
 
2400 and standard primers will do it all from full power to mid-level loads.

W296/H110 requires magnum primers.
And there is no backing off if you don't want to shoot full bore balls to the wall loads.

rc
 
2400 has a broad range of uses and can be used in both post-war Colt SAA .45's as well as heavier loads in Rugers. Standard primers only.

H110/296 is the best powder available for heavy loads at maximum pressures and always needs a magnum primer. You'll always get more velocity out of this powder but it has only one speed.....wide open.

I use way more 2400 than H110.
 
Even though it requires a magnum primer I would and do use HS-6 for what you're looking to do. It's the middle speed powder of the 3 I use, W231 (HP-38), HS-6 (W540) and W296 (H110).

I used to use mostly W231 in the 45 Colt and I still like the results but lately I've been using HS-6 in the .45 Colt with even better results. It's very accurate in that caliber when used with a 250/255gr bullet.
 
Arch, that is great news b/c I have a pound of HS6 just sitting on my bench begging to be used. I'll gather up some magnum primers this weekend and put some loads together. Maybe grab a pound of 2400 if I can find local as well.

Thanks everyone!
 
Heavy-ish cast bullets and Herco powder is a great combination for both .357 Magnum and hot-loaded .45 Colt, and is a lot cheaper to shoot than jacketed bullets.

With jacketed bullets, I'd probably use Power Pistol or AA#7 or 2400.

None of these require magnum primers, but you can use them if that's what you have.
 
hawk45 said:
Arch, that is great news b/c I have a pound of HS6 just sitting on my bench begging to be used. I'll gather up some magnum primers this weekend and put some loads together. Maybe grab a pound of 2400 if I can find local as well.

Thanks everyone!
Click to expand...
If you have Winchester LPP you won't need to buy magnum primers for the .45 Colt since the Winchester LPP are rated for both Standard and Magnum loads. (that might be good news too) Hodgdon lists a charge range from 9.0gr to 10.5gr HS-6 under a 250gr LRN bullet. I have had good accuracy from 10.2gr HS-6 under a 250gr LRN bullet in the .45 Colt. Of course your revolver might not like that load as much as mine does but it's worth a try...

In the .357 Magnum I like to use CCI-550 primers with HS-6 and with W296/H110 too.
 
rcmodel said:
2400 and standard primers will do it all from full power to mid-level loads.

W296/H110 requires magnum primers.
And there is no backing off if you don't want to shoot full bore balls to the wall loads.

rc
Click to expand...

Not necessarily true. For the .45 Colt and 250 grain JHP bullets I started with 20.0 grains of W296/H110 (published load - Speer #12 says starting load for 260 JHP is 19.0 grains) and ended up with a max load of 25.0 grains of W296/H110 (Hodgdons #26 lists max load at 26.5 grains for 260 grain JHP).

Magnum primers but with Winchester LP primers, they are good for both (standard and magnum loads).

Dan
 
Not necessarily true.
Click to expand...
I"m not sure which part you're refuting. You're quoting "Ruger only" loads and it should be common knowledge that H110 (and Lil Gun) still yields the highest velocities in that pressure range.
 
CraigC said:
I"m not sure which part you're refuting. You're quoting "Ruger only" loads and it should be common knowledge that H110 (and Lil Gun) still yields the highest velocities in that pressure range.
Click to expand...

"W296/H110 requires magnum primers.
And there is no backing off if you don't want to shoot full bore balls to the wall loads.

rc"

This is not necessarily true.

Dan
 
Straight from Hodgdon regarding H110/W296:

For those loads listed where a starting load is not shown, start 10% below the suggested maximum load and then approach maximums carefully, watching for any sign of pressure (difficult extraction, cratered and flattened or blown primers, and unusual recoil). H110 and Winchester 296 loads should not be reduced more than 3%.

Reduce H110 and Winchester 296 loads 3% and work up from there. H110 and Winchester 296 if reduced too much will cause inconsistent ignition. In some cases it will lodge a bullet in the barrel, causing a hazardous situation (Barrel Obstruction). This may cause severe personal injury or death to users or bystanders. DO NOT REDUCE H110 LOADS BY MORE THAN 3%.


Brought to you by TapaTalk.
 
Alliant 300-MP

If you do not want to buy magnun primers, Alliant Powder Company has 300-MP. It matches the velocity of H110/W296, if not exceeds it. I just started load development with it. It uses standard primers.

Here is an interesting note I received from Alliant Powder Company when I called them. The rep stated in when loading 2400 in .357 Magnum, he recommended magnum primers.. But only in loading .357 Magnum with 2400 and magnum primers. He stated the powder column in the case is thinner. He stated the magnum primers give beeter ignition with 2400 and .357 Magnum.

RC Model, what is your oppinion of this? Any other thoughts? The rep did sated standard primers for othe loads using 2400 in .44 Magnumm and Ruger only .45 Colt.
 
CraigC said:
There's no backing off published data. You quoted published data. Where's the rub?
Click to expand...
Criminy, do I have to go word for word and describe precisely what I mean?

I commented on rc's post that says this:

"And there is no backing off if you don't want to shoot full bore balls to the wall loads."

He is indicating that one should not back off on max loads. One CAN back off on max loads and I indicated published data that supports that.

Is this clear enough?

Dan
 
He is indicating that one should not back off on max loads.
Click to expand...
I did not take it that way and I'm 99.99% sure he did not mean it that way. Otherwise, published data would have only maximums. :rolleyes:
 
RC Model, what is your opinion of this? Any other thoughts?
Click to expand...
2400 was the original powder used in the first .357 magnum loads from it's introduction until after WWII.
With standard primers.

Ball power was invented during WWII, and magnum pistol primers were invented in the 1960's when it was found they were needed with ball powder.

I have seen test after test showing standard primers give more uniform ignition, lower SD numbers, fewer pressure spikes, and better accuracy with 2400.

The reverse is true with W296/H110.

As for bergmen questioning my statement?
I meant what I said.
2400 is much more versatile then ball powder if you want to back off from max loads and go intermediate power levels.

It won't burn as clean at low pressure as at high pressure, but it won't fizzle and stick a bullet in the barrel either.

rc
 
My favorite powder for 357 mag, 44 mag, and 45 Colt is H110/W296.
It makes the most recoil and smells good.
LIL'GUN can also make big recoil, but does not smell as good.

I have not experimented with reduced H110 loads in 357 mag nor 44 mag, but I have in 45 LC.
The key to reducing H110/W296 is the roll crimp.
Without it, a little reduction of charge and snap. The primer pushes the bullet into the forcing cone, but the powder does not burn. The revolver is jammed until that bullet is pounded out.

I have also experimented with wimp loads in 45LC with 2400.

Reduced loads in H110/W296 and 2400 may shoot, but do not do well on the target. The velocity is erratic.

For reduced loads and small groups on the target, Unique worked very well.
 
H110 and its spherical relatives are hard to beat for full power, set the woods on fire loads. 2400 is good for heavy loads and it has some flexibility. But the powder Ive found thats tops in solid to very heavy loads is VV N11o. Burns very clean and is a leader in accuracy in all mt revolvers. Pricey, but at 20gr per load in the 45C, thats 350 loads per pound. Not too bad. H110 is still a leader for raw horsepower, but Ive seen a few issues with it, such as failed ignition in a revolver.
 
Unless there's a carbine in the mix I've started to move away from the 296/h110 "magnum" powders.

I'm finding that HS-6 will get me 85-90% of the velocity while only using half the powder! Plus its much more versatile to boot.
 
+1 to hs-6 if using magnum primers. for non-magnum primers, try bludot.

murf
 
...try bludot
Click to expand...

Really?? I never found any good .357 loads using Blue Dot. Maybe it works OK with 158 XTP's, I didn't try that combo.

BD did work extremely well in .45 Colt. By the time I got to that load I had given up on it and was just trying to burn up the last few ounces. If I had started with the .45 I never would have wasted so much time and powder messing with it in .357 and .30 Carbine.
 
the speer #14 manual has good bludot load info.

been using bludot in my 357mag loads for over 20 years. better than h110 in that caliber, imop.

murf
 
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