Remington 158 grain JSP + 16.6 grains of 296 = Awesome 357 magnum load!

[Redneck with a 40]

I loaded 100 of these for backcountry protection when I'm out hiking this summer. I fired off 7 of them today to test them out, they are awesome! I punched out the black ring on the target at 25 yards, the recoil is not bad at all, my Taurus Tracker has a ported barrel, really tames the recoil. I'm estimating that these are giving me 1450 fps out of my 4 inch barrel, which is 737 ft lbs muzzle energy. I could actually feel the blast wave on my face when I fired these, but the primers look normal and they extracted with no resistance. These are awesome.

I also loaded 100 38 specials with 158 grain Ranier bullets, with 4.5 grains of Unique. This is a +P load, its very accurate and clean, has a little thump for 38 spl also. I'm gonna stick with this load as well, since I'm shooting it out of a 357, I'm not worried about loading "hot".

My target 357 rounds are excellent also, 158 grain Rainier with 7 grains of Unique. These are probably around 1200 fps, they are accurate and clean. Another excellent load.

 

[The Bushmaster]

Make sure no one else can get ahold of those "hot" .38 loads by accident and load them in a weaker revolver...

 

[Walkalong]

I like to load weak .357's / hot .38's in .357 brass. Don't have to worry about them getting shot in a .38 and they don't burn up (ring) the inside of the chambers in your .357 revolver. Universal Clays works well for this.

 

[Redneck with a 40]

My 38 special load, with 4.5 grains of Unique, is listed in my Lee reloading manual, 2nd edition. This is the +P load for a 158 grain lead bullet, it should be safe in any 38 special revolver that is rated for +P ammo. The manual states that this load may wear guns faster, but its not gonna hurt my 357 at all. This load is by NO means nuclear, nor is it approaching the danger zone. Its just accurate with a decent thump.

 

[Kimber1911_06238]

Walkalong...I do the same thing. 38 spl. loads in .357 brass....works great for target practice and no "ring"

 

[CZ57]

Redneck: I think you'll be a bit disappointed with that estimated velocity when you chronograph those loads. Since accuracy is good for you, that's a plus. Some older loads I have that are a bit warmer wont break 1350 FPS in 6" Rugers with non ported barrel. I'm kind of curious about your perceptions of muzzleblast from that 4" ported barrel.

 

[langenc]

The guy in the booth next to me last Tue was shooting something that made my eyes water. I asked him later what it was and he said "UNIQUE." Kinda smelled like the old coal fired locomotive.

 

[Redneck with a 40]

I'm basing my velocity estimation on the fact that my Lee manual list's the 158 load with 296 at 1610 fps from an 8-3/8" barrel, pretty standard for testing. From what I have read, you lose 35 fps/inch, which would be 140 fps. That puts my velocity right around 1450.

I would very much like to get a chronograph and see what these rounds are doing. I can say that shooting them, they feel "stout".

I actually thought the "blast" from my load was cool, it put a big, wide, grin on my face. The 357 mag is pretty impressive when loaded to its full potential. This makes my 40 S&W's look like pea-shooters.

Lang, Alliant recently re-formulated its Unique powder, made it 50% cleaner. Its my powder of choice for loading 40 S&W, 38 spl, and target loads in 357 mag. It has performed excellent in all three of these applications. I would argue that Unique is the best powder around for 40 S&W.

 

[YodaVader]

Remington 158 grain JSP + 16.6 grains of 296 = Awesome 357 magnum load!

estimating that these are giving me 1450 fps out of my 4 inch barrel, which is 737 ft lbs muzzle energy

I'm with CZ57 , I would be really amazed if you are getting that out of a ported 4".

As reference , my 4th Edition Hornady manual has an 8 3/8" Smith 27 tested with a 158 JHP and 16.4 of 296 and it topped out at 1350fps. For you to get 100FPS higher with only .2 grain more and 4 3/8" less barrel that is also ported would not be likely.

Still not doubting that your load is very strong for a 357!

 

[Byron]

Redneck,try and find an old Speer #10 manual. A Ruger Security Six in 6" barrel is used.The max load is hotter than the 16.6 and gave as I recall about 1325fps. 16.6 is the load I settled on in my Ruger 357's. I carried this load in the N GA mountains when hiking with a 158 grain Remington JSP in a 4 5/8" Blackhawk. Byron

 

[CZ57]

Right on it, Byron. 1326 FPS in the #11 as well and Rugers tend to have about the fastest bores in my experience. The 8 3/8" barrel used by LEE must have been a non vented test barrel. Hodgdon uses a 10" test barrel and I usually don't bother looking at their claimed velocities. You might get them if you shoot them in a Thompson Contender with a 10" or longer barrel, but I wouldn't bet on it.

Redneck, if the velocity had come from an actual revolver, 35 - 50 FPS velocity loss with each inch of barrel reduction is a fairly accurate SWAG. I tend to trust SPEER and Lyman manuals more than the others when it comes to velocity claims. SPEER uses firearms for chronographing and Lyman uses vented 4" test barrels for most magnum revolver rounds, or they did in my 46th edition, anyway.

Another thing that should be pointed out is that with Taurus revolvers that are ported, the true barrel stops before the port chamber, effectively giving you about 3" of barrel length with the 4" Tracker, or about 1" shorter with any ported Taurus.

 

[Walkalong]

Speer's # 11 manual gives 15.8 to 17.8 Grs. W296 with a mag primer for 1241 to 1326 FPS from a 6" Security Six.

Speer's # 13 manual gives 13.2 to 14.7 Grs. W296 with a mag primer for 1089 to 1185 FPS from a 6" Mod 19.

I bet it's a real thumper with lots of blast, but 1450 from a 4" barrel?

 

[The Bushmaster]

1450 fps...Doubtful...With a 158 gr XTP and 17 gr of W-296 shot from a Ruger Blackhawk with 6 1/2" barrel I'm just barely able to get 1300 fps. I can get 1450 fps if I drop to a 140 gr Rem. SJHP and 18.5 gr of W-296. These are chronographed at 8 feet from the muzzle.

This is not to take away from your load, believe me. The load you are using is a zinger and will do the job. Especially if it is accurate. Really...Don't worry about the velocity that much. Checking velocity for a bullets speed is just a tool to use in the attempt to fine tune a particular round and has nothing to do with what works for you...ENJOY

 

[Redneck with a 40]

You're right, even if the velocity is down around 1300 fps, it still exceeds factory loads, its more accurate, and it burns clean. I can buy a box of Buffalo Bore 158's that really do clock 1450 fps, which I might do.