SD .357 loads for Air Lite J-Frame?

[Dollar An Hour]

Looking for a mild-to-medium .357 SD load for my M&P 340.

I've been using Speer Gold Dot Short Barrel .38+P until now, and want to take the next step up in power, and figure the Short Barrel .357 would be worth a try.

What are some other loads I should check out?

Has anybody here tried Remington Golden Sabre, Cor-Bon DPX, or the Buffalo Bore short-barrel loads in a light weight snubby?

Suggestions appreciated.

 

[pps]

I like the 135gr Gold Dot in .357. It chronographs at about 1000 from my 340pd.

I have switched to the 158gr 38+p Buffalo Bore lswchp which Chronographs at 998fps from the same gun...similar mv, and higher KE and momentum than the Gold Dot. My reloads are quicker with the shorter 38 rounds than with the .357 and I've never had problems with bullet pull in spite of the soft lead.

Others I like, Corbon 125gr DPX...EXPENSIVE
Remington 125gr sjhp full house screamers.

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

In a revolver this light, the limiting factor is more likely to be your hand.

 

[Prepster]

I love Buffalo Bore, but in a gun that light; stay far, far away. Ouch!

 

[Dollar An Hour]

In a revolver this light, the limiting factor is more likely to be your hand

I realize that. I'm comfortable with range sessions using the Gold Dot SB .38+P, and looking for the next step up in power.

Personally a "real" .357 Mag load is out of the question for me, but I'm thinking there is something in-between. I guess the GD SB .357 is the next logical step up.

I hear the Buffalo Bore .38+P is pretty much into .357 territory anyway.

Really looking to hear what folks are carrying and practicing with in their Air Lites. I believe in doing a lot of practice with the carry load.

 

[Water-Man]

The Remington GS 125gr.

 

[rdrancher]

Here's a good article for you.

http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/can_less_be_more.htm

rd

 

[ARTiger]

Buffalo Bore has a "tactical" .357 water down load at around 1,100 fps with a 158 grain gold dot HP. I like it in my 24 oz. Taurus 605, but don't know how polite it'd be from a 13.3 oz. J frame.

 

[jfh]

I've shot a lot of (re)loads in my 640 and M&P 340--over 15,000 rounds.

My hand is now well-conditioned, FWIW. Very well-conditioned, to be honest.

Basically, I break the reloads out into these general categories:

1. The GDSB 38+P spec--e.g., a 135-140 gr. at 860 fps or so.

2. The GDSB 357 Spec--the same 135-140 gr. at 970-1000 fps or so.

3. The "FBI800"--about what the current 38+P / 158-gr. LSWC-HP loads do these days.

4. The "FBI800+"--which is in the 850 fps range with the same bullet, loaded to CIP specs, not 38+P.

5. "FBI900s"--a 357 case running the same 158LSWC-HP at 900 fps.

6. "357M" loads--the same 158 running at 1000 fps or so. This is where the Buffalo Bore 20A fits in--it is a heavy 38+P load, and it chrono'd an honest 1020 fps from the 340--but five was all I wanted to shoot.

The 640 (24 oz) is "easy" to shoot all these loads from--but the full-bore 357 loads are not much more than a measured rapid fire.

In the 13.3 oz 340, the most I shoot out of it is the "FBI900" reloads.

I carry the Rem 38S12--that's the "FBI800" current factory round--and feel well protected.

Since you want to "move up", try the GDSB 357 rounds. Personally, I find the recoil quite sharp, compared to the 38+P "full" recoil. OTOH, the 158-gr. loads have 'more' recoil--but less sharp, generally.

Jim H.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Dollar,
If you like the 135gr Speer .38 Special +P Short Barrel round you will like the 135gr .357 Magnum Short Barrel round too. For the most part that Speer Magnum round was developed for the ultra light J frame revolvers. It's not a heavy Magnum round but it is more powerful than any .38 Special +P out there at the moment.

 

[pps]

"Magnum round but it is more powerful than any .38 Special +P out there at the moment."

Except the Buffalo Bore 158gr +P fbi load. With the 38special it is easier to reload quickly and bullet pull becomes a non issue with the extra 1/10 inch in the chambers the 38 affords.

I like the speer offerings too, but the reasons above are why I go mostly with the BB loading now. Also, it doesn't beat me up the way the full house Rem 125gr offering does.

 

[oursds]

If you want something HOT. Check out doubletap ammo. 357 mag 125gr going 1425fps from a 2" barrel. I've shot them and they thump. Nice thing is that in my 340 the 38sp gold dot, the 357mag gold dot and the double tap all shoot to the same point of aim.

 

[The_Shootist]

Buffalo Bore all The Way

I shot the BB version of the FBI load put of my SP 101 and it is an aquired taste. even out of that heavy snubby. I just can't imagine using it in my 642 or M85. So in all 3 snubbies I carry the BB 'standard pressure' load (beware of any BB rounds advertised as "standard pressure - they still feel pretty stout)

If the pwer of the load is reasonable, then I place premium value on shot placement, and the "standard pressure" load is VERY accurate out of all 3 snubbies.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I like the speer offerings too, but the reasons above are why I go mostly with the BB loading now. Also, it doesn't beat me up the way the full house Rem 125gr offering does.

pps,
Have you shot the Speer 135gr .357 Magnum Short Barrel ammo? I doubt it produces any more recoil than the BB load you're talking about. For the most part it's a heavy .38 Special +P round. It's nowhere near the recoil of a Remington or Winchester Silvertip Magnum round. I won't buy them anymore because I don't feel they are worth the added cost for what you get.

 

[pps]

pps,
Have you shot the Speer 135gr .357 Magnum Short Barrel ammo?

I have, and I like it. I just find that the heavier BB FBI load chronographs at the same spaad as the 135gr Speer in the .357 flavor. I figure if I can get the higher KE and Momentum from the 38+P Buffalo Bore and faster reloads to boot, I'd stick with the BB. I do like the Speer loading you mention though.

 

[coach22]

These are in my 340 PD. Buffalo Bore 125 +P's.
http://www.buffalobore.com/ammunition/default.htm#38spl
I decided to not use an all lead bullet in it.
I tried different 357's (DPX and Speer GDSB).
The 38 +P's are easier for follow up shots for me.

In fact, all my J Frames are now loaded with Buffalo Bore.
Nickel 49 and Nickel 442 with 158 Standard Pressure.
640 (38)
First 2 are 158 Standard Pressure.
Last 3 are 158 +P's.
If not Buffalo Bore, it would be DPX 38 +P in all.

 

[FLA2760]

Just listened to this podcast last night on the snubby. They talk about the M&P 340 and later on various loads. Other snubs are covered too. Massad Ayoob is on the panel.

http://proarms.podbean.com/

 

[20nickels]

Holy Batsnot^^ Piodcasts about snubs! I can't wait to mow my lawn again!

 

[SAWBONES]

Tried all the available .357 loads, don't use .357 in .38 Special revolvers as a matter of routine now. Accuracy and precision were mediocre, and felt recoil was annoying, not to mention that shot-to-shot recovery was slow.

My Smith Airweights and AirLites shoot only .38 Special+P JHP loads now, either 158gr LSWCHP+P from Remington or Buffalo Bore, or Gold Dot "short barrel" 135gr+P JHP.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

SAWBONES,
I agree with your choices. I carry only the current FBI Load offering from Remington, their 158gr LSWCHP .38 Special +P round. (Part #R38S12)

 

[Dr. Snubnose]

I shoot and like the Winchester Silvertips 145 grain .357 mag out of my 340PD...no problems, good expansion and penetration, accurate and easy to control....what more do you need....Doc

 

[Dollar An Hour]

I carry only the current FBI Load offering from Remington, their 158gr LSWCHP .38 Special +P round. (Part #R38S12)

Does the soft lead SWCHP+P lead up the barrel? Or is it too slow for that? I know this load is sub-900 fps, correct?

I thought leading was only a problem above about 1000 fps.

 

[pinkymingeo]

I shoot a 125jsp handload at 930fps from my 340PD and 360PD, 50rds through one or the other weekly. I sometimes think about bumping it up, but never do. I'm so accustomed to the load, after many K rounds, that it's fun to shoot. Plus, I hit what I aim it at. If I ever shoot in self-defense, and the bullet hits where I aim, I have no doubt the 125/930 will do the job, so why inflict a heavier load on myself?

 

[jfh]

re the LSWC-HP loads

With the factory rounds (the Rem 38S12, Georgia Arms reloads with Hornady swaged) I've tried, I've not had significant leading. These rounds are only running a little over 800 fps. And, quite frankly, I am not worried about leading--it is easily removed with a Choreboy copper patch and Shooter's Choice.

I've now also shot several hundred (or more) reloads using the Speer 158LSWC-HP built up in reloads, in both 38 and 357 cases, and running at three different performance levels--800+fps, 900 fps, and 1000 fps.

Once one sorts through the usual reloading issues to deal with leading, there is no problem here, either. Even with the Speer swaged bullets--their BHN is only about 4--, if you get the right powder for the given performance level, the pressure is great enough for the bullet to obdurate properly and seal up, even in the 2" barrels.

I wish the mfrs would make a 357-158LSWC-HP load that would run about 900 fps. Having that round would give us the factory cartridge comfort, and it is about as big a round as I like to fire in a (357) lightweight j-frame.

IIRC, the Buffalo Bore 20A (158LSWC-HP at 1000 fps) is what they call a "heavy" 38+P load--my guess is that it does run about 24,000 psi or so. Based on some experimenting a couple of us are doing, it does look like you can get a 158LSWC-HP running pretty reliably at 850+ fps--but at pressure levels at CIP standards for 38 Special (psi <= 21,750)

I also have some Hornady reloads built, but probably won't get them over the chrono until next season.

So, in sum--don't worry about leading with the LSWC-HP loads. The Rem factory rounds are about .60 ea now; reloads can be built for about .12 or .13 ea--and that includes a case life amortization for new (Starline) cases.

Learn to reload, practice a lot, and carry factory ammo.

Jim H.