Speer 135grn TMJ for 38Spl and 357Mag?

[Wildbillz]

Hi All
Anyone have any experience with using this bullet for 38Spl or 357Mag? I picked up a bunch of them from RMR and the closest I can find to published info on them is for the Gold Dot HP in a 135grn. I asked RMR and they said I should be good using the Gold Dot info Powder wise I have Unique, Bullseye, Win231, Win296, AA#9 to work with. But I am not apposed to picking up something else if there is a better powder. .

Thoughts
Thanks
WB

 

[Walkalong]

They should work fine for light plinkers to medium loads in .357 Mag. They are not particularly a good choice for full power .357 Mag.

Of the powders you have Bullseye, W-231, Unique should work fine for that.

I would choose a different bullet for full power loads, but you can make them work reasonably well if you really want to.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Bill, I worked on replica loads for the short barrel Speer ammo and contacted Speer. It was suggested I use AA#5 for the .38 Special +P load and Powder Pistol for the short barrel .357 Magnum load. Both worked out well for me and I'm loading the same bullets from RMR right now.

 

[IWAC]

The Speer 357 Magnum 135 Gold Dot and the .38 Special Gold dot bullets have the same product number in their manual, so I think it may be safe to say they are the same bullet. They are designed to operate properly within a specific velocity range. Load them to match factory advertised velocities, or no higher than velocities in the #14 loading manual, and they will work just fine. The .38 Gold Dot Short Barrel 135 gr. and 357 Magnum ammunition are not that much different in recoil...and both recoil amazingly like my old IPSC load of 5.5 gr. Unique under 150-158 gr bullets. Problem being, it's hard to find them as components locally.

 

[pennsylvanian]

I have some 125 grain plated that I want to load, with N-340, Unique, Power Pistol, Lil'Gun, or Bullseye, if anyone has a load suggestion.

 

[Lennyjoe]

I’m working up loads for my 2” Taurus 627 .357 using the 135 gr Gold Dots since I was impressed with their ballistic tests.