Tested some 357 loads today

[XD-40 Shooter]

I tested several different 357 loads over the chrono today, fired few into a target to check for accuracy. The gun is a Taurus 669 357 mag with 4" barrel.

1) 10.0 grains Blue Dot, 158 gr Nosler JHP, WSP primer, gave me 1140-1190 over the chrono and they were accurate on target. (This has become my favorite load).

2) 7.5 grains of Unique, 158 gr Nosler, WSP primer, gave me 1080-1110 over the chrono, these were also accurate. This seems like a really good mid-range load. (Toss up between this one and Longshot).

3) 7.8 grains of Longshot, 158 gr Nosler JHP, WSP primer, gave me 1090-1120 over the chrono, almost identical to the Unique load, these were accurate too.

4) 16.6 gr 296, Nosler 158 gr JHP, Wolf SPM primer, gave me 1240-1290 over the chrono, big boom, stout recoil. (Backpacking load)

5) 13.5 gr 296, Hornady 180 gr XTP, Wolf SPM primer, gave me 1050-1090 over the chrono, recoil was actually more pleasant than the 158 gr load. I like it. These ought to penetrate deep too.

It was a fun day and all of these loads are good, for different purposes.

 

[buck460XVR]

5) 13.5 gr 296, Hornady 180 gr XTP, Wolf SPM primer, gave me 1050-1090 over the chrono, recoil was actually more pleasant than the 158 gr load. I like it. These ought to penetrate deep too.

................sounds like a keeper.

 

[dwave]

I use 13.2 gr. 296 with 180 gr. XTPs and got excellent results out of my Taurus 608 with 8 3/8" barrel. I get a .5 inch 5 shot groups @ 10 yards with them (no bench). 2 inch at 25 yards from a bench.

 

[Snapping Twig]

I like 15.5g W296 under a 160g GCSWC Lyman, it's just right, not too much to hurt the pistol, just enough to hurt anything in front of it, pleasant enough to shoot.

Been using the 170g Lyman Keith too, now that right there is a good bullet.

 

[IDriveB5]

Been using the 170g Lyman Keith too, now that right there is a good bullet.

Yup, really like this bullet. Ive bought a bunch of these from Black River Bullet and have been loading 15.0gn 2400 under them.

 

[DWFan]

WARNING. WHAT YOU ARE ABOUT TO READ IS A LOAD UNDER DEVELOPMENT FOR THE TAURUS 608 AND EAA BOUNTY HUNTER ONLY.

A Hornady 180gr XTP-HP seated to the lower crimp groove in a .357 Magnum case results in a cartridge with an overall length of 1.70". A .360 Dan Wesson case (1.415") with the same bullet seated to the upper crimp groove gives a cartridge of exactly the same 1.70" length.
Handloads.com lists a load for the .360 Dan Wesson using a 180gr bullet with 18.5gr of H110 that gives 1496 fps in a 10" barrel revolver at a pressure of 31,150 psi (well under the SAAMI limit of 35,000 psi for the .357 Magnum). The same load data should be viable for the .357 Magnum case with the shallow seated XTP. I have not yet had the chance to test this at the range.
The Taurus 608, EAA Bounty Hunter and the Freedom Arms 353, as far as I know, are the only .357's in current production capable of using this combination.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Thanks to the range and velocity report XD-40 Shooter!

If you like that 180gr Hornady XTP bullet may I suggest a charge of 15.0gr Lil'Gun if you want a round that feels light yet still produces good velocities. Some reloaders are reporting poor accuracy with Lil'Gun but I found that load to be quite accurate in my Marlin 1894C.