Anyone with reloading experience with 357 magnum

[gunbunnies]

Loads using a 200, 210, or a 250 grain Lead bullet ?

Found data but kinda wondering if anyone has tryed this or not...

 

[billybob44]

Kind of Heavy??

You are in .41 Magnum with your weight range, and into .44 on the Hi end.

What are you trying to do with the "Heavyweights"?? Bill.

 

[Leo]

The heaviest bullets I ever loaded in the .357 mag were 180 gr. It is pretty hard to improve on the 158 grain.

 

[NinnJinn]

The heaviest bullets I ever loaded in the .357 mag were 180 gr. It is pretty hard to improve on the 158 grain.

ditto

 

[gunbunnies]

I've got some of the Buffalo Bore 180 Gr. rounds that are suppose to be designed for heavy muscle etc. of bear type game. I'm working towards a better round than what I have found commercially in the same vane... The Speer manual Number Twelve has a listed Silouhette Load of 13.5grs H110 using a Speer 200 Gr. TMJ-SIL bullet with a reported velocity of 1317 fps. I also found a couple more loads listed on handloads.com's website for the heavier bullets and noting that these loads aren't for light wieght revolvers... which I note that I wouldn't be shooting them through light wieght revolvers anyways...

When they list the heavier loads it appears that they have moved up to the .358 diameter rafle bullets and I don't think I want to go to that point but I would like to get a working load in the 200 gr size to push the commercially available load.

I've got a L and N frame revolvers along with a Ruger 77/357 bolt action and a Thompson Encore which these would be used in... Anyways I'm taking it that no ones tryed this on here...

 

[warthog]

I've loaded 200 grain for silhouette shooting before but that was the only reason I did it and that was as heavy a bullet as I have ever loaded for a .357 mag. I would have to check those other but I think some manuals show those weights for .357 mag RIFLE ONLY loads but I never load any rifle only loads, I shoot the same thing in my rifles as I do in my handguns.

In any case, I have to agree, those are some really heavy bullets for a .357 mag, you would certainly be looking at a compressed charge because a lot of bullet will be taking up room inside the case. It will be like an iceberg, the part showing outside the case will be about a third of the bullet with two thirds of it stuffed into the case. Loads like that aren't beginner loads for one thing and I wold say they aren't really for anyone without some purpose, like silhouette shooting. Even then, like I aid, 200 grains is as big a bullt as they or I ever used for that even.

 

[gunbunnies]

Warthog, So you have loaded them to the 200 gr wieght... I'm kinda thinking that would be as heavy as I would want to try anyways. I can use the 210 and 220gr bullets I have up in 357 Max and 35 Remington loads but I want to give this a try...

How was the recoil and pressure signs in your loads you tryed ? Also did you get enough foot lbs out of the 200 over the 180 loads ? Since you were shooting silhouette, I'm guessing you were knocking over Rams at 200 yards on a IHMSA range with the load. Did the 200 perform better than the 180 overall ?

On the compressed loads, I'm thinking that wouldn't be a bad thing as I've found that my 308 loads are more consistent shot to shot when the case is filled to the brim, seems to lead to more consistent burn of the powder, would think that this would be the same story with a 357 magnum load too...

 

[SSGSAD]

JMHO, but I would be VERY CAREFUL..... What kind of gun, are you using, and what are you wanting to do with it ?????

 

[warthog]

Rifle loads do become more accurate the fuller the case is in general, this is stated in the Berger Reloading Manual and it is reflected in the data area as well. All of the loads are either a full case or compressed load. It is a really informative book too for long range, accuracy shooting.

Yes, it knocked down rams really well out of a Thompson Contender but I don't think I'd try such a heavy bullet out of a revolver, ever. There would be a lot of hot gasses escaping at the forcing cone for one thing, that and unburnt powder too, it would be a like a shotgun blast I'm thinking. Honestly, I can't tell you if the 200 was better than the 180, I was using the 200 all the time and remember, I was using a Contender too, NOT a revolver. I shot this with a revolver now and then but I used a .44 mag, 8" Redhawk as a matter of fact, when I used them. Both would spin those turkeys around like tops too.

Honestly, if you are going to use these in a revolver, I'd just not make them if you have something else to use them in. The Lee book does list data for the bullet though it is pretty limited and it is only Vihtavuori powders listed as used for this heavy a bullet. Myself, I shoot tons of 148 wadcutters out of mine, loaded into .357 cases so I don't screw up the cylinder due to the sheer number that will go through the thing in a lifetime with these being the bulk of what will be used. My SD bullet weighs 147 grains so when I shoot those it is so close in weight my accuracy practicing remains useful.

At least report back here, with pix of possible, on how it went if you do load these up. Pix of the ronds too would be cool too.

 

[dugsagun]

With a 200wlngc cp bullet in win 357 mag brass and cci 250 primers 1.610" oal, shot out of my 357max blackhawk with 10.5"brl, i was getting 1350fps with 12.5g of accurate #9, 1280fps with 12.0g of alliant 2400, and 1400fps with 14.5g of Hodgdon H110. All loads are max. I settled on 14.0g of H110 for an avg of 1350fps with groups as good as i could hold at 25yrds, heh.

 

[pdg45acp]

The heaviest 357 bullets I've ever used were 162gr bullets cast from an obsolete Lyman mold.

If it's not a bullet listed in the Lyman Cast Bullet Manual for 38 or 357 I'd be afraid of it.

 

[SSGSAD]

With a 200wlngc cp bullet in win 357 mag brass and cci 250 primers 1.610" oal, shot out of my 357max blackhawk with 10.5"brl, i was getting 1350fps with 12.5g of accurate #9, 1280fps with 12.0g of alliant 2400, and 1400fps with 14.5g of Hodgdon H110. All loads are max. I settled on 14.0g of H110 for an avg of 1350fps with groups as good as i could hold at 25yrds, heh.

YOU do REALIZE, that putting all that in a smaller case, .357 Mag., rather that a .357 MAX., YOU are INCREASING PRESSURE !!!!!