I Need Some Good Reload Recipes (9mm, .38 Special, and .357 Mag)

[sadclownwp]

Anyone have some good reloading recipes for 9mm, .38 special, and .357 mag. I would love to hear what you like to combine to make a good load, and what you use that load recipe for, ie plinking, target, self defense.

Thanks for sharing guys and gals.

 

[G_Stines]

Are you shooting the .357 and .38 out of a handgun I am assuming? Do you use lead or Jacketed? Also.. what powders do you have on hand/use?

That might be able to steer me.. I have a notebook full of researching different loads for those. Call it a cookbook if you will...

 

[sadclownwp]

I will buy whatever I need to. And everything is for being shot out of handguns. Usually I like to plink with 115 grain FMJ 9mm rounds. But I love all rounds in .38 special and .357 mag. Any recipes you have would be helpful to me as I am just getting into reloading.

 

[G_Stines]

If you don't have a manual. BUY ONE NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Regardless, here is a list of my common range/plinking loads

for .38 spec

146 grain LWC (Lead Wad Cutter)
Bullseye 3.0 gr. ~825 FPS

158 grain LSWC (Lead Semi-Wad Cutter)
Bullseye 3.6 gr. ~810 FPS
Unique 3.5 gr. ~697 (mild load)

If I recall right, those first two (underlined) loads are fairly close to max, so you might want to back off them a little bit.

I use these for carry/self defense
150 grain JHP (Jacketed Hollow Point) Unique 3.8 gr. 796 (mild)

I prefer the mild .38(it's my backup) load to allow for faster followup and second shot versus something screaming out the barrel that is going to blind/deafen me and the BG.

I hunt with my SW386 6" with one of these two loads:

158gr Hard Cast Lead SWC
Titegroup 4.9gr ~1100fps

158gr Hard Cast Lead SWC
Universal 6.0gr ~1150fps

Hunting is really the only time my .357 sees magnum loads... Otherwise, I shoot .38s out of it for plinking and what not.
[SIZE=+1]
[/SIZE]

 

[U.S. Patriot]

I have had very good luck with Hodgdon TiteGroup powder and Winchester 115 grain FMJ bullets for 9mm target loads. Use Hodgdons online loading data.

 

[redwingshooter]

For 9mm:

124 gr plated round nose or 124 gr HP
4.0 gr Titegroup

I've found that the 124gr bullets are a little softer on the recoil than 147 or 115 gr bullets, but that's just me. A lot of people load 4.2 gr of Titegroup from what I've heard. I can't commone on 38 special or 357 mag as I don't reload for those calibers.

 

[Fishersjohn48]

If you don't have a manual. BUY ONE NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Regardless, here is a list of my common range/plinking loads

for .38 spec

146 grain LWC (Lead Wad Cutter)
Bullseye 3.0 gr. ~825 FPS

158 grain LSWC (Lead Semi-Wad Cutter)
Bullseye 3.6 gr. ~810 FPS
Unique 3.5 gr. ~697 (mild load)

If I recall right, those first two (underlined) loads are fairly close to max, so you might want to back off them a little bit.

I use these for carry/self defense
150 grain JHP (Jacketed Hollow Point) Unique 3.8 gr. 796 (mild)

I prefer the mild .38(it's my backup) load to allow for faster followup and second shot versus something screaming out the barrel that is going to blind/deafen me and the BG.

I hunt with my SW386 6" with one of these two loads:

158gr Hard Cast Lead SWC
Titegroup 4.9gr ~1100fps

158gr Hard Cast Lead SWC
Universal 6.0gr ~1150fps

Hunting is really the only time my .357 sees magnum loads... Otherwise, I shoot .38s out of it for plinking and what not.

What's your OAL for these loads?

 

[youngda9]

Reloading .357 Magnum Page

Reloading The .38 Special Page

Reloading 9 MM Luger Page

Alliant Powder - Reloader's Guide

http://data.hodgdon.com/main_menu.asp

http://www.handloads.com/

I Use Unique for most everything.

 

[Fishersjohn48]

OAL

Reloading .357 Magnum Page

Reloading The .38 Special Page

Reloading 9 MM Luger Page

Alliant Powder - Reloader's Guide

http://data.hodgdon.com/main_menu.asp

http://www.handloads.com/

I Use Unique for most everything.

Not to be redundant, but none of these pages list OAL for the loads. Am I missing something? Revolver loads may not be as critical but I would think that it still affects the pressure.

 

[youngda9]

Not to be redundant, but none of these pages list OAL for the loads. Am I missing something? Revolver loads may not be as critical but I would think that it still affects the pressure.

A reloading manual lists the range of OAL for all cartridges. Stick with the standard OAL and you'll be fine...shortening the round increases pressure. If OAL is not listed it is safe to assume that the standard OAL is being used. For most pistol bullets you can just simply crimp in the crimp groove. Many of the sites don't list primer type as well which has an effect. Always start lower and work up to a load. Never exceed the max in a pistol cartridge.

Handgun cartridges operate at a lot lower pressures than rifles. With rifles you begin to see things like flattened primers, tight extraction, case stretching, etc with loads that are getting too hot for your rifle. Some of these things aren't apparent at the lower pressures that a handgun operates at...meaning there can be no "warning" signs that you are getting too high of pressures. For this reason it is wise to never exceed the max databook loads in pistol cartridges.

 

[Leo]

Wiki or the Sammi pages all have drawings of each caliber with the proper dimensions if you need them. Good Luck

PS, I use the same load as Redwingshooter on 9mm (1.160" OAL) with great results.
I use the 2 tenths of a grain more than the bottom of the range for .38 loads as found in Hodgdons data for Titegroup and 148 or 158 gr cast bullets, very accurate loads, light recoil recoil.
I use just over the middle of the range for .357 loads as found in the Accurate arms book for Accurate #9 powder and Hornady158 gr XTP bullets. Accurate and powerful

 

[U.S. Patriot]

The OAL on my 9mm reloads is shorter then factory ammo but longer then what Hodgdon suggests in their load data. Just be careful and make sure to not to seat the bullets to deep. Once you get your seating die set, seat a bullet and check the OAL. Keep doing it until you are in a safe OAl. Then set you crimp die up. Once you have it set. Load a case with a bullet but no powder or primer. Then check to make sure it cycles and extracts in your pistols.

I run 4.2 grains of TiteGroup pushing a 115 grain projectile. My OAL length varies because of two things. 1. I do not trim my cases, so there is typicaly a varience of .006", from shortest to longest . 2. The OAL on my bullets (Winchester FMJ) also vary on average 006", from shortest to longest. They all are set at a safe OAL. I use the same load for my JHP loads as well. The only difference is I use cases with the same OAL (.750")

 

[G_Stines]

What's your OAL for these loads?

I simply crimp in the crimp groove.

As long as you don't buy DEWC, you should have no problem telling which end is up. I can measure some that I have if you really want OALs when I get home tonight. The WC can be seated in one of two ways, seated flush in the case with a slight taper crimp, or slightly above the case with a roll crimp.

If you are by chance the owner of a Mod 52, and want to shoot wadcutters, Use the method that leaves a bit out of the case, it aids in chambering. Also if you aren't seating it flush, put it in the last groove before the bullet head. You can sub the roll crimp for the taper, but it comes down to personal preference.

I have that my 642 airweight gets more accuracy when sitting flush, where as if I shoot it out of any of my .357s, they prefer that the WC sit above the case a little. This is not true for all revolvers obviously. It's all about chasing the sweet spot.

 

[sadclownwp]

I can't wait to try some of these, keep them coming boys