.357 reloads for Rossi 1892

[MikeS.]

hey gang, I just completed my 1st 50 reloads on my own equipment. I've reloaded several hundred on a friends progressive machine. This was on my own Rockchucker press.

I used Winchester small pistol primer. 6.9grns of Bullseye and a 158grn bullet. The bullet has the bottom half jacketed and the top half exposed lead. OAL is 1.587

I crossed referenced a Speer manual and an Alliant manual for Bullseye to come up with 6.9grns.

Does this sound good? I'm gonna use them in y Rossi and my Ruger single-six.

Mike

[AJMD429]

We won't BELIEVE it without a range report and pictures...!

[MikeS.]

Well I'd like someone to 2x check me before I blow something important off/up. Then we'll see about a report.

[JustaJeepGuy]

My sources indicate that 6.9 Bullseye is a bit hot even for a .357 Mag. I don't have the Speer manual, though. The most I see is 6.8 Bullseye for a 158-gr. bullet, and that's a max load.

[crs]

+1 -
I always used Bullseye just for targetr loads in .38 and .357 wheel guns. The best powder for my .357 rifle is H110. I also used it for hunting(hot) loads in my SW M19.

[AJMD429]

Lee's 2nd ed. Manual shows 6.3gr starting and 6.8 Max for Bullseye 158gr. Jacketed.

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Lyman's 49th ed. Manual shows Bullseye 5.7 starting and 7.5 grains maximum for 146 grain jacketed but no Bullesye load for 158 grain jacketed. This is from their "rifle data" page, which seems to list the same maximum loads as their handgun page, but slightly higher starting loads for rifle vs. handgun. Bumping up the bullet weight 8% may not seem like much, but surely bumps pressures significantly. Note "Anything above the 158 grain level and Bullseye will work, even give good accuracy but velocity suffers and pressures go high." and "Bullseye is a good example of a powder that gives an unexpected pressure jump when all looks well" in the quote below...

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http://www.reloadammo.com/357loads.htm lists this:

158-160 grain JHP or JSP (Jacketed Hollow or Soft Point)
Bullseye 6.8 gr. 1,250 FPS
Unique 7.8 gr. 1,280
2400 15.2 gr. 1,535
Universal 7.5 gr. 1,299
HP38 5.4 gr. 1,020
HS6 9.0 gr. 1,240
No. 2 6.9 gr. 1,088
No. 5 8.6 gr. 1,080
No. 7 10.5 gr. 1,139
231 6.9 gr. 1,260
231 6.1 gr. 1,013 (Actual in 7" bbl revolver)
296* 16.6 gr. 1,610
* use magnum primers

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ReloadersNest http://www.reloadersnest.com/ doesn't show any Bullseye loads.

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Another thread on the topic...

http://www.leverguns.com/articles/paco/ ... rature.htm

Lee states that 8.7 grains under the 110 grain JHP gives 1642 fps and 9 grains gives just under 1700 fps at a cost of 31,700 psi (handguns and rifles). With the 125 grainers 7.9 grains gives 1464 and 8.4 gives 1550 with 32,800 psi. (Bullseye is a good example of a powder that gives an unexpected pressure jump when all looks well) ...One grain more at 9.4 grains and pressure jumps to well over 42,000 psi and that’s near 5000 psi per each ½ grain....! The 140/146 grain level of jacketed bullets still work fairly well with Bullseye, 5.2 grains give 1354 fps and 5.7 grains give 1475 fps for 34,000 psi. A lead bullet at 158 grains over 6.5 grains gives 1320 fps for 33,900 psi. I have used this load with cast bullets extensively in rifles and handguns... velocity is about the same in both... like most fast powders. Anything above the 158 grain level and Bullseye will work, even give good accuracy but velocity suffers and pressures go high.

hope that helps...

[Lefty Dude]

My alliant manual shows 6.8 gr. BE as max.

I would back that down to 6.5 gr. if I were you. Never, never develop a load at the top end.

BE is the fastest burn rate powder we have, 1/10 of a grain is alot when you are at the top of the loading chart.

Just a word of caution; That Speer 1/2 jacket bullet has spit the core at times.

[JustaJeepGuy]

If you try using an inertial bullet puller to break down those cartridges, you may find the cores coming out and leaving the jackets in the case (guess how I know... ). It's tough to get the jackets out separately, lemme tell ya...

[AJMD429]

I've seen lots of people push limits and get away with it, but don't be too proud to scrap anything you're unsure of. If you did harm a body part (or even a nice gun) you'd be thinking that the cost of those bullets you didn't want to waste was a small price you'd rather have paid.

Remember - the first five people playing Russian Roulette might get nice safe 'clicks' when they pull the trigger...

If you decide not to shoot the loads and they prove difficult to pull, you might find someone with a .357 Maximum gun to shoot them up...? That way you'd still have the brass, or they might just trade you something for the loads. The Max is rated for I think 5,000 psi or so higher than the .357 Magnum.

[El Chivo]

You could set them aside and work up to 6.8 gradually as they say in all the manuals. If you're good with all your pressure signs then decide if you want to try the 6.9's. One saving grace is your OAL is a little long.

I'm not telling you to use the 6.9's, just suggesting it might not be necessary to pull them just yet.

In general with a new load, you ought not to load up too many until you see how they group in your guns. I start off with 5 of each, in half-grain increments, around the estimated velocity level I'm interested in. It's interesting to see how differently they shoot and feel, and it's pretty obvious which one to pick. Then I'll load up 50 or 100 of the winner and sight in with them.

A friend of mine used Bullseye for reduced loads in .357, I think he was using 2.5 grains with a 158.

[salvo]

hey gang, I just completed my 1st 50 reloads on my own equipment. I've reloaded several hundred on a friends progressive machine. This was on my own Rockchucker press.

I used Winchester small pistol primer. 6.9grns of Bullseye and a 158grn bullet. The bullet has the bottom half jacketed and the top half exposed lead. OAL is 1.587

I crossed referenced a Speer manual and an Alliant manual for Bullseye to come up with 6.9grns.

Does this sound good? I'm gonna use them in y Rossi and my Ruger single-six.

Mike

I want to see your Single six that shoots .357
I only use H110 in my .357's for full power loads.

[El Chivo]

I was just checking my loadbook, the page from Sierra shows Bullseye and 158's a max of 7.2 (OAL 1.585").

Everyone else shows a max of 6.8. One Lyman 158 gr linotype bullet shows a 6.9 max but that is with a longer OAL of 1.590".

[Leverdude]

If its published data I wouldn't sweat it, especially in a Ruger or Rossi. You might find you get better accuracy a little lower though.
Cross checking manuals is a great learning experience. As with this case they often come up with different max loadings. Some are more conservative than others & different manuals have different max pressures sometimes.

in the future though I'd start closer to the minimum load. I'll often start in the midrange if its a powder I'm familiar with & am just trying a new bullet or switching brass or primers. But a new to me powder & start at the bottom, chrony my load & compare it to published velocity. If its the same or close to published vel. I might jump up near the max, if its not, and often it isn't, I'll proceed with caution 1/2 a grain or less at a time until I get the velocity I'm looking for. Theres alot of variables involved that can effect velocity & pressure.