Powder Selection for my .357: Need a tie breaker

[wavetrain75]

Tried some AA#5 for .38 spl +p and some fairly hot .357. They shot nicely through my Marlin 1894 but cases from both loads had a slight bulge just above the rim. Loads were hot but below max for the powder. Given that .357 is light for a rifle I'd like to keep them hot but do away with what would appear to be a little too much pressure.

Soo...from what I can tell, you guys like Unique and Lil Gun. Which would you go with and what load?

[stretch]

Wavetrain, might I suggest the good old standby of 2400?

14.0 gr of 2400 with Winchester Standard primers makes a
really nice, accurate load. Not quite as much velocity as H110,
but a very accurate load. Less peak pressure than any of
the faster powders, too.

-Stretch

[Hobie]

I use Lil'Gun. Unique is for .38 Special level loads.

[FF1063]

Handloader magazine had an article by Brian Pierce last fall about hunting loads in the .357 leverguns. Lil' Gun looked like the winner there.
Unique is too fast if you want hunting velocities from a .357 carbine.
2400, H110 would be in the same ballpark as Lil' Gun.

[wavetrain75]

Wavetrain, might I suggest the good old standby of 2400?...

Yeah, that one is popular too. Powder prices had dropped so it wouldn't hurt to get a pound and see how it goes.

Could magnum primers in the .357 be part of the problem?

[wavetrain75]

I use Lil'Gun. Unique is for .38 Special level loads.

Am I going to be better off using different powders for the .38 +p and the .357? I use the same 158 grain SWC in both, for now.

[Doc Hudson]

The vast majority of my .357 Magnum loads are put up with unique or Winchester 296.

The accuracy load for my old M-686 is 19.2 grains of Win 296 under a Sierra 125gr. JHP and ignited by a CCI Magnum Small Pistol Primer. It is not a maximum load and it shoots pretty well in my Rossi Carbine as well.

[Blaine]

I like Blue Dot for hot .357....it's right in there with 2400, and I think there is less flash, more oomph.

[firefuzz]

Unique is ok for light bullets or smaller cases, like .38 or 9mm, but for a good consistant .357 load I'll stay with 2400 or 4227 over a magnum pistol primer. I'll use Unique or Red Dot and standard primers for .38 Special cases. Having said that, I've been loading for about 35 years now and usually stick with what I know. I'm sure there are some fine new powders out there that are just as good.

Rob

[txpete]

I am also a 2400 fan for the 357 mag.AA#9 is also a good powder in the 357 and 44 mag.

pete

[jerry b]

Access loading manuals for actual loads. Using the internet for loading data is pretty risky business.

In a rifle, of the two powders you list, Li'l Gun would deliver far better magnum performance. Slower burning powders such as 2400, IMR 4227, and 110/296 take advantage of the longer barrel. In handguns, such powders make a nice flash for visual interest in the evening. Nevertheless, they are all tried and true with a wealth of loads in the manuals, so you can fine tune load to rifle. For what it's worth, I use 2400 for .357 magnum loads.

Unique is great for .38 Spec +P type loads with lead bullets. Lots of Cowboy Action data out there using that powder and others for lighter loads. I use magnum cases regardless of load.

I'm not an expert, so the above are just my experience/observations.

[stretch]

FWIW, the Speer manual #13 suggests standard primers with 2400.

I SEEM to be getting better accuracy with that combination vs.
magnum primers, but I'm still not completely convinced.
Your mileage may vary.

That 14gr. load isn't max, and it's well within the allowable range in most
of the manuals.

-Stretch

[COSteve]

Please note that for your loads (hot but not too hot), the cowboy load information is useless as its all for low velocity.

[stretch]

Steve, I assumed we were talking 'real' 357 loads here,
not Cowboy Action loads.

14gr. of 2400 ain't a CAS load!

-Stretch

[Arminius]

VV N 110.

Accurate and clean burning. Recommended by Hornady and Speer reloading manuals.

Try it!

Hermann

[El Chivo]

I like IMR 4227, similar to 2400, a little cleaner and slower and maybe cooler burning (I had leading with 2400, and unburnt powder).

[wavetrain75]

Thanks. And after all that my local retailer had exactly ZERO of the powders you guys recommended, so I brought home a pound of 296 for use in the .357.

When loading the .38+p for the levergun do I stick with the faster short barrel powders - Unique, AA#5, or not? So far AA#5 seems to produce respectable .38+p with a 158 SWC.

[Griff]

Please note that for your loads (hot but not too hot), the cowboy load information is useless as its all for low velocity.

AND, FWIW, factory "Cowboy" loads in the .38 Special are FASTER than their std. 158grain velocities. There's NO correlation between FACTORY "Cowboy" loads and what cowboy action shooters that "roll their own" use.

[TedH]

VV N 110.

Accurate and clean burning. Recommended by Hornady and Speer reloading manuals.

+1 I will also add that it produces excellent velocities. I use that almost exclusively for 158 gr. and lighter bullets. The only problem with it is that availability isn't as good as some of the others mentioned, at least in my area.

[L_Kilkenny]

I like Blue Dot for hot .357....it's right in there with 2400, and I think there is less flash, more oomph.

+1 ................ After sighting in with my Security Six @ 25 yards with 180gr XTP and BlueDot handloads I proceeded to run off a 1 1/4" three shot group at 50 yards. Never looked back. Don't have the exact load in front of me but I'm a few tenths below max using Lee's Second Addition.

LK

[Bogie35]

What a great thread! I'm soaking up this info, as I will be reloading for the 357 soon.

Thanks,
bogie