.357 Magnum ( Rifle ) Reloading

[Mr_Flintstone]

The only real difference in the data is the reported higher velocity from the longer rifle barrel. The cartridge is still loaded to the proper pressure for the .357 Magnum.

You are correct about the pressure. Some powders burn more completely in shorter barrels. These rounds used in a carbine or rifle will peak early and then the bullet will stop accelerating (or even start to slow down). Other powders like IMR4227, 2400, and H110 when used in a revolver will still be burning powder when the bullet exits the revolver barrel, and you’ll lose some of the powder’s effectiveness in a big fireball out the end of the barrel. You might get the same peak pressure in each situation, but completely different outcomes depending on barrel length.

 

[Eagle 17]

Apparently you can also modify some of these rifle's for 357 Maximum loads.
Has anyone here done that yet ?

 

[VandalBC]

I load for my Marlin 1894C with 16" Barrel. Tried a few different powders and bullets but finally settled on 158gr Lead bullets with 2400, that seems to work the best for me. As long as I keep the velocity at around 1500fps all is well. If I try to push it any faster accuracy becomes an issue. I also loaded up some 158gr Hornady XTP's which shoot very nice, just keep them just under 1500fps and they work great, they are only rated for a max velocity of 1500fps anyway. What happens to the bullet if you go over the rated velocity? Does it just become unstable or does the jacket begin to peel away?

When I bought the gun I purchased some Hornady American Gunner Rounds and they clocked out at 2100fps and were inaccurate as hell.

 

[Charlie98]

What happens to the bullet if you go over the rated velocity? Does it just become unstable or does the jacket begin to peel away?

A SP and HP bullets are designed to expand reliably within a specific velocity range, if you overdrive it, it may fragment or blow up at impact. That's why there are .308" bullets for something low velocity, like the .30-30, and others for higher velocity cartridges like .308 and up, as an example.

 

[Eagle 17]

From my understanding the 140gr. FTX bullets are a heavy jacketed bullet and therefore are suppose to hold up better at higher Velocities.

 

[Eagle 17]

I ordered some 110gr XTP Hornady bullets to load up for the Range
My goal is to try to find the best loads for 110gr, 125gr, 140gr and 158gr
357 Magnum Rifle
By best load I mean accuracy with velocity.
I know I can get a 110gr bullet to go 2,000fps but will it maintain it's accuracy.

 

[Eagle 17]

I recently purchased a Rossi 92 in 357. Tell you what, shooting 125 gr. HPs over 22 grains of WW 296 off the bench sighting it in made my old, sewn back together shoulder hurt pretty quickly. That's why I have no interest in the 44 caliber model.

It is now equipped with a slip-on recoil pad so it's back to the range to finish sighting in. A coyote will be the largest animal I'll ever shoot with this rifle and I believe that load will be entirely adequate. I might get a jackrabbit now and then and I doubt there will be much left of one shot with this load.

I have the same issue with my shoulder sometimes I have to shoot lefty or else I pay for it ...

 

[Random 8]

I ordered some 110gr XTP Hornady bullets to load up for the Range
My goal is to try to find the best loads for 110gr, 125gr, 140gr and 158gr
357 Magnum Rifle
By best load I mean accuracy with velocity.
I know I can get a 110gr bullet to go 2,000fps but will it maintain it's accuracy.

Your results may vary, but they (Hdy 110 XTP) shot well out of mine with H110. Never tested "bench accuracy" as I just had a small amount to use up, but was able to make beer can sized hits at 50 yards. Terminal effects were spectacular.

 

[peterk1234]

I'm shooting 14 grains of 2400 with a 158 gr RN coated bullet out of my Henry. Easy on the body; you can shoot it all day long. I have not chronoed the thing but I can assure you it rips. It is jolting my thick 8 inch AR500 steel plates hard enough to actually slightly dent the surface at 45 yards. Plenty accurate to hit that plate unsupported at a 100. One heck of round. Favorite gun and cartridge to shoot..... so far

 

[doubleh]

I made it to the garage just a bit ago. I looked at two old manuals, Hornady from 1973 and Speer from 1974, both of which have rifle data for the 357. Nothing different than pistol data and all pretty mild. I jumped to the forty-ninth edition of Lyman's manual which also had it in the rifle section. They had a max load of 22 gr. of 296 behind a 125 grain bullet which is exactly the same load given for pistols in an early seventies Winchester manual. It shows a muzzle velocity of 2317 fps which is not too slouchy for the 357.

I made it to the range today with the Rossi. The pad made a world of difference and I found that 22 grains of 296 and a 125 gr bullet load to be pretty accurate although I could have used a better choice of target. I need a larger bullseye with the a peep sight. I also shot some pip-squeek 38 special load that were just as accurate as the hot one's but they certainly did not shoot anywhere close to the same point of aim.

 

[Eagle 17]

I made it to the garage just a bit ago. I looked at two old manuals, Hornady from 1973 and Speer from 1974, both of which have rifle data for the 357. Nothing different than pistol data and all pretty mild. I jumped to the forty-ninth edition of Lyman's manual which also had it in the rifle section. They had a max load of 22 gr. of 296 behind a 125 grain bullet which is exactly the same load given for pistols in an early seventies Winchester manual. It shows a muzzle velocity of 2317 fps which is not too slouchy for the 357.

I made it to the range today with the Rossi. The pad made a world of difference and I found that 22 grains of 296 and a 125 gr bullet load to be pretty accurate although I could have used a better choice of target. I need a larger bullseye with the a peep sight. I also shot some pip-squeek 38 special load that were just as accurate as the hot one's but they certainly did not shoot anywhere close to the same point of aim.

Thanks for the update, some of the Load Data that I've been using for my 357 Mag. Rifle loads are from Hornady's 9th Edition and Speer's current load data.
My shooting buddy and I mounted a Scope on the Henry 357 Rifle for sighting in at the Range which included using high rings and adding a hammer extension.
I will probably have to add an additional recoil pad at some point also, so far I've been using the pad in my shooting vest.

 

[Random 8]

I should also add, that my Henry single does very well with my .357 Mid/.38 heavy load of 6 gr HS-6(.38 case) or 7 gr HS-6 (.357 case) and a Penn 158 hard cast TC. This is my field pistol silhouette load also. It is supersonic in the rifle, although I do not know the exact velocity. It is very accurate from both the Henry and my 6" M66, and quite pleasant to shoot in the rifle. This is my "bowling" load for 3-4" diameter firewood sticks at 75-100 yards with the rifle. Unique would be a good powder for this application as well.

I've loaded a similar load with Power Pistol as I have a fair amount of this to use up, but haven't tested it yet.

 

[Mr_Flintstone]

For those that may not know, and those that may come later to read this, most load manuals (and Hodgdon online) that show separate .357 Magnum load data for rifles is for velocity purposes only for longer barrels. It is usually exactly the same data as for revolvers. You will also notice that they only show the loads that do particularly well in long barrels in the rifle section. All the revolver data can be used as well, but they usually won’t give you significant velocity gains in long barrels; and some (although rarely) may actually produce a reduction in velocity in long barrels over their revolver counterparts.

 

[mcb]

For those that may not know, and those that may come later to read this, most load manuals (and Hodgdon online) that show separate .357 Magnum load data for rifles is for velocity purposes only for longer barrels. It is usually exactly the same data as for revolvers. You will also notice that they only show the loads that do particularly well in long barrels in the rifle section. All the revolver data can be used as well, but they usually won’t give you significant velocity gains in long barrels; and some (although rarely) may actually produce a reduction in velocity in long barrels over their revolver counterparts.

It was with a 44 Mag but illustrates your exact point. I loaded two different loads under the same bullet for my 44 Mag pistol/carbine. Both produced very close to the same velocity in the 6.5-inch revolver. But the faster powder (800-x) only saw a ~225 fps boost going to the 16-inch carbine. Where the slower powder (H110) saw slightly over 350 fps boost going from 6.5-inch to 16-inch.

 

[Eddietruett]

I made it to the range today with the Rossi. The pad made a world of difference and I found that 22 grains of 296 and a 125 gr bullet load to be pretty accurate although I could have used a better choice of target. I need a larger bullseye with the a peep sight. I also shot some pip-squeek 38 special load that were just as accurate as the hot one's but they certainly did not shoot anywhere close to the same point of aim.

I made my 2 Rossi Levers much easier to shoot. Go to NOE Bullet Molds and they sell a rail mount that will fit a Rossi. Yours is probably already drilled and tapped under the rear sight which is easily removed. I put one on my 357 first and then mounted a cheap red dot tube just to try. With the long eye relief, it makes the gun shoot amazing. My eyes are getting too old for iron sights and don't do real well with the peep sights, so I'm in love with the rail. Cost is about $35 I believe and they are the only people I know of that sell a rail or any other type mount for Rossi.

 

[film495]

I flipped through and old Speer #9 last night and the comparative loads are the same max. The velocities differ more than I thought they would. 1200 fps for a lot of the pistol data from 6", had the same load at up around 2,000 fps which surprised me. That is a 40% velocity increase which is far more than I thought I would see. I still don't think it is that comparable to a 30-30, but a 158 grain bullet at 2,000 fps or more isn't too shabby.

 

[Eagle 17]

I like the fact that we have so many options for the .357 mag. Pistol and Rifle now and we haven't even started exploring the
.357 Max. modification yet.

 

[Random 8]

I like the fact that we have so many options for the .357 mag. Pistol and Rifle now and we haven't even started exploring the
.357 Max. modification yet.

I know you can do this to a Henry Single shot as I explored this option when I first got mine. After seeing the performance in original chambering, I found it unnecessary. Were my state to enact a straight wall cartridge rule in shotgun zones, or if I intended to use it as a first line deer hunting rifle I could see the usefulness in stretching the range a bit and adding some fpe at closer ranges with heavier bullets.

 

[Hooda Thunkit]

I like the fact that we have so many options for the .357 mag. Pistol and Rifle now and we haven't even started exploring the
.357 Max. modification yet.

I have an old NEF break-open single in 357 Mag.

360 DW brass fits right in, no modification.

Just saying.....

 

[Eagle 17]

Ordered some 110gr XTP bullets, hoping to load them for more distance and velocity.
I'm thinking they will have less drag and drop, we will see ...
The Load I will probably start with is :

- 110gr XTP - Bullets
- 22gr H110 - Powder
- WSPM - Primer
- Hornady - Brass
- 1.590" - C.O.L.
- 2,291fps - Est. Velocity
- 32,400 - C.U.P.

We will Chrono. to check Velocity

 

[buck460XVR]

Many have underestimated the .357 Magnum as a good Rifle Caliber Load ,
sometimes it might be because of available components and reload data.

I think there are very few folks that underestimate the .357 in a carbine, but most of them also realize it's limitations. No different than when used in a revolver platform. The .357 is limited by it's effective range, penetration and suitable hunting type bullets, especially in the light for caliber category. The whole idea behind Hornady's FTX was to provide a light for caliber bullet that would give more velocity(thus more range). But the weight still does not give sufficient penetration, nor any real ballistic advantage over a regular 158gr JSP, XTP or Deep Curl, IMHO. Just adding 10 to 14 inches to the barrel does not make a 30-30 outta a .357 cartridge. Now, if you could get a 170 gr bullet to go 2100FPS outta your .357 Henry, Rossi or Winchester lever, then I'd say you had a 30-30. I'm not bashing the .357, I have three revolvers and a lever action in the caliber. I have taken deer with both revolver and carbine. I don;t underestimate it, but I do realize their limitations. I also do not over-estimate it or try to make it something it will never be. It is what it is and when used accordingly, is good at it. The published data for .357 is as varied and plentiful as any caliber known to man. It is not the lack of data that limits what it is.

 

[doubleh]

Thanks for the update, some of the Load Data that I've been using for my 357 Mag. Rifle loads are from Hornady's 9th Edition and Speer's current load data.
My shooting buddy and I mounted a Scope on the Henry 357 Rifle for sighting in at the Range which included using high rings and adding a hammer extension.
I will probably have to add an additional recoil pad at some point also, so far I've been using the pad in my shooting vest.

The pad also helped with the stock length which I found too short. With the pad the stock was still a little short. I had some 1/4" thick high density foam and cut an insert from that which made the length of pull perfect. I used a leather pad made by Tourbon which I found on Amazon. It's a nice pad with a wrap around velcro closure where you can get a tight fit.

 

[kcofohio]

I have been working loads with 158 gr. XTP & 180 gr XTP, using 300-MP. I'm hoping to get out soon and test them out.
Some reloaders say the powder doesn't shine as well in handgun as it does in rifle.

 

[AJC1]

I have been working loads with 158 gr. XTP & 180 gr XTP, using 300-MP. I'm hoping to get out soon and test them out.
Some reloaders say the powder doesn't shine as well in handgun as it does in rifle.

I'm very curious about the 300mp claims in real life versus the stats they are publishing

 

[Mr_Flintstone]

Me too. I’ve read anecdotal reports that you can get 150-200 FPS faster than H110 using 158 gr bullets out of a rifle. That would put 158’s right at 2000 FPS. That’s original 160 gr 30-30 levels right there if true.