357 what is the best load

[Baldheaded hippie]

I use Hp38 is this the best powder

 

[.308 Norma]

I use Hp38 is this the best powder

I like Unique.

 

[25-20 WCF]

Best for what use? What bullet weight? What gun, rifle or pistol? We need to know more.

HP-38 would be good for lower-power target/practice loads, or less muzzle blast in short barrels, but it does not take advantage of the potential power of the cartridge. H110 is a better choice if the OP wants power.

The page below is from Hodgdon’s website, showing an almost 400 fps disadvantage with a 158-grain bullet versus the more appropriate H110.

 

[loadedround]

W-W 296 for any jacketed 357 Mag load.

 

[Bfh_auto]

For full house loads in longer than 4" barrel. H110/296.
For 4" barrel or shorter. I like autocomp. There are many others
For plinking anything from bullseye to green dot burn rate.

 

[AJC1]

8.4 grains of ramshot silhouette behind a 158 cast is my final answer....

 

[Slamfire]

I use Hp38 is this the best powder

For mid range loads, there is nothing wrong with HP38/W231 and a 158 lead bullet.

I am using an old staple, a 158 L with 13.5 grains 2400. This is about a 1200 fps load in most of my 357's and is accurate and powerful.

H110/W296 is an outstanding magnum level powder, you cannot cut the load, or increase it, you have to use the manufacturer's data, so I think it is less flexible. But the results are good.

The data shows variances between powders, and primers.

Smith & Wesson M27-2 6.5” Barrel


158 LSWC Linotype 15.5 W296 Zero Cases CCI500
21 June 2008 T = 85 °F

Ave Vel = 1282
Std Dev = 35
ES = 128.1
High = 1325
Low = 1197
Number rounds = 12

No leading, no extraction issues,


158 LSWC Linotype 15.5 W296 3D Cases CCI500
14 Oct 2008 T = 80 °F

Ave Vel = 1260
Std Dev = 34
ES = 160.5
High = 1315
Low = 1154
N = 18

158 LSWC 13.5grs 2400 R-P cases Fed 100
4-Sep-05 T = 80 °F

Ave Vel = 1245
Std Dev = 22.49
ES = 97.26
High = 1285
Low = 1187
N = 32

158 LSWC 13.5grs 2400 R-P cases CCI primers
9-Oct-05 T = 64 °F

Ave Vel = 1273
Std Dev = 44.03
ES = 176.7
High = 1372
Low = 1195
N = 30


158 JHP (W/W) 13.5 grains 2400 R-P cases WSP
5-Aug-06 T = 103 °F

Ave Vel =1196
Std Dev =26.58
ES =87.17
High =1244
Low =1157
N =10

 

[Otto]

I use Hp38 is this the best powder

No, W231 is.

 

[tightgroup tiger]

357 what is the best load

There is no such thing.
What is my best load may be your worst load.

What is the bullet?
What is the case?
What is the OAL?
What is the gun?
Are you cleaning your cases?
Are you cleaning your primer pockets?
I have 7 .357 mag revolvers and they all like something different if your good enough of a shot to see it.
My favorite load for my GP100 is 7.3 gr of BE86 with Extreme plated SWC 158 grs.
My favorite load for my 686-4 tuned S&W is 6.7 gr of Power Pistol with a Brazo's 158 gr SWC coated bullet.
My favorite load for my Ruger Blackhawk is 14.5 gr of 2400 under a 158 gr Hornady XTP.
My favorite most accurate load for my S&W 41 Mag Model 57 is 17.4 gr of AA9 with a Nosler JSP, and so on.
There is no such thing as a good universal load that works good in all pistols of any caliber. And this includes the Algorithm of any caliber that is loaded vs the gun they are loaded in.
There are some loads that work reasonably well in a wider spread of guns than some other loads do but that isn't what you ask.
What gun are you loading for to start with?

 

[Riomouse911]

HP-38 is a good powder for pleasant loads in the .357 and excellent for .38 Spl.

I like 4.1 gr. HP-38 under a long-nosed Brazos coated 150 gr SWC for .38 Spl. This is a nice load no matter what i shoot it in.

For 357 Mag, I’ll go 6.7 gr. under the same bullet. This will get about 1,200 fps and is accurate in my revolvers. (You could use this under a 158 gr lead SWC as well.)

Stay safe.

 

[Blue68f100]

All depends on what your needs are. Full house Mag, NO. General Plinking usable. BE shooting to slow.

 

[AgPilot]

Unique!
HP38

Had a Buddy give Me a pound of Acc 9 the other day. Tried it and I liked it too.

 

[fxvr5]

BE shooting to slow.

How is it too slow for BE? What defines the right speed for a BE powder?

 

[forrest r]

Nothing wrong with hp-38 in the 357's, that powder will produce a bunch of quality/accurate loads using a pile of different bullets.

I've found that 5.5gr to 6.0gr of bullseye and most 158gr lead/cast bullets/357 cases will hold the 10-ring @ 25yds (1 1/2") & 50yds (3 1/2").

 

[Blue68f100]

How is it too slow for BE? What defines the right speed for a BE powder?

Most all BE shooter are using a faster powder like BE, WST .... The reason is the recoil impulse. These are also reduced loads, below min listed load data. If you have some WST around try 4.8gr behind a LSWC. Some go lower than what I load, read some as low as 4.4gr. I have not tried that low but would check after firing that the bullet left the barrel.

 

[buck460XVR]

I use Hp38 is this the best powder

May very well be.....for you and your gun. For others it probably isn't. The reason there is such a multitude of powders suitable for reloading .357 is because the caliber is immensely popular and it is used for a multitude of things. HP38/W231 is a good powder for target shooting and SD. For hunting whitetails, not so much. Without any knowledge of what your intended use is of your .357, it just a WAG.

 

[jmorris]

I have probably shot more rounds containing 4.5 gn of 231/HP38 pushing 158gn LSWC than anything else, in 357.

As far as “best”, I suppose I would have to know what you are wanting it to be the best at?

LSWC won’t be the most accurate bullet but is a lot cheaper than the most accurate bullets and work fine for many tasks.

HP38 is too fast to get the most out of the 357 magnum round but works well if that’s not your goal.

 

[fxvr5]

Most all BE shooter are using a faster powder like BE, WST .... The reason is the recoil impulse. These are also reduced loads, below min listed load data. If you have some WST around try 4.8gr behind a LSWC. Some go lower than what I load, read some as low as 4.4gr. I have not tried that low but would check after firing that the bullet left the barrel.

Where are you getting this load data for 357 Magnum?

I was not aware that people were using 357 Magnum for Bullseye matches.

 

[Obturation]

Several loads, separate uses.

For general use- 158 grain swc over 14 grains of 2400

For a little more zap- 180 grain wfn over (undisclosed amount) h110/w296

For carbine use- 158 grain xtp over a full charge of h110.

For light use I like clays under a 158 swc


That's really all I use and I do shoot mountains of 357 mag. Don't try to make it something it's not, also don't under estimate the cartridge. Not much a 357 can't do in the right hands

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

For general use- 158 grain swc over 14 grains of 2400

That there's a good load. Most of my .357's prefer 13.5 gr. but they're Colts and have tighter throats.

W231/HP38, Bullseye, Red Dot, Hi-Skor 700X, Acc. No.2, etc. etc. are all fast pistol powders good for target and close-range varmint elimination. I guess Zip is in the same range but I've never tried it. Not yet, anyway. Unique and Clays gets you more oomph for general vermin/varmint work without all the thunder and fuss of rifle powders. 2400 and IMR 4227 good for longer barrels and carbines with good accuracy but maybe not as much flame-effect as H110/W296, Enforcer and slower "magnum pistol" powders. It isn't so much the powder needs more barrel as it is YOU need more barrel to keep your eyebrows from being burnt off. H110/W296 in particular gets a lot more velocity out of longer barrels but i know folks who use them in snubbies and claim to get perfect, no improvement possible, you're a fool if you use anything else, results. All I know is, H110/W296 sure are good for heating up the atmosphere but unless you've got more than a 4" barrel, they may be a waste of muzzle flash - in a 357. 2400 and IMR 4227 aren't rocket blasters but they perform overall really well even in a 4" barrel. But a 6-8" barrel gets better burn out of them, too.

 

[bluejay75]

HS6. If Unique was a ball powder it would be my favorite. Like a sexy woman with a bad attitude. Unique has things I like and things I really don’t like in one package that always feels good when I pull the trigger.

 

[AJC1]

HS6. If Unique was a ball powder it would be my favorite. Like a sexy woman with a bad attitude. Unique has things I like and things I really don’t like in one package that always feels good when I pull the trigger.

Isn't ramshot true blue unique in ball form.

 

[bluejay75]

I think HS6 is a little closer to it of the powders I have tried. But that’s good info to know AJC!

 

[Capstick1]

If you want full power magnum loads H110 or N110 is a good choice. If you're just shooting some low velocity cast bullet target loads W231 or Unique work well.

 

[CMV]

I use both W231/HP38 and H110/W296 (I guess all 4? )

For general range ammo the HP38/W231 is fine and makes good ammo. For bigger boom, more felt recoil, just that "magnum feeling" W296/H110 does it. This is from a 6" GP100