.38/.357 bullets and load suggestions

[bison]

Hi Guys - I just picked up a Ruger GP 100 6" .357 mag and want to work up a few loads for it. I've loaded rifle and 9mm before but no other pistol rounds. I could use some recommendations for bullets/loads for both range plinking and hunting.

Most of my range shooting will be for the fun of it rather than super accuracy. I'd like to load .38 spl for plinking and .357 for both plinking and hunting. Hunting loads will be primarily as a backup for hogs and deer rather than a primary round. My setup is a Lee 4 hole turret press.

Based on other helpful info I'm going to pick up some Unique, Bullseye, and 2400 as I understand these are good powders for the range of applications I'll have.

I'm a bit confused at the range of bullet choices out there and could use some recommendations on what to start with for my various applications. Should I get some bulk Missouri Bullets for plinking? If so, which ones? What about hunting?

Thanks much in advance.

 

[zxcvbob]

Get some 158 grain SWC bullets. They are available from any bullet caster. You can also use RNFP bullets.

For .38 Special, use 3.5 grains of Bullseye, or for something a little zippier 4.5 grains of Unique.

For .357 Magnum, use about 13.5 to 15 grains of 2400, or 8.0 grains of Herco, or 6.5 to 7 grains of Unique.

For a .357 Magnum plinking load, I've been shooting a lot of 148 grain wadcutters (DEWC) with 7.0 grains of WSF lately. It's probably midway between a hot .38 Special +P load and a real .357 Magnum load. (you could also use the same amount of Herco powder.) I'm crimping them in the crimp groove, not over the nose of the bullet.

 

[rfwobbly]

First of all, congrats on the new gun. That's a REALLY nice gun.

You can load both 38 Special and 357 Mag using the same die set and (for the most part) same bullets. Most people practicing for 357 Mag will shoot the milder loads in the easier to find 38 Special brass. So your exact bullet and powder choice will depend upon your unstated choice of which round you are loading for.

There are many fine lead bullets manufacturers out there, however lead in a revolver may present some issues for some users. With a lead bullet you'll be using a "roll crimp" placed into the crimp groove in the bullet. The crimp grove placement defines the OAL for you. The roll crimp is applied by the standard 38/357 die set.

Some people prefer to avoid the lead issues by using plated or jacketed bullets. If this type bullet does not have a crimp groove, then you must buy the optional "taper crimp" die to avoid damaging the bullet.

For load info you are always best to refer to on-line resources from the powder manufacturers, such as Hodgdon, Alliant, and Accurate.

Hope this helps with some basics.

 

[zxcvbob]

I experimented with taper crimp vs. roll crimp with plated bullets in .38 Special loads. Berry's 125 grain HP's with 4.0 gains of Red Dot powder. The taper crimps looked better. The roll-crimped bullets were distorted a little, but (here comes the weird part) they were much more accurate anyway.

So if you are using plated bullets in a revolver, adjust your roll crimp die until it just barely bites into the copper. If you pull one of the bullets, you should see a mark. You don't want to cut all the way thru the plating or severely mash the bullet or bulge the case.

 

[Matt 357]

Bison, you beat me to it. I was about to start a simlar thread.

I too have a 6" GP100. Love it. I started reloading about a year ago. I bought IMR SR4756 and H110. I use the 4756 to reload 38 special rounds with 158 grain SJHP and the H110 to reload 357 with 180 grain JHP.

I was thinking of going with LSWC for cost savings, but had concerns of barrel leading.

Can anyone advise on barrel leading in the GP100 6"? Do I need to buy new powder?

 

[rcmodel]

The only factory load for the .357 Mag, from 1935 to at least the mid-60's was a 158 grain lead SWC over 15.0 grains or so 2400 powder. Some were copper washed like .22 ammo, and others were plain bare lead. Pressure and velocity were higher then they are today with jacketed bullets and the lower SAAMI pressure standard.

There was also a metal piercing load with a pointy metal jacket cap, but the bearing surface of the bullet was lead.

If your bullets are the proper hardness, proper size for the chamber throats, with proper bullet lube, they should not lead as fast as you can drive them.

Consider if you will, the lowly .22 Long Rifle cartridge.
Lead bullets at 1,300+ FPS, with no leading at all.

rc

 

[Waywatcher]

I cured my barrel leading by getting bullets properly fitted to my GP100 4" chamber throats.

Brad at Missouri Bullet Company sized some Cowboy #11 to .3575 and they fit like a glove in my GP100 and do not lead very much at all. In 100 rounds of .3575, I got less leading than just one cylinder of bullets sized to .3580. I highly recommend his Cowboy #11 Bullets sized to .3575. (158 grain lead round nose--Classic!)

It's all about the bullet fit in the chamber throat! It should fit in the throat snugly and just sit there. You should be able to push it through with finger/thumb pressure without needing to reef on it or break out a hammer.

I do not recommend Unique. I tried and I think it burns too hot or has too much nitroglycerine or something. For me it exacerbated leading. Also it was noticeably position sensitive for me.

I really like Trail Boss for .38, and my preliminary results with 2400 in .357 mag have been very promising. Both Trail Boss and 2400 fill the case very well, you cannot hear the powder shake, and it is impossible to double charge with either powder. It just can't happen; there's no room.

These are the only three powders I have tried so far, but the load with Trail Boss is a keeper, it' getting written in pen. 4.2 grains Trail Boss with a Cowboy #11 MBC bullet sized to .3575. Virtually no leading and I have shot 2" groups at 25 yards with it. (2" flat from a rest, 2 1/2" standing up)

My hunting load is ".357 Action!" bullet also sized special from Brad at Missouri Bullet Company to .3575 over 2400 powder. I'm still ironing out the powder charge though, but the leading has been minimal for sure.

I haven't had to clean my GP100 bore for my last two range sessions, there's that little leading!

BTW I bought my GP100 this summer too, so I'm sure the specs are real close.

 

[Quoheleth]

I'm a Missouri Bullet fanboy, but if they didn't sell a great product I wouldn't continue buying them. Plus, he & his wife are good people with good support of this forum.

For lead bullets, match pressure with the bullet hardness and also bullet size to bore (as was explained above) and you'll have little-to-no leading. I haven't fired much jacketed bullet out of my pistols, other than SD ammo, in a long time.

Your GP100 will handle anything from mousefart .38s to near nuclear .357. If you shoot a lot of .38 Specials, especially the 148gr wadcutters, you will develop a carbon ring in the cylinders and longer .357 cartridges may not chamber fully. A little Hoppe's and a brass brush chucked in a drill on low speed makes fast work of cleaning those rings out.

Someone mentioned Trail Boss. Another good mild .357 Mag powder is Titegroup - roughly 1000-1100 fps with just 5gr. Lots of shooting for little money.

Oh - and if you want a real thumper, try MB's 180gr Striker. Niiiiiice.

You've got an outstanding gun that will improve with use. My trigger is not quite S&W smooth, but it's close.

Q

 

[Walkalong]

Clays for light loads with 125 Gr bullets. AA #2 for slightly hotter loads with 125, 140, & 158 Gr bullets. Unique for midrange loads with any bullet weight. I do not load any barn burners.

 

[Hondo 60]

Congrats on the gun. My last 2 purchases were Rugers.

Missouri Bullets are top of the line, so buying from them is a good choice.

Which ones? It really doesn't matter. WCs (wad cutters) and SWCs (semi wad cutters) are designed for target shooting. So both of those would be good choices. Plus there's no law that I know of that says you can't use them for hunting too. But the laws in your area may vary.

I started using titegroup powder about a year ago because that's what they had at the store. For 38 spl loads I use 3.0 gr under a 148 gr WC with an OAL of 1.160. For a 357 load up the OAL to 1.290. Hodgdon lists a MAX of 3.3 grains.

 

[45commander]

I've been shooting a GP100 for a few years now and really like it. I have just about quit using any powders other than Clays for light load .38's and Lil' Gun for hunting loads. Clays is the cleanest powder I have ever used in anything and works great for my plinker/small game loads. For plinker bullets I just cast Lee 105 SWC's and 148 WC's. They work fine for me. I'm guessing you don't cast your own so I would just suggest any 148gr WC you can get. Like you said, super duper accuracy isn't really necessary for having fun.
Seventeen grains of Lil' Gun under a Hornady 158gr XTP is my deer load and is highly accurate. I pulled it out last week to check it before deer season as I had not shot it in forever because I've been working on other loads and guns. Off the back of my truck I put 12 shots inside 2.5 inches at 40 yards...and my vision has become terrible in the last few years so I know it is much more accurate than that. Also, Lil' Gun shoots at lower pressures than the usual hot load favorites.
It works well on deer. My son killed a small buck maybe two years ago with it and dropped it at about 20 yards or so.
You're gonna enjoy that gun a lot and .38's are just so much fun to play with.

 

[robctwo]

I've been shooting a lot of 125 gr lead round nose from a local caster over 3.4 Bullseye for plinking. My friend and I shoot junk out to 35 yards with these loads and have virtually no recoil.

I like the 158 gr swc from the same guy, and got a case of 158 gr jacketed hollow point Gold Bullets from Montana Gold Bullet co. I've loaded them up hotter. Very nice.

 

[ljnowell]

I load a 125gr JHP (Montana Gold) That I get from RMR (user LongDayJake). I load these at 1.570"OAL, and 16.0gr of 2400. This load is my most accurate 357 load I have ever had out of a S&W 686 4".

I also load a 158gr LSWC (missouri bullets 18bhn) over 14.5gr of 2400. Excellent accuracy and no leading.

I have tried power pistol, Bullseye, AA#2, Unique, 700x, and 2400 in 357 mag. I prefer AA#2 for weak target loads, and 2400 for full power loads.