anybody using WSF in .357 Magnum?

[tube_ee]

My dad has asked me to load him up some rounds for opening weekend of dove season... he bounced a Skilsaw off his left arm, and doesn't want to be stroking a press.

He likes a 1 1/4 oz load of 7.5s, using Winchester WSF for 1300+ fps. He's a big guy (6'5" and 300 lbs), and he likes big loads. Now, I just used up a can of Blue Dot loading 10.3 - 10.6 grains in .357 Magnum, and from perusing loading data tables for other powder manufacturers, it looks like most heavy 12ga powders are also suitable for .357 Magnums. I like powders that can do double duty. I switched from Bullseye to Green Dot in .38 Special for this reason (it also meters really well out of my Lee Auto-Disk, as did Blue Dot.) I load 3.3 gr Green Dot in .38, and 19 in 1 1/8 oz 12 gauge.

Can WSF be used this way? Winchester doesn't show any .357 Mag loads with WSF, and that gives me pause, but they do show a bunch of ballistically simillar autoloader rounds. Interpolating from published data is something i'm not familiar with, so should I just keep the WSF for the heavy 12 loads, and not try to use it in the pistol? I'm gonna load my dad what he likes, 'cause he's my dad, but I'm hoping for another use for this powder in the guns I've got.

--Shannon

 

[mc223]

I just looked through my compilation of 264 loads for 357 and did not find any using WSF. Looks as though it might be usable by comparative burn rates. There must be a load out there. Good Luck.

 

[fecmech]

I have not used it in the .357 but have used it a lot in the 9MM. In the 9mm velocities run identical to Allaiant Herco(load wt to velocity) with both 124 gr. and 147 gr lead with the Herco having an accuracy edge with the 124. If it was me I would use a Herco start load recommendation as my starting point and go from there with whatever .357 bullet wt I was trying. That is what I would do if I were trying to work up a WSF load. Nick

 

[8ring]

I have shared your curiosity about WSF and .357. I have used it with good success with 115 and 124gr FMJ in 9mm. Hopefully Hodgdon will publish more data about this propellant. I don't load .357 much anymore and haven't gotten around to trying it.

I would suspect that you could begin by using the same powder charge for a 125 gr. .357 bullet as for a 124gr 9mm load. Work up slowly from there and let us know how it goes. Be carefull and good luck

Chris