Loading .357 Pistol and .357 Rifle

[Nomes]

What would be a good powder for both?

 

[Blue68f100]

For full power W296/H110 would be my choice for jacketed bullets. 2400 if shooting cast.

 

[Ranger99]

I have 2 powders suitable for handgun rounds
Unique and 2400
Rounds I've killed deer with were jacketed
bullets with 2400 and standard primers

 

[dannyd]

Depends on what you want to do, hunt animals or cardboard?

 

[Hugger-4641]

H110 does not like it at the low end, so if you're looking for powder puff or cowboy loads, it's not my pick. Use something like, Lil Gun, Red Dot, AA5, AA9, or 4227. I like H110 for high power loads, 2400, AA9, and HS-6 are also good on higher end.

 

[Mr_Flintstone]

What would be a good powder for both?

There are many good suggestions here. A couple of contributing factors here are what your intended bullet weight is, and whether you plan to shoot jacketed, cast, coated, or plated bullets. Each has its own reloading idiosyncrasies. in general, I prefer IMR 4227, but to add to the list, Unique and AutoComp are also good medium powders if you’re not looking for maximum velocity.

 

[PO2Hammer]

Full power? 4227, especially for the rifle.
Anything less than full power I use Unique.

 

[mdi]

I figgered the long guns were designed around handgun cartridges, I could load both to handgun specs. and realize a higher velocity in my carbines.
Works great for me. My 44 Magnum Puma shares many of the same loads as my Ruger, S&W and Dan Wesson. One of the favorites is a Ranch Dog design 240 gr. RNFP. Used a lot of Universal, Blue Dot and 2400...

 

[mcb]

The rifle/carbine will benefited greater with slow burning powders but those same slower burning powders will result in big fire balls and increased muzzle blast from the handgun.

I loaded 44 Mag for my a revolver and carbine and with H110 (a relatively slow pistol powder) and IMR 800X (a fare bit faster burning pistol/shotgun power). I had both loads pushing the same velocity from the revolver, about 1350 fps with a 240gr bullet. But when those same loads were fired in my carbine the H110 load was 350+ FPS faster at just over 1700 fps but the faster burning 800x only got a ~200 fps bump at a it over 1550 fps. That said the H110 loads in the revolver create huge fireballs, lots of unpleasant muzzle blast and a slight but noticeable increase in recoil compared to the 800x. The H110 also takes nearly twice as much powder (by weight) to do that.

Personally I decided the 800x was much more pleasant to shoot in the revolver and the slightly lost of velocity in the rifle did not concern me for what I am using it for. I save the H110 for my 450 Bushmaster and 410 shotguns.

 

[Toprudder]

I’ve found N110 to be a great alternative to H110 in pistol loads. MUCH less fireball and muzzle blast than H110. I have not tried it in rifle loads, though.

For my rifle, I had great luck with 300MP. It prefers long barrels, though, so you won’t notice any advantage in handgun barrels less than 6”. It reaches a velocity plateau where there is no increase in velocity with an increase in charge. BUT, it is lower pressure and works with non-magnum primers.

If I were really wanting to have just one load that would work well in both, I would try 2400 or N110 for magnum velocity. For mid-range loads for plinking, I would try BE86. I’ve found it to be one of the least position-sensitive powders I’ve tried.

 

[AJC1]

What would be a good powder for both?

What barrel length pistol. I run 4" and 16" and blue dot and #9 both are great for full power. For cardboard and steel animals I run Silhouette. A 158 jsp or jhp with 14.9 grains of #9 is just mean.

 

[BRatigan]

I am having success with AAC 5744. There is no published data for the 357 loads so a member contacted AAC and got their recommendations of 14.4 grains as a starting load and 16 grains max. Pistol results are just fine at 15 yards out of my pistol and I anticipate great results out of my rifle as the longer barrel will burn up all the powder or nearly all. I'll post results when I hit the range again this week.

 

[Walkalong]

What would be a good powder for both?

What is the goal?

Any fast powder for light plinkers, most any medium speed for midrange loads, any slow one for full power. Naturally there is a bit of overlap there.

The powder that gets the most velocity safely will do so in either barrel length. Fast powders won’t be able to take advantage of the longer barrel velocity wise, pressure gets up to fast.

So, what do you want to do with it?

 

[.45Coltguy]

2400 mostly. However, BE86 is showing excellent promise. Both revolver and lever rifle, 158gr or 180's.

 

[Nomes]

(So, what do you want to do with it?}
Mostly target 50 to 100 yrds. but hunting if I had to.

 

[Charlie98]

Full power? 4227, especially for the rifle.
Anything less than full power I use Unique.

That's pretty much my method right there. I don't load .357 any longer, but I do load .41MAG for pistols and rifle. I use Unique for the midrange loads, pistol or rifle, and IMR4227 for primarily the rifle, a 20" Marlin. IMR4227 isn't the most efficient in pistols, but it does work, it's just not my favorite. If I really want Magnum-level loads in the pistol, I reach for the W296.

One other thing you need to look at is economics. It typically takes twice as much powder, by weight, for the slower powders... in my case, Unique vs IMR4227 or W296. If all you are doing is ventilating paper targets, or bouncing steel, a midrange load with Unique works really well, and saves you some money. If you are shooting at distance, or otherwise need all that velocity... then the slower powders are the hot ticket.

9grn Unique under a 215grn cast bullet, in the .41 Marlin, gives me 1300fps. Jumping to 20grn IMR4227, all else being equal, only bumps that up to 1525fps, for having to use twice the powder.

 

[Frulk]

Well…if it was my loading bench and I could only stock ONE it would be Unique. That’s based on actually owning the OPs caliber in the guns stipulated.

THEN, if there was space I’d have the following…2400…#9…Win 296 etc. I’ve used about everything mentioned above and it all works for me as intended.

 

[.45Coltguy]

What powders do you have on hand? This is directed to OP.

 

[Docendo Discimus]

Use a starting charge of acc #9 with a 158gr cast or jacketed bullet. This is a solid mid range load that can do what you are asking for. If you want a more magnum feel go on up the charge ladder. Some people use standard primers with it, apparently there is data out there for that.

 

[AJC1]

Use a starting charge of acc #9 with a 158gr cast or jacketed bullet. This is a solid mid range load that can do what you are asking for. If you want a more magnum feel go on up the charge ladder. Some people use standard primers with it, apparently there is data out there for that.

Shooters World heavy pistol is designed for standard primers, and does way better in the lower load ranges. If I want max swhp is left behind at 12.6 and I continue up with #9. In the ops senerio, 10.5 of blue dot is efficient and plenty fast for a 158. I find it's the powder that is magnum but also doesn't take twice as much. It doesn't reduce very well imo.

 

[Docendo Discimus]

I should have said a start charge of some medium speed powder and a 158gr bullet.
#9, 2400, unique, blue dot, hs6, power pistol, etc.

 

[Obturation]

2400

 

[Nomes]

(What powders do you have on hand? This is directed to OP.)

4- Bullseye, 2- Tightgroup, 1- 231 Winchester Ball, 1- Unique.

 

[Docendo Discimus]

What would be a good powder for both?

unique

 

[.45Coltguy]

For what you have, Unique. I haven't used the other three mentioned. !58's, correct?