Loading .357 Pistol and .357 Rifle
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GeoDudeFlorida
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Of the powders currently available, I would concentrate on the slower “magnum revolver” powders like W296 (H110), Accurate No.7, No.9 or 4100 (Ramshot Enforcer). I have seen Alliant 2400 listed by MidwayUSA and Powder Valley but it seems to come and go pretty quickly. Blue Dot is an interesting powder. It was developed as a magnum 12ga powder and found to have properties which made it a good choice for small bore rifle and magnum revolver loads. It’s also got some utility in pistol cartridges at the top range pushing heavy for caliber bullets. But it runs pretty hot and needs both a heavy load to push and higher chamber pressure to run clean and stable. It does not perform well with light bullets (the exception being 190gr lead in the .44Spl) and it can be hard on sharp corners in the combustion gases pathway.
I’m not familiar enough with Longshot to comment on it.
GeoDudeFlorida
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Post #43.
You don't need to spend $200. Accurate and Hodgdon have free accessible data. I bought the Hornady reloading app ($20) and I have a Lyman reloading manual ($30). You need various resources to develop your own loads and see what works best for you.
http://www.loadbooks.com/ I like these for specific cartrdiges, they have load data accross multiple publishers collected into one little booklet. the loadbooks aren't reloading manuals per say, they just have load data. you want an actual reloading manual as well if you don't have one.
Riomouse911
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This is a fantastic reloading book. I just got a copy off of Amazon, it was roughly $35 delivered. It replaced my several years old Lyman manual #48.
These are my favorite powders for .357 Mag loads. These powders are all listed for various bullets in the Lyman 51st.
I do not push maximum loads, I rarely find them the most accurate and I am not in the “Let’s beat our guns up” category of shooter. Good loads abound for the .357 with Unique, I like 6.2 gr under a 158 gr SWC as a fun and accurate target-plinking load in both handguns and my 16” Rossi 92.
For a primarily rifle hunting load, Enforcer, AA#9 and H-110 are all good for higher powered loads using good jacketed bullets.
Finding a great dual purpose load is fun. Good luck working up loads and trying them out to find the best ones in your guns.
Stay safe.
BRatigan
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Hornady has an app. Not free, Hodgdon has an excellent free website for finding load data. The Lee book, Lyman reloading books are great. Shooters Reference online displays users loads in great abundance. The software tool Gordan's Reloading Tool will give you excellent interior ballistics to see where the pressures are versus load ladder. I have had great results with Shooters World Heavy Pistol and AA5744 with 158 grain projectiles out of my rifle. I use the same loads for the revolver and also have some special loads for the revolver using HS6, 231, Unique and CFEPistol. Your firearm will tell you what it likes. It might take some time but when you find happiness you will know.
AJC1
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Google western powders load data and their manual is free. You can download the Alliant manual free on their website. Google winchester load manual and several are free. That's on top of the free Marvin Stewart downloads already mentioned.
GeoDudeFlorida
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I hate to have to be the negative one here but, we’re talking about something containing possibly 35,000 pounds per square inch of pressure you are going to be holding close to your brain box. Don’t cheap out.
AJC1
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A mentor or a paid reloading class would be the best money spent. A book isn't great for pointing out the finer details of not blowing your face off.... kinda feel like we should have a mentor subforum where people connect to get them started on the right foot. A lot of people accepting risks they don't know or understand
GeoDudeFlorida
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Maybe yes and maybe that mentor just passes on their own bad habits. My uncle was horrified when he found out I was using rifle powder to load my hunting ammo in the .357. As far as he was concerned Unique and Bullseye are all anyone needs for the range a .357 is meant for. That 2400 stuff is for .22Hornet and 410 shotshell, not handguns.
He was a good loader who got me started - and most of my cousins - but he had his own ideas that didn’t always align with the experience of others. The Lyman 44 and 45 were eye openers for me.
There’s always going to be give-and-take.
and just to add to this notion, if you haven't reloaded before, just do some .38 Special for a while first is a decent idea. Use Win231 and get your feet wet and work the kinks out of your reloading process. The same dies, bullets, and firarms can accomodate it, so why not. .38 Special and .357 Mag cases can support a double charge of powder, there is plenty of room for it, so - IMHO that is the biggest thing to pay attention to as a mistake you can not make.
I've done some reloading mostly with Lee Classic 4 Hole Turret Press.
paid reloading class. I don't think there is one around here and other reloaders I haven't heard of any.
I just went to one of the sights that said free manual down loads. Now I have a new Header of CRAP that says Manuals A F M aol ally +search web temp print a camera a few other things and a garbage can And I don't know how to get rid of the GD thing. That is not to add that my desk top icons are spread all over my desk top. And yes I am slightly PO'ED
paid reloading class. I don't think there is one around here and other reloaders I haven't heard of any.
I just went to one of the sights that said free manual down loads. Now I have a new Header of CRAP that says Manuals A F M aol ally +search web temp print a camera a few other things and a garbage can And I don't know how to get rid of the GD thing. That is not to add that my desk top icons are spread all over my desk top. And yes I am slightly PO'ED
AJC1
Member
Load Data - Hodgdon Powder Company https://hodgdonpowderco.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/WesternPowdersHandloadingGuide8.0_WEB-1.pdf
Lee has very simple instructions and a fine cheep book. Lee reloading 2nd edition. Midway USA , 17.99 ,matches your press. You'll be fine
Mr_Flintstone
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I can understand wanting free reloading data, and it is out there. Hodgdon, Speer, reloadammo.com, Xtreme bullet co, Alliant, and a few others provide 100% free load data. You have to be careful with websites that promise to offer free downloads of copyrighted load manuals. Most of them are scams, and will likely infect your computer with malware. If you Google Marvin Stuart reloading you will be presented with the most reliable website where you can view and download reloading manuals. They aren’t the latest, and I don’t know of the legality of what they have stored on their site, but the manuals are there if you want to go get them. Other sites like archive.org has some reloading manuals that you can download and some more that you can check out or borrow for a limited time period.
What I am going to offer next is just my opinion, and you can take it or leave it, but I do suggest purchasing a good quality reloading manual. For the cost of a box of 100 reloading bullets you can have a physical manual that will provide of all the data you will probably need for a long time, and you won’t have to worry about getting malware, the internet going out, or taking up space on your device. Any of Lyman, Hornady, Sierra, Speer, Lee, and Nosler are excellent resources and will provide years of usable information. And not only do they provide load data, but if you actually read the sections on reloading, you will likely pick something new up each time you browse through it. There is a lot more there than just a cookbook.
And as always, if after perusing your manual, there is something you don’t fully understand, you can always ask and someone here will come along with an answer or suggestion. You may also get some smart remarks, but just ignore those. Every garden has a few weeds.
JohnMc
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Copyright is for the life of the author(s)/artist plus 70 years. Older stuff is 50 years, IIRC.
17 U.S. Code § 302 - Duration of copyright: Works created on or after January 1, 1978
Load the same loads for pistol and rifle. Don’t have to keep them separate. Same loads of AA#9 powder with 158 gr Hornady XTP’s shoots great in both Colt Python and Marlin lever action. AA#9 is the best powder I’ve tested. I use standard SP primers and a near max charge with AA data. Accurate Arms 1st manual tested with regular SP primers while the 2nd manual tested with SP Magnum primers.
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AJC1
Member
All of the following in .357 Magnum brass fromcurate Starline.
For targets: Bullseye, Red Dot, or Win 231/HP-38 for gilt edged accuracy with lead alloys.
For mid level: Unique, WSF or Win 231/HP-38, with lead alloys.
For hunting with either gun: 2400, Win 296, AA #9 or H-110 with Missouri Bullet Co's 158 gr LSWC or Lyman's 358156 GC LSWC
Personal favorite with short gun or carbine, for hunting: K, L, or N frame Smiths: 12.5 gr of 2400 with any good 158 gr LSWC, also excellent in my Marlin 1894 CS. Size these to 0.358" for handguns and 0.359"+ if you can find them for a Marlin.
I only hunt with the Marlin and have used Hornady's excellent 158 gr XTP with Win 296 a grain or two below max for 1.5" three shot groups at 100 yds, scoped. This is a good deer killer out to ~100 yds or so and devastating on woodchucks.
Best regards, Rod
For targets: Bullseye, Red Dot, or Win 231/HP-38 for gilt edged accuracy with lead alloys.
For mid level: Unique, WSF or Win 231/HP-38, with lead alloys.
For hunting with either gun: 2400, Win 296, AA #9 or H-110 with Missouri Bullet Co's 158 gr LSWC or Lyman's 358156 GC LSWC
Personal favorite with short gun or carbine, for hunting: K, L, or N frame Smiths: 12.5 gr of 2400 with any good 158 gr LSWC, also excellent in my Marlin 1894 CS. Size these to 0.358" for handguns and 0.359"+ if you can find them for a Marlin.
I only hunt with the Marlin and have used Hornady's excellent 158 gr XTP with Win 296 a grain or two below max for 1.5" three shot groups at 100 yds, scoped. This is a good deer killer out to ~100 yds or so and devastating on woodchucks.
Best regards, Rod
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Palladan44
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This exactly. These are my first (and only) choices. But I've heard that Lil Gun is a fine powder, as is AA#9 and Alliant Power Pro 300 MP. You can't lose with any of these.
