My head is spinning...

Status
Not open for further replies.
Olon

Olon

Member
Joined
Oct 8, 2018
Messages
1,108
Location
Roaming around the Heartland
Howdy,

I recently acquired a Henry rifle in 357 mag, and I'm doing a little research before I get started reloading for it. I keep on running in a circle, so maybe some of you folks can set me straight.

Here's what I want, in order of importance:
1-cheap to reload
2-good accuracy at 100-150 yards, maybe more
3-power; enough to let me know it's there and smack steel with authority

I get that 1 and 2 MIGHT be contradictory, but I'm being greedy here. I've considered factory cast bullets, as they are pretty cheap but I don't know if they will hold up to the velocities that will make shooting an 8" piece of steel at 150 yards viable. Same story with plated bullets. Really what I want is something that is cheap to shoot but accurate enough that it's still fun to reach out there a bit. I'd also like to take small game with this rifle so I want to be certain that bullet is going where I expect it to.

I'm also unsure of what powder I want to use. I'm leaning toward H110, because folks on here seem to like it in lever guns. They say it's accurate, particularly with 158 gr. bullets. That being said, it requires nearly three times the charge weight of, say, titegroup.

Does anybody have a cheap but respectably accurate load for 357 mag through a 20" barrel? Maybe I'm chasing reloading fantasies here but like I said looking around has me at a loss.

As always, thanks for the input.

Olon
 
Coated lead bullets and 2400 powder.

There will be a hundred replies on powder, 2400 was/is the powder for the 357 Mag. but there are many others. H110 will give max velocities but it is all or nothing (no reduction in charges) Many mid range powders will work also (Unique for example)
Plated bullets suck in my opinion. Use coated lead or use real bullets like FMJ. Plated used to be cheap but are almost the same as some FMJ.Plus plated can not get a heavy crimp nor are they the most accurate of all the bullets.
I also do not like fast powders in High pressure magnum rounds unless you what mouse fart loads.

Did I mention coated lead?:)

http://missouribullet.com/details.php?prodId=333&category=6&secondary=36
 
Rule3 said:
Coated lead bullets and 2400 powder.

There will be a hundred replies on powder, 2400 was/is the powder for the 357 Mag. but there are many others. H110 will give max velocities but it is all or nothing (no reduction in charges) Many mid range powders will work also (Unique for example)
Plated bullets suck in my opinion. Use coated lead or use real bullets like FMJ. Plated used to be cheap but are almost the same as some FMJ.Plus plated can not get a heavy crimp nor are they the most accurate of all the bullets.
I also do not like fast powders in High pressure magnum rounds unless you what mouse fart loads.

Did I mention coated lead?:)

http://missouribullet.com/details.php?prodId=333&category=6&secondary=36
Click to expand...

Thanks a lot for the response. Do you have to lube these powder-coated lead bullets?
 
First a manual. Lee, Hornady, etc, but you must have at least one.

Then, as above, a box of 500 158gr coated bullets (I like Missouri Bullet Co), a pound of 2400, and 1k SPPs. When you're out of bullets or powder, you'll know much more about what you want.
 
Checkout Hornady FTX bullets. Supposedly these will provide a little better ballistics out of a tube magazine due to the flexible point as opposed to RN or SWC styles normally shot in this type of rifle. I've got a similar rifle in .45 Colt and I've been wanting to try these out. Probably does NOT qualify for cheap to reload however. Would make a good hunting or SD round.

.40
 
Last edited:
Most accurate loads in .357 Mag in my Marlin rifle and my pistols has been using Accurate #9 powder with Hornady 158 gr. XTP's and CCI standard primers. Hornady XTP's aren't too expensive. They come in hollowpoint and XTP flat points. The flat points are for higher rifle velocities for hunting. Use Accurate's data on-line. Only around 13 grains of powder used. Older 1st Edition Accurate data tested with standard primers while the 2nd Edition uses magnum primers. AA#9 doesn't necessarily need magnum primers. Not worth it to me to save a little on lead, plated, or painted bullets.
 
Olon said:
Here's what I want, in order of importance:
1-cheap to reload
2-good accuracy at 100-150 yards, maybe more
3-power; enough to let me know it's there and smack steel with authority
Click to expand...

I'm not going to say that those three or any two are mutually exclusive, but you have to think of what you really want. If it's 1, then you may want to consider what you define as cheap. In any case reloading will always be cheaper than comparable factory rounds. If you go the coated lead as suggested by the folks above, then it will be 1 - cheap to reload and should easily satisfy 2 and 3 as well.

Another note on the costs of "cheap reloading", even with your example of titegroup vs H110, at a cost of a pound of powder at $30, that would be a 5 cent difference. Likely still below comparable factory, depending on the bullet.
 
158 gr swc (coated or gas checked), 14.5ish grains 2400, spm primer .you can drive it faster but there wont be much more to gain- seen it pushed to 16 grains but accuracy was worse and thats over max. I use this load from a 6" gp100 and also a marlin 1894. The only reason ill use a coated bullet is because the bores are not the same dimensions so it avoids leading , if it were only for one gun i would just size properly and skip the coating. This is close to the original keith load and will easily kill deer sized critters at 100 yards and be very accurate if its adjusted accordingly. Cheap, fairly powerful and accurate.
 
Olon said:
Howdy,

I recently acquired a Henry rifle in 357 mag, and I'm doing a little research before I get started reloading for it. I keep on running in a circle, so maybe some of you folks can set me straight.

Here's what I want, in order of importance:
1-cheap to reload
2-good accuracy at 100-150 yards, maybe more
3-power; enough to let me know it's there and smack steel with authority

I get that 1 and 2 MIGHT be contradictory, but I'm being greedy here. I've considered factory cast bullets, as they are pretty cheap but I don't know if they will hold up to the velocities that will make shooting an 8" piece of steel at 150 yards viable. Same story with plated bullets. Really what I want is something that is cheap to shoot but accurate enough that it's still fun to reach out there a bit. I'd also like to take small game with this rifle so I want to be certain that bullet is going where I expect it to.

I'm also unsure of what powder I want to use. I'm leaning toward H110, because folks on here seem to like it in lever guns. They say it's accurate, particularly with 158 gr. bullets. That being said, it requires nearly three times the charge weight of, say, titegroup.

Does anybody have a cheap but respectably accurate load for 357 mag through a 20" barrel? Maybe I'm chasing reloading fantasies here but like I said looking around has me at a loss.

As always, thanks for the input.

Olon
Click to expand...


"Cheap" is an arbitrary term. Unless you shoot a gazillion rounds, the amount of powder is not a significant cost. Powder is "cheap" compared to the projectiles, primers, you should have brass.

Look at the Hodgdon and Western powders websites. Enter in 158 grain bullets and it will list all the powders and "tested" velocity.

I like Hodgdons website as it's easy to use. But you can use whatever powders you have or can find. There are so so many many combinations.

Look at the burn rate chart, find powders that are similar.

So yes, you can used say HP38 or H110 and get around 1,200 fps or H110 get 1700 fps and use three times the powder which would add up if a lot of rounds are loaded. I gave up shooting full house magnum loads as there is no reason unless you are hunting. For shooting paper or steel why bother?

http://www.hodgdonreloading.com/

https://www.hodgdon.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/burn-rate-color.pdf

http://www.accuratepowder.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/WesternLoadGuide1-2016_Web.pdf

Alliants website is not as good IMO

http://www.alliantpowder.com/reloaders/Powder.aspx?powderid=9
 
I also have a 20" big boy. My favorite hunting loads are 140 GR. XTPs with H110 / W296, at just under 2000 FPS.
For target / plinking / steel, I've tried a lot of different combos and really like 158 GR. HSM flat points with Power Pistol, or Unique. Although I think I'm going to try out some Rainier HPs next.
 
Olon said:
Thanks for the guidance, folks. I'll pick up some coated SWC and a pound of 2400 if I can find it; see what kind of damage I can do. For now I guess it's time to burn some of the factory ammo I picked up.
Click to expand...

You want to reconsider SWC bullets. Not all lever actions like to feed them reliably. If shooting steel you don't need perfect holes.
Regular flat nose work better in my Marlin.

http://missouribullet.com/details.php?prodId=333

HT-358158RNFPM
.358 Diameter
158 Grain RNFP
Brinell 18
For Tubular Magazines
Hi-Tek 2-Extreme Coating from J&M Specialized Products P/L
Color may vary
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

forestswin
  • Locked
Groove diameter of Henry Big Boy 357 Magnum?
Replies
4
Views
1K
slickracer
S
I
  • Locked
Trying to find a powder for a .357, Henry Big Boy Classic, 20" barrel
2
Replies
34
Views
3K
buck460XVR
buck460XVR
Olon
  • Locked
357 Magnum Woes
2 3
Replies
55
Views
3K
garandsrus
G
B
  • Locked
Henry Big Boys
Replies
9
Views
924
williamthedog
W
G
  • Locked
Ruger 77/357 or Henry Big Boy 357
2 3
Replies
51
Views
8K
Sweden
S
Back
Top