Rifle powders for 357 mag lever gun???

[A Pause for the Coz]

I am going to pick up my new gun today. Rossi M92 lever chambered in 357 mag. Been lusting after one of these all summer.
I am curious if I can make up some loads just for this gun that use a slower ( compared to 2400 ect) rifle powder. Like say H335 to get a little more push out the longer 20 inch barrel?
Any ideas?

 

[MtnCreek]

Nope. Barrel length does not affect data, just velocity. The 2400 you mentioned would be a good powder (so I've heard); I use H110, but many other say 2400 is a little better. Stick to the book! Lyman's manual has a section on .357 rifle loads, that should give you a better idea of the velocities you will get w/ the longer barrel.

 

[zxcvbob]

Not really. W296, AA4100, and Lil'gun are about as slow as you can go in that small a cartridge before you run out of room. I think you're gonna be pleasantly surprised tho' at how much boost you get from the long barrel using moderately-slow powders like AA#7, Power Pistol, 800x, and 2400.

 

[MtnCreek]

Also, take note of the action type listed in the .357 rifle data. Some cartridges list data for different actions like 'lever' or 'bolt'. Don't use data designed for 'modern bolt action' in your lever gun.

 

[A Pause for the Coz]

Thanks for the input. I appreciate it. I am sure 2400 will be my main go to powder. Well I actually have 100 rounds made up with it, behind 180 grain cast to use to test today!!!
Was just curious because I have such great luck with H335 out of my AR , my 7.62x39 stuff and my 30-30's.
The only real difference I see is the case wall design and case volume when used in a rifle. Oh and I see the action difference. I would guess H355 would get some heavy pressures compared to 2400 ect?

 

[MtnCreek]

The only real difference I see is the case wall design and case volume when used in a rifle.

Should be the same as any other .357. Maybe I'm not understanding what you're saying. .357mag brass is .357 mag brass, regardless of what it's fired in. Case capisity should be the same, unless you're seating the bullet a little longer to better fit the rifle chamber. IMHO, it's the same as if loading for a revolver, except you7're going to get higher velocity from your longer barrel.

 

[A Pause for the Coz]

No I meant compared to other medium rifle calibers. Like 7.62x39 ect. all of those are bottle design cases compared to strait walled pistol cases. Sorry for the confusion.

 

[USSR]

As noted, H335 is too slow. If you want a slower powder than 2400, then IMR4227 is a good one for the .357 Magnum.

Don

 

[mgmorden]

The only real difference I see is the case wall design and case volume when used in a rifle.

Case volume is the important difference - the powders don't care how long of a barrel they're coming out of or what type of action it is (aside from how strong the action is). They behave a certain way within a specified case volume.

As such, we don't really have "pistol" and "rifle" powders, so much as we have powders for "low volume" and "high volume" cases. It's just that for obvious reasons low volume cartridges are USUALLY associated with pistols and high volumes usually with rifles.

Simply put: use the same published data regardless of the gun type you plan on using.

 

[A Pause for the Coz]

The main reason I was asking. I have made loads for my rifles using faster burning powders like 2400. I have a real good cast load for my 30-30 that rocks.
I understand the need for fast powder out of my Black Hawk with the 5 inch barrel.

Maybe it has some thing to do with the case volume for the 357 in a rifle?

OOps I see you already answered my question before I asked it hgmorden. "Your good"

 

[MtnCreek]

As Mr. Morden said, powders are fast to slow and the faster powders are typically used in pistol cartridges. Typical 'rifle' and 'pistol' powders do overlap. I use some of the IMR powders labeled as 'SRxxxx". I think SR stands for Sporting Rifle, but I use them in pistol cartridges. I think these old SR powders were intended for use in cast lead rifle loads like the one you mentioned above.

Not that it matters, but if the .357 case was necked down to shoot a .17 or .22 jacketed bullet, it would probably use a slower powder; maybe H335...

 

[A Pause for the Coz]

As noted, H335 is too slow. If you want a slower powder than 2400, then IMR4227 is a good one for the .357 Magnum.

Don

IMR4227 huh? I will give that a try. I haven't used any IMR stuff yet. I want some IRM3031 too. So I sense a powder run in the works

 

[rcmodel]

I would guess H355 would get some heavy pressures compared to 2400 ect?

No, it would get hardly any pressure at all, because you can't put enough of it in a .357 case to get high pressure.

rc

 

[dpe.ahoy]

The H-110/Win 296 twins and Hodgdon LilGun are about the best you can get for the 357 Mag. I use to use nothing but H-110, but after trying LilGun, I've gone to using that for all 357 loading. Top load in Hodgdon's manual for LilGun is as fast as H-110 at much less pressure, gives good accuracy in my rifles and revolvers. DP

 

[R.W.Dale]

I used lil gun in 357 mag and got scary pressure spikes that would render new cases unreloadable when fired from an 1894marlin well within the published data. Its one powder that will never find itself back inside my 357 cases


Not to mention accuracy w lilgun was nonexistent
posted via tapatalk using android.

 

[shiftyer1]

I can't contribute because I don't reload YET, i'll definately keep an eye on this thread because my marlin is my FAVORITE long gun and I would shoot it 3 times as much if I reloaded. .38's for plinking and small critters and .357's for work a little bigger and in a handy package. I hope you enjoy your rossi as much as I enjoy my rifle.

 

[Kendal Black]

If it is not in the book, you and I should not be doing it.

Powder and component companies have every reason to promote all practical uses of their products. Thus, they are all in the book, or nearly so.

Never mind what I said if you have and use pressure barrels, chronographs, and everything else that belongs in a professional ballistics lab.

I don't want to be the first to make a discovery, particularly if it is dangerous.

 

[bubbinator]

H110/WW296 is the only powder I use for 357/44mag. Best performers since 1970! 2400 may be fast, but is dirty. During my 4 yrs in Thailand, where 357 ammo was $1+ then, I had my Thai Police coworkers loading their own using powder from M1 Carbine ammo(H110) and Lee Loaders. Bullets were Sierra 125 JHCs over CCI 550 primers. I had 55 gal barrels of m1 ammo set for destruction and I taught them how to pull the bullets, save the powder and reload their 38s and 357s.

 

[kingmt]

Give it a try. It won't hurt you or your rifle. It will help you understand better. It will be dirty tho.

 

[RustyFN]

I can't contribute because I don't reload YET, i'll definately keep an eye on this thread because my marlin is my FAVORITE long gun and I would shoot it 3 times as much if I reloaded. .38's for plinking and small critters and .357's for work a little bigger and in a handy package. I hope you enjoy your rossi as much as I enjoy my rifle.

I'm with you on this one shiftyer1. I have a Marlin 1894 chambered in 357 mag. It's not only one of my favorite guns but also one of my most accurate.

 

[bluetopper]

The best you can do in a 357 or 44 Mag is using Accurate 4100 powder. It's slower burning than 2400 yet very fine grained and heavy and doesn't take up near the volume. If you fill it up you will be above listed max however.

 

[REL1203]

To ask a similar question, my load for my GP100 is 125g MG JHP over 10.0g of Power Pistol. Revolver loves this, that same load should work (not saying is accurate), just that it should work fine my eventual lever action gun I plan on getting right?

 

[MachIVshooter]

With smaller volume cases, I like blue dot for carbine loads. But .357 is approaching mid-size, capacity-wise, so H-110 would probably do you better. And AA#7, as mentioned. These are slow magnum powders meant for .44 mag, .454, .50 AE, etc.