Talk me into H110/Win296 for 357mag

[eldon519]

Even though the data range can be narrow, it is a pretty safe powder in my opinion. It isn't a spikey powder or anything like that where a tiny charge change makes the gun go from safe to blown apart. Also, even though you hear a lot about going too light, I have violated the 3% rule many atimes with no problem. Even Hodgdon's own data often has more than 3% range despite their "rule", often as high as 10%. I've never had ignition problems.

The only other thing worth noting is that the lighter bullets like 110gr and 125gr can be hard on the forcing cone with H-110. I like it with the 158gr weight.

 

[DC Plumber]

I don't shoot many magnum loads, but if I do, I use 2400 and/or H4227 for my .357mag, 44mag and 454 Casull. I bought a pound of H110 about 12 years ago, didn't like it for the very reason as you and gave it to a friend who is a magnum nut. Nowadays 99.9% of my handgun shooting is with lead bullets and either Universal or 231.

Sorry, I tried, but I don't think I can talk you into it for another 50 or 100 fps either.

Now, economically speaking, have you considered shooting lead with shotgun powders?

A pound of powder goes 3 time further, and lead bullets are WAY less expensive, probably 1/3 as much too. Just throwing that out there.

 

[rg1]

Like Win 296 for 44 Magnum but prefer Accurate Arms #9 for .357 Magnum. You can download it and actually I prefer standard CCI 500's for AA#9 rather than a magnum primer. Best shooting magnum velocity loads I've tried in .357 with AA#9 powder and I've tested Win 296, 2400, and Blue Dot. I shoot AA#9 in both a revolver and Marlin rifle, same data. 13 to 13.5 grains with 158 jacketed bullets mostly Hornady XTP's.

 

[Maj Dad]

296/H110/WC820 has been my full-power powder for 357, 44, and 30 carbine for nearly 50 years. If I want low or mid-range loads I use something else - Unique, BE, 231, Red Dot, etc etc. I have used all kinds of other powders and still have several pounds left of an 8 lb keg of 630 that work great for cast loads in 44 mag & 30 carbine. But for accurate, consistent and optimum performance with full-power loads, it's 296.

 

[JRWhit]

I don't shoot many magnum loads, but if I do, I use 2400 and/or H4227 for my .357mag, 44mag and 454 Casull. I bought a pound of H110 about 12 years ago, didn't like it for the very reason as you and gave it to a friend who is a magnum nut. Nowadays 99.9% of my handgun shooting is with lead bullets and either Universal or 231.

Sorry, I tried, but I don't think I can talk you into it for another 50 or 100 fps either.

Now, economically speaking, have you considered shooting lead with shotgun powders?

A pound of powder goes 3 time further, and lead bullets are WAY less expensive, probably 1/3 as much too. Just throwing that out there.

I've been searching for my preferred hunting load in magnum, and have been thoroughly enjoying the process, but do load a lot of 38 copper plated light loads for paper punching. Use 231/hp-38, but recently have been using Unique and must say I'm liking the results. Burns cleaner too.
To date I've been using BLUE DOT for the magnums, just seeing what else works and how well.

 

[JRWhit]

First off let me say that I have been loading both the 44 mag and .357 mag with H110 / 296 for several decades, and I have never once had a problem with pressures or anything else for that matter. It's a very stable powder when it is not reduced more than 3% below minimum, not 3% below maximum as you stated. The charging range for it is easily 4-6 times what 3% of the maximum would calculate to, so you must have misunderstood the warnings, cause that doesn't calculate accordingly. With charges that broadly range 2.5 grs. to over 3 grains, it is definitely an easy powder to work with, and very forgiving, if not completely undetectable of .1 - .2 gr. deviations in charges.

My experience with it is if you make sure to use magnum primers, don't reduce the published starting charge at all, and use a firm roll crimp, it will provide you with consistent full house magnum loads that will tickle you pink.

GS

I have noticed like you say how many of the listed starting loads are up to 10% under max.

 

[Hondo 60]

Talk me into H110/Win296 for 357mag

Nope, sorry, I can't.

I tried W296 & just didn't care for the results.
Too much recoil, for what velocity I got.

I tried 2400 & haven't looked back.
It's my favorite 357 Magnum powder.
Not too much recoil, decent velocity & has a very manly boom when fired.

 

[mdi]

Mebbe I'm just getting old (?) but none of my reloads are near the top end. My .357 Magnum is more accurate and more funner to shoot with mid-range loads, so I don't use H110/W296. There's no easy loads with H110, as they're all nearly balls-to-the-wall type loads. If my .357 ain't powerful enough with my 2400 or Unique, I'll go with my .44 Magnums...

 

[MikeS.]

You'll get no help from me, but I'm a 2400 fan...

Me too, 2400 is my goto powder for 357&44 mag loads.

 

[MichigammeDave]

296 burns a little too slow for me to use it in a handgun, but I love it for the carbine! My personal favorite is 22 grains of 296 under a 110gr JHP. Works great in my .357 Rossi levergun.
I also use 2400 in the .44 carbine, for the same reasons. More barrel length gives me a more complete burn.
For handgun use in .357 or .44Mag, I like TiteGroup.

 

[ljnowell]

296 burns a little too slow for me to use it in a handgun, but I love it for the carbine! My personal favorite is 22 grains of 296 under a 110gr JHP. Works great in my .357 Rossi levergun.
I also use 2400 in the .44 carbine, for the same reasons. More barrel length gives me a more complete burn.
For handgun use in .357 or .44Mag, I like TiteGroup.

That makes no sense whatsoever, as far as the practical purpose of a magnum handgun. Titegroup will not produce full magnum velocity. Its a economic powder for target loads, nothing else. 2400 or 296 are used for magnum handguns. The concept of complete burn is irrelevant.

 

[Hondo 60]

ljnowell is correct.
Tite Group is way too fast to develop magnum velocities.

For VERY soft shooting 357s I Do use tite group, but the velocity is in the 950 fps range.
2400 gets up into 1200-1300s

I use 125 gr JHP w/ 16 gr of 2400.

That's mid-range.
If I wanted, I could use a higher charge to get even more velocity.
Max is 17.5

 

[35 Whelen]

You'll get no help from me, but I'm a 2400 fan...

You need read no further than this. For magnum loads in my .357 and .44 Special, I find 2400 MUCH more versatile, and I actually have a 4 lb. can of W296. Don't care for it at all.

35W

 

[41 Mag]

Well I have had no issues with it using up several 8# jugs of 296 through the year in my 30 Carbines and 357,41,44, and 454. I figure if they are magnum you might as well load them as such and use them for what they are. I hunt with them all so I want what I can get out of them nice hot and accurate.

If you want to plink use a 22.

It's a good powder as mentioned just stick to the data and roll on.

 

[Dontkillbill]

I love 125 grain hollow points with 296 I use a full load in my 1892 carbine and with 16 inch barrel I get a nice flash Its a good load that I can shoot accurately at 100 yards.
I just boughts some hornady 125 grain bullets hollow point. I'll have to get a crono out for shooting it.


For my handgun I go with 158 grain so load is lighter.

 

[Crabby]

Talk me into h110/win296 for.357 mag

I'm new here on thr. But I have an old opinion, I've used many powders for .357 mag over the years. For full power loads I've found nothing better than win296. I use 1 grain less than max listed in my speer# 11 manual and have had good performance out of both revolvers & carbines.btw this is with jacketed bullets. I like unique for lighter loads with lead bullets,

 

[Dontkillbill]

I'm new here on thr. But I have an old opinion, I've used many powders for .357 mag over the years. For full power loads I've found nothing better than win296. I use 1 grain less than max listed in my speer# 11 manual and have had good performance out of both revolvers & carbines.btw this is with jacketed bullets. I like unique for lighter loads with lead bullets,

+1 This is great advise

 

[CPLofMARINES]

Welcome aboard Crabby ! I have not started reloading
Yet, but I have been reading my Lyman 49th and
Keeping close tabs on the posts here and taking
Everything in. I plan to start with .38 Spl then move to
.357 mag and then 44Spl/Mag. A question I have is
I thought (according to what I have read in Lyman's
49th) is that W296 is for heavy bullets in .357 mag. So,
Have you used it for 125 or 158 grn. bullets ?? Or is that
Not recommended ?? Thank you and again welcome.

Semper Fi

 

[ljnowell]

Welcome aboard Crabby ! I have not started reloading
Yet, but I have been reading my Lyman 49th and
Keeping close tabs on the posts here and taking
Everything in. I plan to start with .38 Spl then move to
.357 mag and then 44Spl/Mag. A question I have is
I thought (according to what I have read in Lyman's
49th) is that W296 is for heavy bullets in .357 mag. So,
Have you used it for 125 or 158 grn. bullets ?? Or is that
Not recommend ?? Thank you and again welcome.

Semper Fi

W296 is perfectly fine with any weight bullet in 357 mag. There is load data for practically everything floating around in books or in the web. Same goes for 2400.

 

[Slamfire]

W296/H110, which are the same powder, is an excellent full power powder. If you want only magnum level loads it will produce excellent groups and velocities.

I do not consider it as flexible as 2400, so I would recommend that powder in the 357.

[SIZE="3"][B]Smith & Wesson M27-2 6.5” Barrel[/B]		
					
				
					
158 LSWC Linotype  15.5 W296  3D Cases CCI500 	
	 				
14 Oct 2008 T =  80 °F				
					
Ave Vel =	1260				
Std Dev =	34				
ES =	160.5				
High =	1315				
Low =	1154				
N =	18				
					
 					
158 LSWC  13.5grs 2400 R-P cases Fed 100 		
4-Sep-05	T = 80 °F				
Ave Vel =	1245				
Std Dev =	22.49				 
ES  =	97.26				 
High  =	1285				 
Low  =	1187				 
N =	32				 
					
158 LSWC 13.5grs 2400 R-P cases CCI primers		
9-Oct-05	T = 64 °F				
Ave Vel =	1273				
Std Dev =	44.03				 
ES  =	176.7				 
High  =	1372				 
Low  =	1195				 
N =	30				 
		

[ATTACH=full]659950[/ATTACH]			
		
[/SIZE]

 

[tightgroup tiger]

I prefer 2400 also. I switched to H110 for a lot of years after starting out with 2400 but went back to it because it is so much more forgiving on lighter loads.

When I went back to it I had forgotten how much I missed it.

 

[hardheart]

That makes no sense whatsoever, as far as the practical purpose of a magnum handgun. Titegroup will not produce full magnum velocity. Its a economic powder for target loads, nothing else. 2400 or 296 are used for magnum handguns. The concept of complete burn is irrelevant.

What is the practical purpose of a magnum handgun? Is there only one, and only one acceptable velocity range?

I use HP38, Unique, Power Pistol, 2400, and 4227, didn't feel like getting pinned to magnum primers.

 

[Crashbox]

I really can't add too much more to this, but H110 is really for full-tilt loads in the .357 and it performs well there IMO. Magnum primers are also a very good idea with this powder. If you like shooting nothing but nuclear-strength .357 rounds, H110 will definitely do the trick.

I still have a pound or two of H110 in stock but I very rarely shoot it; I prefer 2400 for the .357 hotties.

 

[ljnowell]

What is the practical purpose of a magnum handgun? Is there only one, and only one acceptable velocity range?

I use HP38, Unique, Power Pistol, 2400, and 4227, didn't feel like getting pinned to magnum primers.

This thread in particular though is about magnum loads. I only use 2400 myself also, as it has more versatility and does not require a magnum primer. Buy it in 8lb lots.