.357 light loads

[jarods9mm]

I have some .357 brass i wanted to load with 125gn bullets, but i need to keep them under 1100fps as my range is indoors and that is their limit. All the recipes I've found so far claim 1300+fps. How far below the "minimum" load in the books can i go? does anyone have a good recipe for me? on hand that i can think of i have: HS-6, HP-38, Unique, and AA#5 powders and my revolver has a 5" barrel, if that helps. thanks much!

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[v0lcom13sn0w]

i loaded some light 38 special for my brothers 357 mag once. 3gr bullseye or something like that. felt like a 22LR

 

[taroman]

Lead or jacketed bullets? Big difference.
125 Cast LRNFP Winchester W-231 4.6 1052 FPS

 

[Tilos]

I have some .357 brass i wanted to load with 125gn bullets, but i need to keep them under 1100fps as my range is indoors and that is their limit. All the recipes I've found so far claim 1300+fps. How far below the "minimum" load in the books can i go? does anyone have a good recipe for me? on hand that i can think of i have: HS-6, HP-38, Unique, and AA#5 powders and my revolver has a 5" barrel, if that helps. thanks much!

Consider trimming the cases down to 38 special length and use 38 special data to get the velocity you want.
I've done this to 357 brass that had case mouth splits from heavy crimping.
357 brass may have a thicker web than a 38 case, making it's capacity less than a 38, when trimmed to 38 length.
just sayin'

 

[jarods9mm]

Lead or jacketed bullets? Big difference.
125 Cast LRNFP Winchester W-231 4.6 1052 FPS

i have both lead and jacked bullets

 

[jarods9mm]

Consider trimming the cases down to 38 special length and use 38 special data to get the velocity you want.

i had thought about that, but wanted to keep them as 357 casings for if i ever want to make full 357 loads.

 

[Rick4070]

I would think you could just use .38 Special loading data in .357 cases???


38 Special Load Data - Handloads.Com (http://handloads.com/loaddata/default.asp?Caliber=38%20Special&Weight=All&type=Handgun)

 

[Tilos]

I would think you could just use .38 Special loading data in .357 cases???


38 Special Load Data - Handloads.Com (http://handloads.com/loaddata/default.asp?Caliber=38%20Special&Weight=All&type=Handgun)

Sure lots of options, but the actual velocity could only be estimated unless shot across a crony.
Maybe the range with the velocity max has a crony to check ammo?
I just put my reloads in factory boxes for ranges that don't allow reloads
That's just me though,

 

[Rick4070]

Sure lots of options, but the actual velocity could only be estimated unless shot across a crony.
Maybe the range with the velocity max has a crony to check ammo?
I just put my reloads in factory boxes for ranges that don't allow reloads
That's just me though,

Yep, and I didn't see barrel lengths listed for all but a couple of the loads, too.

I wonder about the range having a chronograph, too.

 

[jarods9mm]

Yep, and I didn't see barrel lengths listed for all but a couple of the loads, too.

I wonder about the range having a chronograph, too.

my range doesn't have a chrono and they'd never really know if i was shooting full 357 loads or over 1100fps unless someone else suspected and filed a complaint. it's an unmanned range with card key access. i just like to follow the rules

 

[Rick4070]

my range doesn't have a chrono and they'd never really know if i was shooting full 357 loads or over 1100fps unless someone else suspected and filed a complaint. it's an unmanned range with card key access. i just like to follow the rules

Good idea to follow the rules.

I can only speak for myself, but I have never had any problems loading .357 cases using .38 Special data, even down to using light loads of Bullseye and 148 Gr. wadcutters.

 

[jarods9mm]

Good idea to follow the rules.

I can only speak for myself, but I have never had any problems loading .357 cases using .38 Special data, even down to using light loads of Bullseye and 148 Gr. wadcutters.

thanks! i'm thinking i'll start out using more powerful 38 special loads and slowly go down from there. if i get a chance i'll go to my friends range with a chrono and test. otherwise i'll go by feel vs a 38 special round.

 

[oremike]

I've used 38+p loads in .357 cases for target loads, not saying you should, only saying it works for me.

 

[UserNameInUse]

I like Unique for this because it comes recommended for both .38 Special and .357 Magnum so I assume you can tune your load over the full range between them.

 

[Tilos]

thanks! i'm thinking i'll start out using more powerful 38 special loads and slowly go down from there. if i get a chance i'll go to my friends range with a chrono and test. otherwise i'll go by feel vs a 38 special round.

I just had another thought as a way to reduce the operating case length of a 357 case to a 38 case without trimming it.
Seat the bullet deeper by 1/8th of an inch!!
Maybe crimp over the corner where the bullet nose and bullet diameter meet, instead of the crimp groove!
That way you don't have to trim down the brass.

I once "acquired" a lot of 148 grain cast lead double ended wad cutters, as cast, that I wanted to shoot out of a 357 Black Hawk.
Those bullets had 4 lube grooves, so I ended up loading the bullets seated "out" and crimping into a lube groove that gave me an approximate case volume of a 357 behind the bullet, using a 38 case.
I used Unique in the load range for 357...sorry I don't like to post load data, but it was in the lower end of the range in a Lyman load book.
I had a lube/sizing press but found it faster to tumble lube with liquid Alox, and push them thru a lee sizing die.
It turned out to be a very accurate shooting load out of the BH and GP100, with no leading, but kind of messy because of the lube and Unique.
As I recall, that method put the bullet into the cylinder throat in a 357 cylinder too, so no bullet jump, and would tie up a 38 cylinder...kind of a built in safety device.
sorry for the drift I typed right there,

 

[ron]

My favorite Light Target Load. 357 cases shoot better groups than 38 cases
in a 357 revolver. In my experience. As always check all loads with loading
manuals.
357 case
158 SWC Cast lead
4.5 grains Unique
--------------------------------
Magnum Load
125 JHP Remington Golden Saber
18.5 grains H110

 

[Member 5605]

Go get some .38 special brass

Load those.


I load up some really weak .357 loads that rival the .38's when it comes to mouse farts.

Check your powders. Use a fast powder with low energy like IMR-PB, maybe one of the 'Dot' powders.

 

[PaulB47]

Here is a classic (and fascinating) article by ML McPherson on using deep seating to make mid-range or lighter revolver loads:

<broken link removed>

 

[ma96782]

Check published data for your combo. OK, maybe that wasn't such a big help to you.

So, try looking up data for "cowboy loads." Those SASS guys shoot a lot of low powered pistol loads.

Aloha, Mark

 

[Steve M]

If you have SR-4756 Lee has a load for 125gr that they claim will reach 1034 FPS with 5.0gr, but I chrono'd at 606 FPS from a 4-5/8" Blackhawk. A load of 6.0gr got me 793FPS.

Otherwise try using lead load data, even for your jacketed bullets. The Laser-Cast load manual has loads for HP-38 and HS-6 for their 125gr lead bullet that are <1100 FPS. Just to give you an idea, they claim a starting load of 4.1gr of HP-38 will give 775 FPS from a 6" barrel and the max of 5.0gr is 959 FPS. That max load is also what they list as their "cowboy load".