.357 Mag 2" reloading

TheGameMaster · Oct 25, 2012

Hey all,

I have a Taurus 605B2 Protector Poly that is my main handgun I use. I love it. I mostly practice with 38's using 3.2gr. of Bullseye under a 125gr. plated (cheap) bullet. But I also go out to the rock pit and shoot factory 158gr. SWC .357s, and love it! They roar out of that gun and give me a nice cathartic release of stress and anxiety that generates a sense of peace of well being one can only find when shooting very hot rounds from a little gun. Now it's time to reload those bad boys. I'm trying to decide what powder to use. My concern is, naturally, with a 2" barrel and the gap from cylinder to forcing cone, the numbers in all of the loading data are pretty much useless, as they are all base on the old-school .357's with 6" to 10" barrels and usually are fired from a universal receiver or TC contenders, so no gap to jump when "they" do their testing. It would be nice to actually load to get the most out of my 2" gun. I've seen on youtube guys whom compared the published data on the factory loads to real world shooting of a 2", and they average about a 30% reduction in velocity. I'm wondering if that would hold true for load data as well? Slower powders like 296, H110, 300-MP, and 4227 might not be as "fantastic" as the load data says they are. I know from reading up that Litl'Gun eats your forcing cone and I should stay away from it. I plan on using the Hornady 158gr. FP/XTP bullets that I already have. Anyway, any help of direction in this would be appreciated. I'm looking for best power and accuracy while being kind to my poly gun.

Peace,

Rodney

toolfan · Oct 25, 2012

In my experience - the powders with the highest velocities out of manual will have the highest velocities out of your gun.

Slower powders will make more flash and noise than the quicker powders.

I've used 700x, HS-6, Unique and 2400 and shot variations of them out of a ruger sp101. Although I got rid of the sp101, I've mostly settled on a Unique load because the flash and boom from the 2400 is ridiculous, even though it gets something like 150 fps better velocity.

bmw2 · Oct 25, 2012

HS-6 was really dirty in my snubby with 125's. Was a little better with heavier bullets.

kd7vdb · Oct 25, 2012

IMR 4895 is great

, you can even burn whatever your shooting to death. A quick powder would be the best, maybe titegroup?

Sgt Nambu · Oct 25, 2012

Catharsis is best achieved with the slowest burning powder possible! 3 feet of flame rules!

RVTECH · Oct 25, 2012

I have the same gun in SS and after only a couple cursory rounds of .357 Mag I have toned it down to some accurate .38 Special. I would much rather shoot for accuracy and comfort than for a nice cathartic release of stress and anxiety. I can get the same effect with .38 and at less cost with greater accuracy. But then I shoot several hundred rounds each weekend (sometimes on my way home from work) so I prefer the ease of the lighter loads.

deadshot2 · Oct 26, 2012

Sgt Nambu said:
Catharsis is best achieved with the slowest burning powder possible! 3 feet of flame rules!

2400 and .357 Magnums were just meant for each other.

What's wrong with a thunderous muzzle blast and 3 feet of flame? Sounds like a great SD load to me.

Hook686 · Oct 27, 2012

I use 6.2 - 7.1 grains of Unique with a 158 grain XTP in my S&W M&P 340 1-7/8" snub nose revolver. I get 950 - 990 fps with this range of loadings having about the same felt recoil for me. More often than not I load 6.5 grains of Unique and get about 975 fps.

TheGameMaster · Oct 30, 2012

I shopped around and settled on old reliable w296. It was inexpensive, only $19 at bimart. No onee had 300-md. I went with 296 mainly because I have plenty of bullseye for light loading and .38spl loadng. H110 is the same powder, but I like the winchester label and their corporate vision statement better. I could 't even find 300-md, and they want $30 for it! Not worth it for only 50fps more umph.

Thanks for your input all.

Hmmm.... imr4895.... I womder if it will catch the polymore on fire? I could load it by volume using the old burn rate and h2o tables in my old NRA book. .357 is in there.

orygun · Oct 30, 2012

I use Blue Dot in my 357 loads, but I shoot a 4" gun. If I was shooting thru a shorter barrel I'd probably go with Unique. I also LOVE H110 and W296!

There are a lot of newer powders out there. But, a lot like some of the new cartridges, they do the same thing differently.