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Your most accurate .357 reloads
- clovishound
- Drover
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- Location: Summerville SC
Re: Your most accurate .357 reloads
If you are loading for target loads, I would recommend a medium speed powder. I use Universal for mine. I also use coated bullets. Lots cheaper. '
Jacketed are probably easier to start with.
Jacketed are probably easier to start with.
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There is, I think, humor here which does not translate well from English to sanity. - Sanya
- GaHenryFan
- Cowhand
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- Location: Middle Georgia
Re: Your most accurate .357 reloads
I have excellent results with Universal too. It's clean and consistent.clovishound wrote:I use Universal for mine.
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Re: Your most accurate .357 reloads
The best group I have ever shot with my marlin was 140gr FTX and Ar2205, 5 shots went a touch over .5 at 100y on centers.
Proved to be a total fluke and the FTX a waste of time as far as Im concerned in 357. I love them in my 30/30 but the 140gr in 357 eat a heap of powder space to get a length to function. Result was I could only get the enough powder in to match 158gr velocities, the BC on them is actually worse than the 158gr and accuracy ended up averaging around 2" @ 100y.
A 158gr XTP or GDHP with close to maximum book loads of AR2205, 296 or 2400 will shoot 2" or a bit under at 100y for me.
Proved to be a total fluke and the FTX a waste of time as far as Im concerned in 357. I love them in my 30/30 but the 140gr in 357 eat a heap of powder space to get a length to function. Result was I could only get the enough powder in to match 158gr velocities, the BC on them is actually worse than the 158gr and accuracy ended up averaging around 2" @ 100y.
A 158gr XTP or GDHP with close to maximum book loads of AR2205, 296 or 2400 will shoot 2" or a bit under at 100y for me.
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Re: Your most accurate .357 reloads
I might be loading some 'midrange' .357s this week in the 8-9ish grain range with Unique and a few different bullets. Hopefully I'll get out this weekend and try them.
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- Ojaileveraction
- Cowboy
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Re: Your most accurate .357 reloads
Using Speer's loading data for H110 , their lowest recommended charge under their 158gr soft point is working well for me out to 100yrds.
Just got a Lee factory crimp die for the next round of reloading.
Just got a Lee factory crimp die for the next round of reloading.
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Pax at Justitia
- CT_Shooter
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Re: Your most accurate .357 reloads
I use H110 for 158gr JSP/JHPs, too. I've relied on Hornady's 9th edition for data. It separates rifle from pistol loads and since I want to use my reloads in both, I've settled on 13.9 grains and also use the Lee FCD for the final crimp. For me, they're the perfect compromise.Ojaileveraction wrote:Using Speer's loading data for H110, their lowest recommended charge under their 158gr soft point is working well for me out to 100yrds.
Just got a Lee factory crimp die for the next round of reloading.
The lowest Hornady data for rifles will result in squibs in a revolver. I called their CS to confirm it. Because of the cylinder gap in a revolver, it requires a greater charge than a rifle that doesn't suffer from the pressure leaking from the gap.
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H006M Big Boy Brass .357 - H001 Classic .22LR - Uberti / Taylors & Co. SmokeWagon .357 5.5" - Uberti / Taylors & Co. RanchHand .22LR 5.5"
- Ojaileveraction
- Cowboy
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Re: Your most accurate .357 reloads
CT, That is the same load for Speer. I'm using only rifle data. I'm using magnum primers with the H110.
Today I shot both Speer SP and Hornady xtp in that load. They had the same elevation but the xtp went to the left several inches.
I've noticed that with SP and HP 223 before also.
In addition shooting 158gr cast lead over Hornady's recommended(for cast) max for Titegroup was also very consistent on the 40 and 50 meter silhouettes
Today I shot both Speer SP and Hornady xtp in that load. They had the same elevation but the xtp went to the left several inches.
I've noticed that with SP and HP 223 before also.
In addition shooting 158gr cast lead over Hornady's recommended(for cast) max for Titegroup was also very consistent on the 40 and 50 meter silhouettes
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Pax at Justitia
Re: Your most accurate .357 reloads
My favorite and most accurate .357 Carbine load: 158 Gr Hornady XTP-FP, over 17.1 grains LilGun. Starline brass, CCI 550 SPM primer, 1.580" COAL
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Re: Your most accurate .357 reloads
As you've already surely noticed, there are quite a number of reloaders on our Forum. You'll fit in perfectly!
What Henry(s) do you have? Pics are always welcome...everybody enjoys the photo shoots!
Have a great time on the forums.
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- Tenderfoot
- Posts: 25
- Joined: Thu Jun 15, 2017 5:20 pm
- Location: Bradenton, Fl
Re: Your most accurate .357 reloads
Well I’m late to the discussion, but I’ll add my 2 cents worth anyway.
My two favorite 357 loads are a) 158 Hornady XTP over 17.4 grains of LilGun / Starline brass / Winchester WSPM primers at 1.62” COL (SAAMI 357 max COL is 1.590”) and b) 180 Hornady XTP over 14.8 grains LilGun/Starline brass/Winchester WSPM primers at 1.632” COL. My Henry chamber length with the 180 XTP is 1.689” – I don’t have the 158 XTP chamber length handy right now.
I shoot both of these through a Henry BBS and a Ruger M77 and both feed/chamber fine at these extended lengths. Both rifles will give me about 1.0-1.5” at 50 yds. with the 158 grain. The Henry is tighter with the 180 grain bullet (about 0.7-1.0” at 50 yds. but the Ruger absolutely pukes on the heavier bullet giving me 2.0-2.5” at 50 yds.
These results represent about a dozen 4-shot groups with the 158 and about six 4-shot groups with the 180 grain bullet. Note that I use the average pair distance (similar to that used by the military when writing specifications) approach to reporting group averages – that is the average distance between each pair (e.g. distance from 1-2, 1-3, 1-4, 2-3, 2-4 and 3-4 averaged). This is different than more commonly reported ‘average group size’ which is really the average ‘maximum spread’ wherein the maximum distance between a series of shots represents that “group”. I recognize that I am in the small majority reporting ‘average distance of pairs’. But with the more common approach, after the second shot – the ‘group’ cannot be improved, and can only get worse with additional shots. For example – if the first two shots are separated by two inches, but the next three shots go through the first hole – it is still reported as a “two inch” group.
My two favorite 357 loads are a) 158 Hornady XTP over 17.4 grains of LilGun / Starline brass / Winchester WSPM primers at 1.62” COL (SAAMI 357 max COL is 1.590”) and b) 180 Hornady XTP over 14.8 grains LilGun/Starline brass/Winchester WSPM primers at 1.632” COL. My Henry chamber length with the 180 XTP is 1.689” – I don’t have the 158 XTP chamber length handy right now.
I shoot both of these through a Henry BBS and a Ruger M77 and both feed/chamber fine at these extended lengths. Both rifles will give me about 1.0-1.5” at 50 yds. with the 158 grain. The Henry is tighter with the 180 grain bullet (about 0.7-1.0” at 50 yds. but the Ruger absolutely pukes on the heavier bullet giving me 2.0-2.5” at 50 yds.
These results represent about a dozen 4-shot groups with the 158 and about six 4-shot groups with the 180 grain bullet. Note that I use the average pair distance (similar to that used by the military when writing specifications) approach to reporting group averages – that is the average distance between each pair (e.g. distance from 1-2, 1-3, 1-4, 2-3, 2-4 and 3-4 averaged). This is different than more commonly reported ‘average group size’ which is really the average ‘maximum spread’ wherein the maximum distance between a series of shots represents that “group”. I recognize that I am in the small majority reporting ‘average distance of pairs’. But with the more common approach, after the second shot – the ‘group’ cannot be improved, and can only get worse with additional shots. For example – if the first two shots are separated by two inches, but the next three shots go through the first hole – it is still reported as a “two inch” group.
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