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Ammo recommendations for .357/.38 Special BB

Discussion about what manufactured ammunition feeds your Henry or other firearms
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Vaquero
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Re: Ammo recommendations for .357/.38 Special BB

Post by Vaquero » Wed Jun 08, 2022 2:44 pm

Hatchdog wrote:
Wed Jun 08, 2022 10:51 am
DsGrouse wrote:
Tue Jun 07, 2022 7:31 pm
I'm loading 148 grain wadcutters in my 38 spl brass. I don't shoot a lot of 357, what i do is usually 180 grain JSP/HP rounds. Shooting 148 grn wc's out of the henry big boy x is crazy amounts of fun and quiet.
Incredible that the wad cutters will cycle in your big boy. Thumbs up Henry.
My 44 BBB & 41 BBS both feeds/cycles them just fine.

RP
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JVogler
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Re: Ammo recommendations for .357/.38 Special BB

Post by JVogler » Sat Jun 11, 2022 9:54 pm

DsGrouse wrote:
Tue Jun 07, 2022 7:31 pm
I'm loading 148 grain wadcutters in my 38 spl brass. I don't shoot a lot of 357, what i do is usually 180 grain JSP/HP rounds. Shooting 148 grn wc's out of the henry big boy x is crazy amounts of fun and quiet.
I Have a Big Boy steel in 357magnum that will cycle 148 grain wadcutter in a 38 special shell. Same cartridge won't cycle in my Big Boy Brass.
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Not_Invented_Here
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Re: Ammo recommendations for .357/.38 Special BB

Post by Not_Invented_Here » Fri Sep 09, 2022 9:39 am

bumping this thread - I've been shooting only Federal 357 and 38 in 158 grain. No cycling issues, seem fairly clean and I've only been buying when Midway has their free shipping deals.

I see a lot of other cheaper options (Fiocchi CCI Blazer etc) also in 158 grain. Any of them worth a look to save a few bucks?
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DsGrouse
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Re: Ammo recommendations for .357/.38 Special BB

Post by DsGrouse » Fri Sep 09, 2022 11:39 am

I have tried some ppu and wolf,both were terrible.

Ive had good luck with remington,pmc, fiocchi, sig
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Re: Ammo recommendations for .357/.38 Special BB

Post by GunnyGene » Fri Sep 09, 2022 12:45 pm

Strictly a manufacturer recommendation based on my own experience with the superior quality, performance, and consistency of their ammo in a couple different calibers. This is not bargain basement ammo, so expect to pay a premium price.

https://underwoodammo.com/
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Not_Invented_Here
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Re: Ammo recommendations for .357/.38 Special BB

Post by Not_Invented_Here » Fri Sep 09, 2022 12:56 pm

Thx all. To be clear, not trying to cheap out - mostly was asking about other manufacturers of .38

If I can save $5/box here and there for solid ammo that cycles well, I'll take that deal. Trying to get to the range as often as possible but it'll get cost prohibitive real quick buying the Federal, both 38 and 357
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Re: Ammo recommendations for .357/.38 Special BB

Post by Rifletom » Fri Sep 09, 2022 1:42 pm

iceman-cometh wrote:
Tue Jun 07, 2022 7:53 am
Hi guys.
I have a new Henry BB coming in, the "X" model, and I'll use it for target and fun shooting with .357 and with a suppressor with .38 special ammo. I don't reload and I have no interest or patience to learn that skill, as I am somewhat of a klutz and would likely blow up the house and infuriate my wife. :D
So I need some recommendations, specific recommendations, for manufactured ammo in .38 special and.357, that will work smoothly in my new rifle and be accurate.
What do you suggest that you've used successfully?
First, welcome to the forum here. Like Vaquero, I load my own, but, early on used some Fed American Eagle ammo in .357[158gr JSP] that work very well. You'll need to search for ammo and hopefully, get shipped to your place. Or, find it locally. Good luck in your search and enjoy that Henry.

Edit: Your user name, get that from "The Hunters" with Robert Mitchum?
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Not_Invented_Here
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Re: Ammo recommendations for .357/.38 Special BB

Post by Not_Invented_Here » Fri Sep 09, 2022 2:27 pm

iceman-cometh wrote:
Tue Jun 07, 2022 7:53 am
Hi guys.
I have a new Henry BB coming in, the "X" model, and I'll use it for target and fun shooting with .357 and with a suppressor with .38 special ammo. I don't reload and I have no interest or patience to learn that skill, as I am somewhat of a klutz and would likely blow up the house and infuriate my wife. :D
So I need some recommendations, specific recommendations, for manufactured ammo in .38 special and.357, that will work smoothly in my new rifle and be accurate.
What do you suggest that you've used successfully?
Sorry to hijack your thread buddy! As I mentioned in my post, I really like Federal 158gr in both 357 and 38sp. I've not run any others yet, but those have run flawlessly in my BB steel
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Re: Ammo recommendations for .357/.38 Special BB

Post by Luv the lever » Fri Sep 09, 2022 3:50 pm

BigAl52 wrote:
Tue Jun 07, 2022 6:22 pm
Welcome to the forum and congrats on the new Henry. Ammoseek will be your friend when it comes to buying 357 and 38 special. Get ready to pay around .70 ea for 357 and about .40 for 38 special. Im not a fan of a steady diet of 38 special in guns chambered for 357. Others do it and like it. To each there own.

Wanting and waiting for a BB in 357 I found PMC 158g brass ammo for $25.98 per 50ct box.

Does anyone run steel case rounds on any pistol caliber rifles? I usually avoid it but self defense rounds in 9mm are but I only use brass for practice.
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Re: Ammo recommendations for .357/.38 Special BB

Post by Travlin » Sat Sep 10, 2022 11:09 pm

Not a rifle but when I still had a Colt 1917 revolver I was given a large ammo box full of empty .45 ACP brass. Only the "brass" were all steel cases. They were all clean once fired so using a carbide sizer die, I loaded them and shot them. They worked fine. If you can get some practice ammo with steel cases for a good price, go for it.
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