Pet Loads For Big Boy Steel 357.

[dball]

Just picked up an H001TLB - accuracy is outstanding - 357 Steel is next on the list. I have several pet loads for my Ruger GP100's but if anyone wants to share their pet loads for their carbine please give me those loads. Tite-Group works well in my Pistols should do the same once I get the carbine?

Thanks

dball

[clovishound]

I have the BBS 20". My favorite target loads are 158 grain coated or plated over Universal. I used Titegroup for a while, but found that Universal worked much better for me across the spectrum of 9mm, .38 and .357.

For full house loads I use 4227 and jacketed. I find that mid range 4227 under a 158 grain jacketed, gives the best accuracy.

For everyday use Xtreme 158 hollow points (good to 1500 fps) over 5.8 grains of Universal are nearly as accurate, soft shooting, and much cheaper than the jacketed rounds.

I don't normally shoot .38s in my BBS. I find that .357 feeds more reliably, and are much more fun to shoot.

Your BB may be a little picky on feeding when brand new. Mine was, but after a couple hundred rounds it became quite smooth. Good technique on the lever helps. Mine will feed SWCs just fine, but the HPs, RNFP and TCs are the smoothest.

If you use Hogdgon powders they have data for .357 in rifle length barrel.

[CT_Shooter]

Welcome to the forum from CT, dball.

I use H110 for 158gr. JHP/JSPs and HP-38 for 125gr. JHP/JSPs. I use Pistol data in the middle of the min/max range. That way, I can use the same ammo in either my revolver or my Big Boy and I've been pleased with the results. When you get the carbine, you might just try using the pet loads you use for your GP100s and see how they perform.

I'm sure you'll be getting many more responses; several of our members handload for their Henry Center Fire rifles.

Let us know when you get your new Henry. Also, wander over to the "How Many?" thread ( http://henryrifleforums.com/viewtopic.p ... 387#p44387 ) and add your H001TLB to the running tally. Thanks.

[JEBar]

the same 14.8 g of W296 or H110 pushing a 158 g Nosler JHP load that we've used for decades in our Ruger GP100's works well in our Henry BBS .... a while back we caught a sale on Rose Distribution Zero distribution 158 GR JHP's and bought 2,000 of them ===> http://www.rozedist.com/mm5/merchant.mv ... de=ZBJ-38S <=== we use them for practice and the Noslers for hunting

note charge above is a correction from the original response

[Hogstir]

the same 23.8 g of W296 or H110 pushing a 158 g Nosler JHP load that we've used for decades in our Ruger GP100's works well in our Henry BBS .... a while back we caught a sale on Rose Distribution Zero distribution 158 GR JHP's and bought 2,000 of them ===> http://www.rozedist.com/mm5/merchant.mv ... de=ZBJ-38S <=== we use them for practice and the Noslers for hunting

The max load listed for H110 and a 158 bullet is 16.7gr. If you didn't misstype that you are lucky you haven't blown yourself up.
http://www.hodgdonreloading.com/data/pistol

[JEBar]

correct .... that's what I get for hurrying .... the powder charge I listed is for our 44 Mag .... we have long used Nosler's recommended 14.8 gr .... Lyman recommends 17.0 gr but I haven't tried that one yet

[Hogstir]

I kinda figured that. LOL. MY BBS 357 seems to like 16.3 gr the best.

[Estacado]

For a fun plinking load, I use 158 grain Powder coated SWC over 6 grains of Unique.

For a hunting load, 158 grain Nosler JHP over 16 grains of H110.

[dball]

Thanks so much writing all these down in my personal reloading manual.

Dave

[LeverLover]

I just got started reloading and worked up a variety of loads as an experiment. I started with a box of Speer 158gr JSP (#4217) and IMR 4227 from the Speer #14 book. Who knew there are no more left in the world? There are a handful of online suppliers that have one box left and they don't come in bulk. Imagine ordering from a handful of people just to get a couple hundred! Anyway back to the topic. I picked up a box of Rainier 158gr JHP (they can go to 1500 FPS, Berry's is only 1200 FPS), and some generic 158gr SJSP from Everglades. I wanted to compare with my off the shelf Monarch 158gr SJHP ammo.

I worked up 5 rounds for each load and shot at 50 yards. The loads were Speer 158gr with IMR 4227, Rainier with Unique, Generic with Unique.

Here is the Henry with Speer/IMR - 15.0, 15.5, 16.0, 16.5 and max 17.0gr. I was disappointed that my velocities were nowhere close to the Monarch. The 15.5gr seemed to go berserk and the 17.0gr group was opening back up.

Speer loads.jpg (145.12 KiB) Viewed 2999 times

Here is the Rainier/Unique - 6.9, 7.3, 7.7gr. They were inaccurate at the higher velocity.

Rainier loads.jpg (119.28 KiB) Viewed 2999 times

The generics that looked like Sierras - 7.7 and 8.2gr seemed to also lose accuracy at higher velocity. The group at the bottom of the right target were 125gr I mistakenly shot at a target below this one.

Generic loads.jpg (118.23 KiB) Viewed 2999 times

That Monarch must be screaming hot because these loads were probably in the 1400-1500 FPS range and came nowhere close to the same impact. I guess I need to load with something that can handle W296 or step down to 125gr to even reach out to 100yds. Anybody have a recommendation for a higher velocity load using IMR or Unique?

[JEBar]

since the mid 60's my favorite 357 hunting level load has been and continues to be a Nosler 158 g JHP pushed by 14.8 g of W296 .... I will use H110 when I can't get W296 .... our sons have taken a number of deer with their GP100's and our Henry BBS likes them as well .... out of the GP's they chrony around 1500 fps .... bought in bulk Rose Distribution 158 JHP's are considerably cheaper and given the same powder, shoot to the same aim point .... we use them for paper punching and save the Noslers for our top loads

http://www.rozedist.com/mm5/merchant.mv ... de=ZBJ-38S