Your most accurate .357 reloads

[clovishound]

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.

[GaHenryFan]

I use Universal for mine.

I have excellent results with Universal too. It's clean and consistent.

[220]

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.

357g.jpg (31.99 KiB) Viewed 4407 times

[Mistered]

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.

[Ojaileveraction]

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.

[CT_Shooter]

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.

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.

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.

[Ojaileveraction]

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

[BobinNC]

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

[PT7]

_WELCOME!_.jpg (16.33 KiB) Viewed 4269 times

Greetings from the Show-Me-State, BobinNC!

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.

[Florida_Cracker]

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.

[LD-Ordie]

Although I currently do not own a Henry, I'm helping a friend dial in some reloads for his newly acquired Big Boy. I'm a believer of using suggested loads as a starting point from one of the many hand books. And currently find myself using the Modern Reloading 2nd edition by Richard Lee the most. But I follow up every different load thru a chronograph. We went with a 158 JHP from Everglades. First load was conservative using 13.9 gr of H110, CCI 550 primers, mixed brass with an OAL of 1.580. Average velocity of 10 rounds was 1425. Next load was a jump to 16 gr with an average of 1700. I also ran 7 rounds of a Federal 158 FMJ for a good base line at 1750. Both loads seem to be comparable concerning accuracy, but the hotter load was more fun! Downside was, we went thru a pound of powder in around 400 rounds. I also ran both loads thru my SW 686, 6" barrel with a velocity of 1200 and 1500. Will probably be working on a 38 special load using a 158 gr plated bullet at around 1100 for general plinking to have a cheaper round to play with. Really like the Henry and need to add one to my collection

[BigAl52]

Welcome to the forum LD-Ordie. Hope you are able to add that Henry to the collection soon.

[CT_Shooter]

I'm helping a friend dial in some reloads for his newly acquired Big Boy. ...We went with a 158 JHP from Everglades. First load was conservative using 13.9 gr of H110, CCI 550 primers, mixed brass with an OAL of 1.580. Average velocity of 10 rounds was 1425.

Welcome to the forum from CT. I settled on a 13.9 H110 load (with ZERO 158JHPs and WSPM primers) for my Henry and my Uberti SA revolver because it performed well in each and I only wanted to develop ammo that I could use in either. Thanks for including chrono data, since I don't have one to measure the velocity. I just like the way they shoot.

I look forward to your future reports. Thanks for sharing what you've done, so far.

[PT7]

3HRF.jpg (15.21 KiB) Viewed 3916 times

Welcome from the Show-Me-State, LD-Ordie. Although I'm not a reloader, I read most of those posts as I always learn something.
Yeah, agree that a Henry rifle would be a great acquisition to your gun cabinet. As you may have noticed in reading some Forum posts, it will be hard to quit after buying the first Henry.....others seem to always follow!

[Mags]

Welcome from the TV Oregon! Please consider sharing with us how you learned of this forum's existence here: http://henryrifleforums.com/viewtopic.p ... 160#p70571

[LeverLover]

I've found that less than max load IMR 4227 and less than max load of Unique work well for various 158gr loads. I got a larger pattern when I approached min or max loads. Desperately want to try H110 or 296 but no magnum primers are available locally. I can't try 2400 with standard primers because that powder is not available locally. I am not able to buy bulk powder or primers with hazmat and shipping fees to make that worthwhile. Someday I'll stumble on a place that carries the right combo of powder/primer. Attached is an experiment of trying to find a load that could match Monarch 158gr at 50 yds. The upper left target is the Monarch control group. You can see that the spread changes as you change powder amount. I am not approaching the Monarch velocity (POI) yet.

[Mistered]

using a 158 gr plated bullet at around 1100 for general plinking to have a cheaper round to play with.

Welcome from Wickiup Junction Oregon!
I have settled on a load using 158 gr. plated bullets with 7 grains of Unique. This is on the light end of a 'magnum' load (but is more like a .38 Special +P+)
Regardless very accurate (out of both my Henry and Mod 66 Smith & Wesson), a little bit of 'oomph' and still pretty cheap to load.

[Mags]

.
Welcome from the TV Oregon. Thanks for sharing your test results. I don't reload, but many others here do. They might have helpful comments.

Although I currently do not own a Henry, I'm helping a friend dial in some reloads for his newly acquired Big Boy. I'm a believer of using suggested loads as a starting point from one of the many hand books. And currently find myself using the Modern Reloading 2nd edition by Richard Lee the most. But I follow up every different load thru a chronograph. We went with a 158 JHP from Everglades. First load was conservative using 13.9 gr of H110, CCI 550 primers, mixed brass with an OAL of 1.580. Average velocity of 10 rounds was 1425. Next load was a jump to 16 gr with an average of 1700. I also ran 7 rounds of a Federal 158 FMJ for a good base line at 1750. Both loads seem to be comparable concerning accuracy, but the hotter load was more fun! Downside was, we went thru a pound of powder in around 400 rounds. I also ran both loads thru my SW 686, 6" barrel with a velocity of 1200 and 1500. Will probably be working on a 38 special load using a 158 gr plated bullet at around 1100 for general plinking to have a cheaper round to play with. Really like the Henry and need to add one to my collection

[Rifletom]

using a 158 gr plated bullet at around 1100 for general plinking to have a cheaper round to play with.

Welcome from Wickiup Junction Oregon!
I have settled on a load using 158 gr. plated bullets with 7 grains of Unique. This is on the light end of a 'magnum' load (but is more like a .38 Special +P+)
Regardless very accurate (out of both my Henry and Mod 66 Smith & Wesson), a little bit of 'oomph' and still pretty cheap to load.

Mistered, where did you find your load using Unique and plated bullets? That is something I'd like to try. Are you using .357 cases? Primers? Thank you. This looks like a very good load. Likin' my .357 Henry. A LOT!

[Mistered]

Mistered, where did you find your load using Unique and plated bullets?

On the Alliant powder website but any manual is going to show Unique loads for .357 mag. - pretty popular powder.
http://www.alliantpowder.com/reloaders/ ... rtridge=28
I dropped the load from 7.7 gr. to 7 as I typically never load to top for any data.
Yes I am using .357 cases as technically it IS a .357 load.
Currently using up a bunch of NOS whitebox Winchester SR primers but the load call for just SP and not SPM primers.