Your most accurate .357 reloads

[Rifletom]

Loading some X-treme 158gr plated RNFP over 7.0gr Unique. OA: is 1.580"-1.585".
Same bullet, but, am having a dickens of a time finding reliable info for Alliant 2400 to use with plated bullets. Manuals, bullet and powder web sites are wildly different. And trying to get an answer to e-mail from x-treme is impossible. I've been handloading a looong time. Just not for plated. I 'll get it sorted out.[Hopefully].
Oh, BTW; std SPP's used.

[ESquared]

Loading some X-treme 158gr plated RNFP over 7.0gr Unique. OA: is 1.580"-1.585".
Same bullet, but, am having a dickens of a time finding reliable info for Alliant 2400 to use with plated bullets. Manuals, bullet and powder web sites are wildly different. And trying to get an answer to e-mail from x-treme is impossible. I've been handloading a looong time. Just not for plated. I 'll get it sorted out.[Hopefully].
Oh, BTW; std SPP's used.

I think BigAl is an Xtreme bullet fan, you might check with him on experience with plated boolits. Or maybe he can help you get a response...

[BigAl52]

Rifletom
One of the reasons for that is usually 2400 is a mid range powder and the velocity many times exceeds what is recommended for those plated bullets. I usually run 2400 under jacketed bullets and treat those plated bullets like I would a regular cast bullet. I tend to also use Unique, Universal and Red Dot for those types of bullets. You may have read in other threads but you can get some jacketed bullets made by Zero bullets and Montana Gold bullets. They tend to be a little cheaper than the major brands and I have had good luck with the bullets from Zero.

http://rozedist.com/

[Rifletom]

BigAl52 and ESquared,
First, I finally got a reply from X-treme. Not their fault, mine. I misspelled their E-mail address. So we got that sorted out.
They said I should be able to load up to 1500 fps/MV. If I have any issues, drop down to 1300 or a little more. This would be with 2400. So, this gives me a very good guideline to work with. Whew!
Second, I have Unique and Universal on hand. I believe most of my concerns have been addressed. And I will follow BigAl's advice. Thanks BigAl. Winter projects and shooting to commence.

[Mistered]

This is the exact load I am using I.E. 7 grains of Unique with a 158 gr plated SWC bullet. Only difference is I am using HSMs instead of Xtreme as I can get them locally. Excellent accuracy however.

[Rifletom]

I believe I borrowed that load from one of your earlier posts. Hopefully, I'll be able to find out this weekend.

[Rifletom]

Was back out to the desert this past Tuesday with a few rifles, but, primary "testing" was with 2400 with 158gr XTP's and X-treme 158 RNFP plated. The XTP's worked as expected; very well with 12.0gr 2400. With 10.5gr 2400 and the plated bullets, same results. Kinda surprised with that, but, that is what I was hoping for. Next time out, those 158gr plated rounds with Unique. A load I "borrowed" from Mistered. If that load works as expected, then I'll have two or three good loads for the Henry. Those lever rifles and the desert just go hand in hand.

[ESquared]

As many of you know, I've been trying to reinvent the wheel with lighter 357 projectiles (and I'm not done!), but I have a lb of H110 that I haven't cracked open yet, so I decided to revisit this thread.

Glad I did, as I read it with entirely new eyes, given my experiences of the past few weeks.

Based on this, I'm now going to prep a 158 gr XTP Shoot-Out, using the lower weights of Alliant 2400 (as suggested by RifleTom), the higher weights of 2400 (as endorsed by BigAl) and the "middle of the road" weights of H110 as recommended by CT_Shooter (plus another H110 weight that I haven't figured out yet, just to make it interesting).

I've already got the 2400 loads done, and will work on the H110s over the weekend.

More to come!

[ESquared]

Here's what I'll be shooting. 20 rounds of each variable, so 10 round groups, shot twice. Will likely devise an inverted triangle on a mini-paper plate, just for fun. All 158 gr XTP, 50 yds, bagged, 1.5-4X20 Leo VX Freedom, @ 4X. Pink box-top.

Alliant 2400
12.5 gr
14.5 gr

H110
14.0 (Sorry, Stan, had to round up)
16.0 (Lyman manual has max @ 17.3, as I recall)

Range day will likely be Monday.

EDITED to replace PHOTO with a more acceptable version.

[wingnut]

Here is a deer hunting load I developed long ago for a 10” barreled T/C Contender:

357 Mag
Bullet: 180g Oregon Trail Lazercast flat point
Case: Starline
Powder/wt: BlueDot/9.2g
Primer: CCI 500
OAL: 1.598” w/mild roll crimp
It produced a 2 MOA group with a 6x scope. It did put mule deer down at 100 yards or less. I have no idea if it will fit in a Henry.

[BigAl52]

Here's what I'll be shooting. 20 rounds of each variable, so 10 round groups, shot twice. Will likely devise an inverted triangle on a mini-paper plate, just for fun. All 158 gr XTP, 50 yds, bagged, 1.5-4X20 Leo VX Freedom, @ 4X. Pink box-top.

Alliant 2400
12.5 gr
14.5 gr

H110
14.0 (Sorry, Stan, had to round up)
16.0 (Lyman manual has max @ 17.3, as I recall)

Range day will likely be Monday.

Im really disappointed those aren't displayed on the pink loading room towels.

[Mags]

.
ya what is with that? where is your cloth, rag or towel in pink?

Im really disappointed those aren't displayed on the pink loading room towels.

... Pink box-top.

[ESquared]

Sorry, a major miss on my part. It was laying right there, I swear! I tried to fudge it a bit with the pink top to the ammo box, but, clearly, no dice!

[Mags]

.
we cut you no slack. stick with the program

Sorry, a major miss on my part. It was laying right there, I swear! I tried to fudge it a bit with the pink top to the ammo box, but, clearly, no dice!

[Rifletom]

Tough crowd! Can't wait to see the result of those loads. And you best have the pink towel in there.
You're doing good on load development Evan. Have fun.

[ESquared]

Defective photo replaced. See previous page.

[Mags]

.

pinkchk_xsm.png (558 Bytes) Viewed 3488 times

Defective photo replaced. See previous page.

[Rifletom]

Nicely played! Redemption.

[ESquared]

Sorry, didn't get to the range this week for this 357 Mag shoot-out.

And, now that I've gone back through the thread, I think I'll add a few rounds of the "MisterEd Special," a 158 gr JHP/7.0 Gr Unique combo.

[Mistered]

a 158 gr JHP/7.0 Gr Unique combo.

Actually this would be with a 158 grain plated SWC bullet.
I am currently splitting it between Xtreme and HSM - but will probably stick with HSM as they shoot very accurately and are available locally.