357 mag recommendation

[Lead hammer]

Gonna be loading for 357, what is the most common bullet weight? Would be looking at a full load, bear smacked type load.

Next will be the 38, this will be a lighter target load. Common bullet weight to use.
Thanks

 

[TIPPY91]

158gr xtp/fp bullet N110 powder

 

[Mick Jagger]

158gt berry/13gr h110
Use this for my mag loads. have seen people loading it hotter than this.

 

[thump_rrr]

One of my friends has a load that uses 18gr of Lil'gun for his Ruger GP100.
Big booming loads with nice fireballs.
Some people claim that Lil'gun is hard on the forcing cone.

 

['Boo]

Would be looking at a full load, bear smacked type load.

180 grain XTP Hollow point over a stiff charge of H110 or 2400

 

[Redneckwannabe1]

I would just stay away from 125g. They can damage forcing cones with powerful loads

 

[Bitumen]

158 gr bullet, H-110 and life is good.

 

[07blackwater]

For the 38 I've been loading 5 grains of unique with a 158 grain bullet barn round nose flat point. They are a pretty cheap and an accurate plinker.

They work great in my gp-100 but don't cycle well in my puma 92 unless I seat them out of the cannelure to an OAL of to around 1.5". With a moderate crimp they don't compress in the mag tube.

One of these days I'm going to invest in some 357 brass and do away with the 38 except for pistol, what are you going to be firing these from?

I haven't tried developing a good stout 357 load yet but I plan to when I get the brass but it will be a rifle load. Again it kind of depends in the firearm it will be fired from IMHO.

 

[Lead hammer]

158g
H110
Seems to be king.

If unique will work for 38 that would be good as I have 2 lbs of it.

 

[Trinimon]

158gr and H110 for me too.

I've used Unique in the past and it works for 38+P loads in 357Mag.

 

[07blackwater]

158g
H110
Seems to be king.

If unique will work for 38 that would be good as I have 2 lbs of it.

I find unique handy because it works for a variety of loads. I use it for 38, 357, and 30-30.

If I was going to develop a stout 357 load for hunting and "bear defense" I'd go another route, though.

I made a thread about my experience with unique and berry's plated bullets. If you search for it I list the velocities I achieved with various 30-30 loads.

 

[Bitumen]

HS-6 for .38 spl using a 125 gr bullet ain't bad either.

 

[Lead hammer]

07, the bear thing is a figure of speech. I would tell my wife that I need another revolver for bear!!! I just want a good strong load is all.

 

[Spawn-Inc]

As said already 158gr with h110, I use 15gr.

I have also done alot of 125gr loads with h110 and they are alot of fun as they make a huge boom, many people ask if it's a 44mag. But I'm not going to shoot them until I get a ruger gp100.

 

[07blackwater]

07, the bear thing is a figure of speech. I would tell my wife that I need another revolver for bear!!! I just want a good strong load is all.

Yeah I know! I got it.

Post back with a load you settle on, like I said I'm going to do the same when I get the brass.

 

[yodave]

for bear defense load a 148 grain hollow base wad cutter backwards.......that skirt will open right up to 3 times the caliber on impact........

 

[07blackwater]

That's a cool idea. Have you tried it?

 

[yodave]

not on a bear........but yeap I have shot them in the 38............makes stuff blow up nice...........

 

[Lead hammer]

Yeah I know! I got it.

Post back with a load you settle on, like I said I'm going to do the same when I get the brass.

I will for sure. No 357 mag powder to be found in S'toon right now. Sucks. Maybe some in PA when I get my Ruger. Got dies today though!

 

[silverfoxdj]

148 gr HB Wadcutter with CCI small primer and 3.1 Bullseye gives around 92 FPS and deadly accurate for target