.357 MAX or Super Mag Reloading

[Zedbra]

I have a Dan Wesson 740 .357 Super Magnum revolver (they all come with an 8" barrel) that I finally decided to load up some various loads for after collecting the components over the last year or so. There is little published loads for this dying calibre, even less for the powders I have on hand - and we all know reloading supplies is difficult to find right now - so I made do with what I have on hand.

It was a cloudy morning and 3c, so I decided to get out to the range before the skies opened up again and tested my 5 various loads I did. Here are the results:

All loads used Cast Performance 180g WFNGC bullets with CCI #550 small pistol magnum primers.


1) Titegroup - 5g at 1.90 OAL

FPS:
952
n/a
895
882
852
817

This is a mouse fart load for this bullet and case. The group was loose and all over.


2) Titegroup - 5.5g at 1.90 OAL

FPS:
892
850
941
911
931

Better grouping, high right all shots. I will bump up Titegroup to 6 and 6.5g next round

3) RL7 - 24g at 1.99 OAL

FPS:
1139
1057
1141
1153
1099
1108

This had the best grouping of the bunch. I was tentative with filling the case with this much powder, as I have been using Titegroup for years with my .357 loads, but Nosler actually had this listed as 25.5g, so I held back a little. I bought too much of this powder a while ago as I tried it for my son's 7.62x39mm rifle, so I may bump up this charge a little and use more on the SM.


4) Power Pistol - 8.5g at 1.93 OAL

FPS:
1075
1165
1161
1081
1104
1101

The grouping was decent, but POI was 2" right. I will bump up this load next time to 9 and possibly 9.5g to see if things straighten out


5) Bullseye - 5.0g at 1.93 OAL

FPS:
800
795
765
817
813
794

This grouping looked like buck shot - it was just all over the place. Obviously too light of a load.# Next round I will bump up and see if that works.


What I learned: my 740 Super Mag likes them hot, so next time I am going to turn up the heat. You can feel the difference in the hot loads, and this large frame gun just eats up any load with minimal recoil; I can see why this was a popular silhouette gun. I had a new 9mm with me that I was opening up, and it was shooting constantly over 1100fps as well. I'll continue to try various loads and post up future results; perhaps it will help someone down the road that may pick up one of these great revolvers.


We all like pics, so here's one I took as I was packing up from the range. I wear a size XXL in gloves, to give perspective of the size of this grip and frame.

Here is a comparison of cartridges: .38 SPL, .357 MAG, then the .357 MAX brass. The 180g bullet and quarter are for size reference.

 

[dan belisle]

I have the blued version of this, and a Ruger Super Blackhawk in the same cartridge with the 10.5 inch barrel. Fun to shoot. I usually load them with 180 gr bullets. Don't recall the powder charge offhand. Keep meaning to turn the Ruger into a 475 Super Linebaugh. You are correct, they soak up the recoil and were a nice gun for silhouette. Shame the sport died out, used to enjoy it. Centerfield and rimfire handgun, and rifle. - dan

 

[vagrantviking]

Nice gun!
I like titegroup for light target loads in a bunch of different cartridges. Great value and good performance.

Never had a maximum or super mag but I think you can go somewhat hotter with the power pistol or rl-7. Some lilgun, h110 or 2400 should take those GC bullets to 1500fps or more.
Gave up looking for a chance to do some silhouette shooting and got a half set of medium sized ones for my black powder club so we can blaze away with cap and ball handguns or round ball BP rifles. Love the challenge of ringing steel!

 

[slarsen47]

Back in the old IHMSA days:

United States Sporting Arms Seville stainless 10.5 inch barrel..........20 grains IMR 4227 with 180 grain bullet

Dan Wesson stainless 8 inch barrel.................18 grains IMR 4227 with 180 grain bullet

Initially had reduced to 19 grains 4227 with 180 grain bullet in the Dan Wesson but yielded tight cases in cylinder so dropped to 18.0

Fired a lot at 18.0 in the Dan Wesson without any problem.

Not sure after all these years why I chose to use IMR 4227 because I always used H110 in 44 mag and H110 gives better performance in the 357 super mag as well. Not going from memory on this. Went back into the records. Have logged every reload ever.

DO NOT USE THESE LOADS WITHOUT REFERRING TO A LOADING MANUAL FOR THIS CARTRIDGE

I just checked my 9th Edition Hornady manual and it say MAXIMUM load is 18.0 grains IMR 4227 with a 180 grain bullet!!

Fired a lot of rounds at 20 grains in the Seville without a problem. A pretty stout single action revolver.

The Hornady manual also lists 19.0 as MAXIMUM in a Thompson Contender barrel.

 

[Zedbra]

Nice gun!
I like titegroup for light target loads in a bunch of different cartridges. Great value and good performance.

Never had a maximum or super mag but I think you can go somewhat hotter with the power pistol or rl-7. Some lilgun, h110 or 2400 should take those GC bullets to 1500fps or more.
Gave up looking for a chance to do some silhouette shooting and got a half set of medium sized ones for my black powder club so we can blaze away with cap and ball handguns or round ball BP rifles. Love the challenge of ringing steel!

There was very little room in the case for much more RL-7; even with the 24g, I was compressing the bullet and hence the largest OAL of the bunch. I am going to take it up to Nosler's 25.5g recommendation and see how that works. I've been wanting to try H110 and 2400, so I may look into those - thanks.

 

[Zedbra]

Back in the old IHMSA days:

United States Sporting Arms Seville stainless 10.5 inch barrel..........20 grains IMR 4227 with 180 grain bullet

Dan Wesson stainless 8 inch barrel.................18 grains IMR 4227 with 180 grain bullet

19 grains 4227 with 180 grain bullet in the Dan Wesson yielded tight cases in cylinder

DO NOT USE THESE LOADS WITHOUT REFERRING TO A LOADING MANUAL FOR THIS CARTRIDGE

Hodgson's site for IMR 4227 data below. I may try this as well, though I hate it when cases bulge in the cylinder and you need to Hulk smash the ejection rod.

STARTING LOADS MAXIMUM LOADS
GRS. VEL. (FT/S) PRESSURE GRS. VEL. (FT/S) PRESSURE
18.0 1,313 34,800 CUP 20.2C 1,531 46,500 CUP

 

[357Maximum]

I've owned a number of 10" 14" 21" Contender barrels in 357 Maxi, And SBH in 7.5 and 10.5 inch.

I've used max loads of Win 680 under 180gr GC Saeco bullets for years. Win 296 and 2400 work as well.

Close to max loads will give you the best accuracy. Use 38 special for mouse fart loads just clean your cylinder.

 

[Snider shooter]

I have a contender in 357 rem max. Best accuracy I found was near or at max loads. I normally use H110/win 296 or 2400. Low power loads just don’t seem to group well in such a long case. Too much air space in the case I believe. I use a 205 gr cast which I push over 1500 fps. I seat the bullets out giving more room for the powder. The bullet is the Lyman 35 caliber rifle bullet originally meant for the 35 Remington.

 

[Zedbra]

I've owned a number of 10" 14" 21" Contender barrels in 357 Maxi, And SBH in 7.5 and 10.5 inch.

I've used max loads of Win 680 under 180gr GC Saeco bullets for years. Win 296 and 2400 work as well.

Close to max loads will give you the best accuracy. Use 38 special for mouse fart loads just clean your cylinder.

Thanks for this info. With a user name of 357Maximum, I'm going to take your word on this one.

I gave away all of my .38 SPL brass as it would foul the cylinder so easily that it was a struggle to eject my .357 loads afterwards. I only shoot .357 in my other Dan Wessons now, and now that I have 400 brass for the .357 MAX, I will stick with using that in this 740.

I updated the primer data and added a cartridge comparison pic.