.357 Powders

Gunner4life

Gunner4life

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I started reloading for .357 about a month ago and noticed a different between factory rounds and my own reloads. For my reloads I use 7.9 grains of Titegroup leaving about 80% of the case unfilled, and can hear the powder shaking around the case. I bought a box of PMC rounds an noticed that they have their powder loaded almost to capacity.

So my question is, is there a difference between using slower burning powders with a heavier charge versus a faster burning powder and a lighter charge? I'd also like to mention that I'm using CCI small pistol primers, thinking of grabbing a box of magnum primers to see if that makes a difference too.

Loading for a 6 inch GP 100 using 125 gr Campro FMJs.

Thanks.
 
about to order 1000 .357 berrys bullets and using Hs-6 with mag primers...ill let you know how it turns out :), also shooting from a gp100 6" stainless :D
 
Are the CamPros true FMJs or Plated? If plated, I'd have some serious concerns about driving them that fast..
dB
 
In my opinion Titegroup, and even HS-6 to a lesser degree, are much too fast-burning for my magnum loads.

Gunner4life said:
is there a difference between using slower burning powders with a heavier charge versus a faster burning powder and a lighter charge?
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Most notably, you'll never achieve the round's published velocities with a faster-burning powder. Also, you're depriving yourself of that low broooom associated with a properly-loaded magnum round. That's half the fun as far as I'm concerned. This is personal and subjective, but I also enjoy the quality of the recoil much more with the slower H110 or N-110; it's more of a big shove than the hard snaps of faster powders.

idunno1987 said:
about to order 1000 .357 berrys bullets and using Hs-6 with mag primers...ill let you know how it turns out :)
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Having been there, I can tell you I quickly decided against using cheaper copper-washed bullets in hot magnum loads. The blast was scaring the copper right off'em. From Berrys own website: "Our bullets are not recommended for magnum velocities over 1250fps".

So basically, if you're loading low-velocity rounds with fast powder, you should be OK, but if you intend on going hotter, you should at least make sure you're wearing very large eye protection when you hit the range.

Cam-Pro are a bit better, but still, not real jacketed bullets. When loading hot, cost-cutting never goes unnoticed.
 
daBear said:
Are the CamPros true FMJs or Plated? If plated, I'd have some serious concerns about driving them that fast..
dB
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i can't seem to recall what issue would arise from them going that fast? if it's leading, as i said above i run lead only for my 357 and have no issues.
 
The issue is with the thickness of the plating. Bullets like Berrys admittedly state not to use in magnum loads as plating is too thin. The real reason is with magnum loads requiring a heavy crimp, you will actually cut thru the plating when roll crimping, causing the plating to fragment and little bits of copper fly out as well as from the forcing cone area. I still have the shards of copper in my left hand and cheeks from that. Dangerous to the shooter and if anybody is standing around you. Also, with the lesser plated bullets, the lands in the rifling can actually cut the surface of the bullet. I will only use quality plated(min .008 plating) if absolutely necessary and only in the autos. I will not use in revolvers even if little/no crimp is required(38spl). You do as you wish but thats just my opinion. Look at SAAMI specs for rifling depth(lands) in any caliber and check against the thickness of the plating. If the caliber calls for rifling as .0035 and the plating is only .004 there is a potential for problems here.
dB
 
Spawn-Inc said:
i can't seem to recall what issue would arise from them going that fast? if it's leading, as i said above i run lead only for my 357 and have no issues.
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I think you rn the risk of stripping off the plating. This shouldn't lead to leading but it would and does effect accuracy. I have picked up plated bullets in the spring off the range where the rifling has cut into the plating exposing the lead.

Take Care

Bob
 
I started w/ Bullseye and it gummed up my GP 161 in less than 1/2 a box. But no issue in my BlackHawk after a few hundred rds.
Clint
 
So I checked my loads last night, and currently I'm running 7.5 grains of Titegroup under a 125gr FMJ Campro, book says it goes just over 1400 FPS. I'm almost out of Campros and have a box of 1000 Berry bullets. Problem with the Berries is that they shouldn't go over 1250 FPS. The loads in my manual don't have a load for Titegroup that runs under 1200 FPS, any ideas aside from switching to a slower burning powder?

On a side note, does anyone know where I can get bulk jacketed bullets without paying an arm and a leg?
 
sorry to step in here but i am in the same boat of about to order 1000 .357 bulletsd and 1000 9mm bullets, both berrys, are these bullets that bad or?
 
Berrys aren't bad at all when they're used the way they're intended to be used. They'll be fine in your 9mm, and they'll be fine if you load some lower-pressure .357 plinkers.

If you're looking to load full-power .357 magnum loads you should stick with premium jacketed bullets instead of plated bullets like Berrys, unless you enjoy face-shrapnel.
 
In 357 I've used 296, 2400, HS-6, AA#9, but a real fun powder is Blue Dot. Read the data carefully and never go over max with Blue Dot. Ever. To impress your friends load up with Blue Dot and fire a few rounds out of a 2 1/2" Smith snubby at night, don't forget to wear your sunglasses:evil: But that was long ago when I was young and stupid instead of old and senile.
 
Cerdan said:
Berrys aren't bad at all when they're used the way they're intended to be used. They'll be fine in your 9mm, and they'll be fine if you load some lower-pressure .357 plinkers.

If you're looking to load full-power .357 magnum loads you should stick with premium jacketed bullets instead of plated bullets like Berrys, unless you enjoy face-shrapnel.
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Jacketed bullets aren't necessary in the .357, although I used to be of the same opinion. Then I began using heavy for caliber, hard cast, gas checked bullets, which improved both the performance and accuracy of my .357 and even my .38 Special guns. This was sort of a back to the future sort of thing, as when I started shooting handguns, my bullet of choice was a Lyman #357429 which despite the 168 gr weight listed with #2 alloy, weighed 173 grs, just like Elmer's. When my supply of those bullets dried up, I made the switch to jacketed. But my .357 bullet of choice today weighs 195 grs. Heavy for caliber bullets take my velocity out of the 1350-1400 fps range and drops it to the 1150-1200 range without any loss in performance (long bullets tend to be more accurate and have better terminal performance) but with less leading, and a pound of powder stretches for a few more rounds. Gas checks protect the base of the bullet from melting, which results in lead fouling and is the accuracy killer in cast bullet shooting with full powered loads. The hard cast bullet is not as hard as a bullet with a copper jacket, so it can obviate to the bore diameter sealing in propellant gases. Not everyone has an ATC, but all the same, jacketed pistol bullets typically have a small ogive, which results in a small wound diameter if you've chosen a non-expanding bullet for deep penetration. A WFN or SWC cast bullet tends to make bigger holes in tissue or in paper, making your groups easier to score. On the surface of it, jacketed .357 bullets don't appear to be all that expensive, particularly when compared to jacketed bullets, but you'll notice the difference if you buy bullets by the thousand.
 
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