advice on hunting loads for a 357 mag?

[ruger22]

I am new to reloading.
I am cranking out decent 38 special reloads for targets with WIN 231 powder and WIN small pistol primers.

What would you recomend as a hunting load for a new marlin lever gun and also a 686 revolver?

What is my best choice in a powder to start with?
Do I need mag primers too?

 

[ckid]

For heavy loads in my Marlin lever and my 686 I prefer to use H110 or W296, with these powders you need magnum primers. Pretty much any loading manual will provide data for these powders in .357. The heaviest bullet I have shot in my Marlin is 158 grs, I am not sure if the heavier ones will be too long for feed out of the tube mag.

 

[daBear]

FYI, if you do decide to stay with W231 as a powder you should consider using sm rifle or magnum primers. 231 is a ball powder and you may not always get complete ignition with regular primers. You will find most reference materials actuall recc the use of magnum primers with such ball type powders(remember to start with slightly lighter loads and work up or refer to a reliable info source).
dB