What powder do you recommend for 357 Mag.

Polish-Jack

Polish-Jack

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I am starting to reload for my Ruger GP-100 SS 4.2in and have all the components but have never reloaded for handguns before. My buddy is using Win 231 but his MAX loads feel severely under-powered and are not grouping as well when compared to factory loads. I am going to be shooting a 158 lead bullet cast from a 358-158-RF Lee mold.

What powder have you had great success with?
 
For full power loads, Win 296, H110 or 2400 powder are good choices, and very time proven.
 
You might find your Ruger getting fouled up with lead if you load up full power .357 loads with cast bullets...I'm thinking full power for jacketed and reduced for cast lead...W296 and H-110 are designed to be used full power and not to be loaded down as pressure can be erratic at less then full power loads.
You will find most manuals keep cast lead loads down around 1000fps to limit barrel lead fouling and then will have the same wieght jacketed bullets loaded up to max velocity.
I use W296 for full power jacketed loads and W540 and W473AA for reduced cast loads for the .357 with fine accuracy resulting.
 
i shoot jacketed, plated and cast all out of my 586 and all full power loads without any issues.

if you can't fine h110, w296 is the same powder but i'm told old batches (not sure how old) were different. it's listed the same on hodgdons website though.
 
Another vote for H-110 here. We've been using it with our hot XTP loads. We've also used 7.6gr of Longshot on plated bullets for regular loads.

Just an FYI, magnum primers are recommended for H-110, but regular primers are recommended for 2400. If your primer selection/stock is limited, take that into consideration when choosing your powder.
 
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I use 2400 and Unique in my .357s. 2400 for high powered loads using hardcast 158swc and unique for softer lead bullets and for wadcutters. I had leading in my blackhawk with soft lead bullets at about 1050-1100 fps, but so far so good with the hardcast.
Kristian
 
I used Blue dot and 2400 with jacketed bullets, these loads were more accurate in my revolver than 296. If you don't have good bullet to chamber/barrel fit, you might be mining lead if you push a cast bullet to the max.
 
I reload for an H&R handi-rifle chambered in 357 magnum and W296 is my main powder for 158 and 180gr XTP's. H110 is equivalent to W296 for the last couple of years anyways. For hornady swc-hp in 158gr i use IMR4227 to reduce the velocity and stop the leading.
 
Lastgun said:
You might find your Ruger getting fouled up with lead if you load up full power .357 loads with cast bullets...I'm thinking full power for jacketed and reduced for cast lead...W296 and H-110 are designed to be used full power and not to be loaded down as pressure can be erratic at less then full power loads.
You will find most manuals keep cast lead loads down around 1000fps to limit barrel lead fouling and then will have the same wieght jacketed bullets loaded up to max velocity.
I use W296 for full power jacketed loads and W540 and W473AA for reduced cast loads for the .357 with fine accuracy resulting.
Click to expand...

Hard cast bullets can be driven at least as fast as jacketed bullets of the same weight out of handguns without excessive leading, provided they are not undersize and have good lube. Some lead bullet data is intended for the very soft swaged lead bullets made by Speer and Hornady, which are indeed only suitable for low velocities. The Lyman manual provides lots of cast bullet data for magnum revolvers. Also, a good rule of thumb is that a given powder charge will produce lower pressures with a cast bullet compared to a jacketed one of the same weight.
 
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