Register
Log In
Home
July 23, 2011
Offline
what kind of powder would you use if you were loading 357 mag and max , any preference or certain kind for this cailber ?
Supporter
Range Officer
Moderators
DWF Supporters
Dans Club
December 4, 2011
Offline
I've been thinking about this same question. From reading my Hornady reloading manual, I see that they have quite a number of 357 mag and 357 MAX loads using H110, 2400 or IMR 4227. There are others, but these seem to have the most cross platform uses with the widest range of bullet weights. This would cut down on the number of different powders need to reload.
Let me add that I'm not seeking maximum ballistics right now. I mainly want to have something loaded to shoot out of my 357SM besides 357 mags. I'll worry about maximum performance later. I have read that the SM guns seem to like the heavier bullets and 180grain seems to have some of th ebest velocities, 1600fps is very doable with 4227 in a midlevel load of 19.6gr. This data is out of the Hornady manual 4th edition.
I'd love to hear what experienced shooters are loading for these guns.
Anything worth doing is worth doing well.
My father
If a man designed it, and a man built it, then a man can fix it.
My grandfather
July 23, 2011
Offline
yea , same thing i was thinking, i just picked up the hornady 4th edition today , 1 & 2 for 10.00 bucks, they look brand new .
September 26, 2010
Offline
I use http://www.handloads.com/ for a a lot of info.
Supporter
Moderators
January 24, 2009
Offline
I think that with .357 Mag, you could use any one of a dozen different powders & still have good performance. I've tried H110, IMR4227, and Unique so far & other than the soot looking a little different on the gun, haven't noticed a whole lot of difference. I'm sure there are differences in bullet speed between these, but I don't have a chronograph yet & can't really tell a difference by felt recoil.
Right now I am using Unique in my .357 Mag (easiest to clean off the gun), and IMR4227 in my .357 Maxi loads. I don't shoot this one as often, so I haven't gotten around to trying Unique yet in this, but I bet it will work fine. I don't try to load mine hot, I prefer to load in the mid to mid-high range...usually mid.
Other opinions may vary, but that one's mine.
Supporter
Moderators
Dans Club
February 22, 2009
Offline
If you don't have H110, WW 296 is the same thing. Both work well In my experience.
Technically, the glass is always full; half liquid, half air....
February 21, 2011
Offline
I've found Unique to be nice for cast or plated bullets as lomg as you keep the velocity down to under 1,000 FPS.
For jacketed rounds at higher speeds I use H-110. It does need magnum primers, but you have to pick the brand as the CCI 550's I started with wont run reliably in double action.
The Winchesters worked perfectly.
Matthew Quigley on handguns:
“I said I never had much use for one. Never said
I didn't know how to use it.”
April 25, 2008
Offline
I started with H-110 and W-296 with the 180 grain bullets in my SuperMag. They were accurate, but when I switched to IMR-4227, accuracy was superb with the 180 and 200 grain Speer TMJ bullets. Get a Redding Profile Crimp die to improve the quality and consistency of your crimps...it has made a huge difference. I have one for all my revolver cartridges.
The Savantist
May 3, 2011
Offline
I bought some powder the other day. I think you will see most people use W296, H110 which are really the same. And IMR 4227. Some like W-680 and Blue Dot. You need the CCI 550 primer. These are all good for the .357 magnum. On the Maximum, I use the same powders but I use the Federal 205M or Fed. Large Magnum Pistol primer No. 155. or CCI 350 Mag pistol.
1 Guest(s)
