I have been only loading about 3-5 mounths. So far I have only tried Hodgdon powder because I like thier loading site the best. I got thier 2011 reload manual at Bass Pro as well. I cant say they have the best powder, just the best info.

Favorite bullet: 147gr cast SWC (small cone) .38spl

Typical load: 3.5 gr TiteGroup or HP-38

I bought Titegroup because I was told it was cheap and easy. But to me its too fast... I like slower powders.

Fav .357 : 158gr JHP

Great load : 17.3gr LilGun... about 1500FPS and very little kick!!!!

Bone Crusher: .357 180gr Keith style SWC

13.5 gr LilGun with stiff crimp

I just now got my HP38. I shot the loads I worked up last night, just this morning. I feel I could bump the 3.5gr to 3.8 (suppose to be max) and still have a good shooting round. The HP38 seems to be a VERY versatile powder, when loading the .38/.357 and even the 9mm.I am sure others can do it, but Hodgdon, already has the recipes for the HP38, more so than most.  

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I load primarily 2 loads for the .357... a cast plinker and a full-house load with a jacketed bullet.

Typical cast load would be a commercially cast 158grn SWC over 6.2-7.0grn Unique; typical JHP or JSP load would be a 158grn over a charge of W296 and a magnum primer.

I just got a batch of 180grn JHP's and JSP's yesterday to load up for my new DW 15-2, and I still have a few cast 180grn LFP's... I love heavy bullets so I'm anxious to load these up and see how they do. 

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I've been away from the game for a decade. Boy howdy, I'm glad I made it a habit of cleaning and oiled the press and dies after every session now. I've never liked or needed magnum primers, for me it's standard only, Winchester preferred. Mag 357 loads get CCI standard primers. My standard load is 38SPL cases and 148 DEWC or HBWC over 3.0 Unique. Can't remember the Bullseye equivalent. For me at least, the bit of extra velocity seems to help accuracy. Mild and accurate. In 357 hard-cast 158 SWC seems to do well with any slow to medium powder. Accuracy here is in careful consistent loading techniques. I just aim for 1350-1400 FPS levels and use whatever I've got. 4" barrels barely tolerate 2400, shorter ones don't like it. Longer ones usually love this powder! For business I load a 125gr premium JHP to full throttle. I saw this powder in some of the manuals, and read all the details. Most maxxed out at around 14. The powder maker said 16.3 was max and their data gave the same pressure levels. I phoned them to see if it was a typo. They assured me it was not. I got that in writing then gently stepped up. It burned clean and consistent. I kept going and got scared at 16.1 then backed off a tenth. New cases go 5 times till the primer pockets begin to loosen. Anything but CCI primers extrude into the FP hole. My 4" Monson 14 goes almost 1600 according to a chronograph a shooting buddy had set up on his lane 15' downrange. We were both impressed. This load stretched a medium-sized Taurus frame .002 in 100 rounds, so it found a new home. A borrowed 4" K-frame and 6" L frame Smith did about the same speed, but didn't like the load. The L frame showed case head expansion so bad I tossed the cases right away, but was shooting tight groups through two cylinders full. The K was shot last and had flyers. When the second chrono round went near the edge of the target the chrono session was officially over. Can't blame him not wanting to destroy his chronograph! He did all the shooting for that reason, one cylinder to sight in and then the chrono sessions. He was an experienced competition shooter and he was impressed with my DW's trigger. He even asked what I'd sell it for! NO SALE BUCKO!

My DW14 loves this load, it's one of my most accurate. I run a .003-4 gap to minimize chances of gas cutting the top strap and after a couple thousand rounds the DW frame and cylinder still measure the same. I can only mike the outside of the barrel but it's the same too. Nothing has loosened. I restrict this load to a cylinder or two at the end of shooting sessions to help push any leading down the barrel. I won't name the powder (seems it's no longer made anyway- got to look into that now that I am shooting again) and no, I'm not nuts. I am a careful reloader who pays attention to everything and goes as far as possible to remain consistent, even checking my serious rifle rounds in a lathe for concentricity. I have mics and gauges and I am trained in their proper use- and I use them with all my top-end loads. This may make 2% at most of what I shoot and is what is in the cylinder for defensive work. I do not, can not, and will not recommend you follow in my footsteps here! My DW just doesn't seem to care but yours might. Wanting this level of velocity is why I'm saving for a longer barrel where I should be able to do this with a slower powder and less pressure. I wanted a N frame Smith in 357 when this DW came along to experiment in this direction, but they are scarce and pricey. (and I can't afford one now anyway so the point is moot) Other than this one load I stay at or below factory levels and recommend you do only that. Past there is a no-man's land where you're on you're own.

Phil

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