.357 mag & 200gr. bullets

[rnovi]

Anyone got any heavy hunting load data? I've got a box (100) Cast Performance Gas Checked bullets and I'm interested in working up a load. I'm going Piggin' in March and while I have a 180gr load worked up I sure would like to have a secondary load available.

Or, for those who have gone this route before, is there much sense at all using a 200gr. bullet in a .357?

Btw, the gun is a 6" GP100.

 

[T. O'Heir]

Know a guy who went with a .41 mag. He was told no jacketed HP's. So a cast/lead bullet may not be a good idea either. Not enough reliable penetration.

 

[Smokey Joe]

Pig load

Rnovi--The standard wisdom in my circle is to use 180 grain hard cast lead bullets with a large meplat. Gas checks let you push 'em harder, and you want 'em moving as fast as possible commensurate with safety and accuracy, when they hit that pig.

I use 2400 behind mine. Checked with Alliant; they say a magnum primer is not necessary unless you would be hunting in cold weather. Since I sometimes do hunt in cold weather, I worked up my load with magnum primers--why have 2 separate loads?

 

[rnovi]

Why have two separate loads?

Cuz I like to tinker...mainly. I have a lovely 180gr. load using an SSK 180 gr Hardcast over quite a bit of 2400 - it rolls out at a solid 1350fps with amazing consistency.

Still, I wonder if I might do better with a 200gr. bullet. Not sure why - just something to try. Handloading's a hobby...

Winchester lists a load: 11.2 - 12.4gr 296 (aka, H110), 1,335fps list. Doesn't say whether or not that's unusually long loaded or not. I suspect yes...

 

[Smokey Joe]

Excessive length

Rnovi--If it chambers in yr revolver, and the cylinder turns freely, the cartridge is not too long.

Tinker away, sez I! A 200 grainer would hit that hog with just that much more energy than a 180 grain hardcast. Keep the accuracy; don't go above published load data; remember that signs of overpressure are hard to observe in a revolver cartridge. A chronograph would be yr friend, here, if you happen to have access to one.

I'd keep my heavy-load hunting brass separate from my plinking/target brass, too.

But you probably knew all that already.

 

[jsflagstad]

reading pressures in a revolver

So as you said revolvers are tough to read pressure in. I have always tried to read the primers and adjust accordingly. Also when the spent cartridges come out of the cylinder a little hard I back off on the charge a bit.

My question is, I do have a chronograph but how will it tell me where my pressure is? I have seen it put that way before but never asked the question. Is it just to tell you that you are near the book? Or will there be some other sign uncovered by the chronograph?

Thanks,

JSF

 

[XD-Guy]

I've got a 4" model 19 S&W and I can get pretty good groups with a 200 gr hard cast over 10 gr of 2400

 

[jsflagstad]

2400 does NOT work well in my Taurus 627 Titanium Tracker. Lots of residue blowing out between the cyl and barrel. It actually eroded the cylinder enough that it had to be replaced. This does not happen with other powders. 2400 works well in my 45LC though.

JSF

 

[sanson]

I like Hodgdon Lil'Gun powder for my .357 carbine. all the load data is for 6" barrels and with 18" I'm considering a fast burning rifle powder. (158gr hard
cast bullets).. work up slow

 

[Smokey Joe]

Chrony use

Jsflagsted--The chrony will tell you how fast the bullet is going. Period. But THAT piece of data lets you know if you are below, at, or above the chrony speed attained by the load data engineers when they set up the max loads in yr loading manual.

 

[Trapper L]

Here ya go:
http://handloads.com/loaddata/defau...&Weight=200&type=Handgun&Order=Powder&Source=

Note the source of the info on the far right side. This is data from a reliable source. Always start low and work up as each firearm is different. It would appear that the 2400 is the way to go with this bullet weight. I've never had the need for such a heavy bullet in a 357 mag but if ya have 'em, might as well burn 'em.

 

[Bud_Ugly]

Sanson, are you aware of any reliable loads for Lil' Gun & 200's? I've seen Hodgdon & some other mfg's publications for Lil' Gun & 180's but am not aware of any reliable data for 200's.

 

[jsflagstad]

Thanks Smokey, That's what I thought. I just wanted to make sure that I wasn't missing something. Seems though that most of the velocity data I have found for the 357 is data from a "test barrel" probably similar to that of a Contender or an Encore, so I haven't banked on getting the same velocity that they publish with my revolver. For max loads I usually work up from the starting loads and if I get to the spot where the brass just startes to come out of the cylinder a bit stiff I then back it down by .1 to .2 grains. Seems to work for me.

JSF