357 mag load - H110

[castnblast]

Ran my test rounds today - got a REAL nice group with open sights @ 25 yds. I'm shooting Hornady 125 gr XTP's. Accuracy charge was 21.6gr. out of my Taurus with 6" barrel. This is a hunting round. Note to self - hearing protection was used, and is not optional when hunting with this round. Recoil was suprisingly light - probably due to lighter bullet. Muzzle flash would probably blind you at night - It was huge. Planning on using this for a deer/hog round. Velocity should be in the 1900fps range. Group was about 1.5" with a 5 shot group.

I ran the shots in 2 gr. increments up except for last one. I went .1 under max. Glad I did. Brass was difficult to extract.

 

[DiscoRacing]

Muzzle flash would probably blind you at night

Now Imagine 41grains and a 275grain Barnes XPB outta 460XVR....

... Need sunglasses for the previously used safety wear.

 

[Stargazer]

Muzzle flash would probably blind you at night

This flash would make a nice night time glow I bet. No special effects here, I have the video I snapped this from. 4" RedHawk 45 Colt shooting CorBon 300 grain Hunting round. Nice tube shape there.

 

[AlaskaMike]

As much as I love 296/H110, I don't like using it with light for caliber bullets. I think I'd prefer 2400 or AA9 with those bullets.

 

[Unclenick]

Mike,

An interesting and unexpected thing with 296/H110 in the .357 Magnum, looking at load data shows the maximum muzzle energy loads are produced using those 125's with it. Use a lighter bullet and the powder's too slow for it. Use a heavier one and the bullet eats up too much powder space.

No idea yet what the new Alliant 300MP will like?

 

[demigod]

charge was 21.6gr.

GOOD GRIEF!!! You're almost at the powder charge needed to reload .223!!!

(I know you don't use that powder for .223, I'm just saying that's a LOT of powder per round)

 

[Doodlebugger45]

That's interesting UncleNick. I had not tried loading anything other than 158 gr bullets for my 357's and I found good results with 296 for the hot loads. Now, I am planning on loading up some 180 gr bullets. I had assumed that W-296 would also be good for them, but maybe not? Perhaps I can finally find a good use for the can of LilGun I have sitting on the shelf??

 

[res45]

I like H110/W296 same powder different can with the Hornady 158 gr. XTP 2" groups off hand with my old eyes at 25 yds. I settled on 15.5 grs. in my Ruger Blackhawk.

 

[jsflagstad]

I'm shooting Hornady 125 gr XTP's. Accuracy charge was 21.6gr. out of my Taurus with 6" barrel. This is a hunting round. Note to self - hearing protection was used, and is not optional when hunting with this round. Recoil was suprisingly light - probably due to lighter bullet. Muzzle flash would probably blind you at night - It was huge. Planning on using this for a deer/hog round. Velocity should be in the 1900fps range. Group was about 1.5" with a 5 shot group.

Amazing, but I had worked up almost an identical load and it was DEAD accurate in my Taurus Titanium 8" (like 3 in a paper plate at 75 yds)....

Anyway, Just a word of advice and only my opinion so take it for what it's worth, but I would step up to at least a 158gr bullet for deer and hogs. I learned the hard way...I watched the "Buck of a Lifetime" get up and run away after I thought I had knocked the heck out of him. The shot absolutely flopped him (transferred ALL of the shot energy) but failed to penetrate to the vitals. He layed there and did the death kick 20 yards from my stand and when I was 1/2 way down my ladder he stood up and took off.....

Now your deer down in TX may be smaller than these up here in the extreme north, but this deer was no less than a 175 on the B&C and all of 250 lbs DRESSED....

Bring enough gun....that's my advice...those 125's are darn accurate and flat shooting...that's what tempted me, and I was advised not to by others as well....

 

[700cdl]

That is my long time favorite load for the .357 mag.. In case you are wondering about fps I've chronographed that load at close to 1900 fps out of my Taurus as well. Out of my model 66-5 S&W snub its only 1500 fps..

 

[AlaskaMike]

An interesting and unexpected thing with 296/H110 in the .357 Magnum, looking at load data shows the maximum muzzle energy loads are produced using those 125's with it. Use a lighter bullet and the powder's too slow for it. Use a heavier one and the bullet eats up too much powder space.

I never would have guessed that. What's Quickload say about the pressure of that one?

 

[Doodlebugger45]

I don't know what Quickload says, but the Hodgdon manual says the starting load of 21.0 gr of 110/296 is 38,400 for a 125 gr bullet and gets a velocity of 1880 fps. The max load is 22.0 gr and has a pressure of 41,400 cup and a velocity of 1966 fps. So I would guess the 21.6 gr load is somewhere around 40,000 or so.

 

[Crashbox]

About a year ago I loaded up some 125 JHP's for my GP100, 4" with 21.2 grains- one thing I definitely recall is that the report had some notable high-pitch components in it, certainly different than the 17.2-grain 2400 loads I normally fire when I want to shoot nuclear rounds.

Another thing I recall is that the recoil was not insignificant, even for my 'GP-

It is getting time to load up some H110's again, though- thank you for the reminder They are definitely FUN!

 

[700cdl]

It is deffinitely a max pressure load and not for the light at heart hand gunners. But if a guy likes that super magnum stuff, I do, then this is the powder for your .357 or 44 magnum.

 

[castnblast]

One thing I hate about the powder is it is just that - powder. stuff gunks up my powder measure pretty good. I won't shoot these much, and will use long shot for my practice rounds. Pistol did good on hogs this weekend. Had to finish one off with it, and the bullet completely penetrated the skull with and exit.

 

[COSteve]

I don't know what Quickload says, but the Hodgdon manual says the starting load of 21.0 gr of 110/296 is 38,400 for a 125 gr bullet and gets a velocity of 1880 fps. The max load is 22.0 gr and has a pressure of 41,400 cup and a velocity of 1966 fps. So I would guess the 21.6 gr load is somewhere around 40,000 or so.

As the SAAMI max pressure for the 357mag is 35,000psi your loads are over spec.

 

[That'll Do]

I don't know what Quickload says, but the Hodgdon manual says the starting load of 21.0 gr of 110/296 is 38,400 for a 125 gr bullet and gets a velocity of 1880 fps. The max load is 22.0 gr and has a pressure of 41,400 cup and a velocity of 1966 fps. So I would guess the 21.6 gr load is somewhere around 40,000 or so.

As the SAAMI max pressure for the 357mag is 35,000psi your loads are over spec.

PSI and CUP are not the same unit of measurement. The loads listed in the Hodgdon manual are measured in CUP, and are OK.

 

[GP100man]

I ran the shots in 2 gr. increments up except for last one. I went .1 under max. Glad I did. Brass was difficult to extract.

Sure sign of a time to back off a couple of .1ths .

+1 for a little heavier bullet for hunting , 2 holes a bleedin is better than 1 anyday!