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Light 357 loads under 25,000 psi

5K views 9 replies 8 participants last post by  454PB 
#1 · (Edited)
Did a search, can't find any threads on this so.....

I got some 158 LSWC's the other day with a BH of 18. This should be good for pressures up to 25,200 psi (18x1400). Don't have a chrono and loading data that I have does not give all chamber pressures especially between the +p 38 and full mag loads in 357 which are way more than the 25,200 psi.

I have both Bullseye and Unique available for powder and Federal 100 SPPs.

Anybody have a 357 load that has a lower chamber pressure of near the 25,200 level? Or is there a chart available somewhere that I could find the information. I know part of the fun of reloading is working up loads but don't want to start leading up the barrel. :(

Thanks for any information in advance.

Jim

Edit - Went to Handloads.com and used their reduced load calculator. Came up with 4.6 grains of Bullseye or 4.9 grains of Unique for pushing the boolit at 1,000 fps. Not sure of what the pressure would be though. Not real worried as the gun is an SP 101 3" 357.

Should I go for pressure or speed?
 
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#3 ·
Precision 32

I use real light loads of 2.7 Bullseye under a 148 gr LBNWC for the most part. Just looking to up the anty a bit for a "heavier" load.

Also use either 3.6 Bullseye or 4.3 Unique under the 158 gr for a round closer to a factory 38 special.

Thanks for the input though.
 
#4 ·
MW surveyor, According to QuickLOAD software, with your bullet in a 357 Mag case and a standard primer, 6.6 grains of Unique (25,429 psi) or 5.8 gr of Bullseye (25,699 psi) will produce 900 fps from your 3" barrel. These should be reasonably accurate loads and will match your bullet hardness perfectly.
 
#6 ·
Iowegan, I tried a dozen rounds of that load with Unique and 158g RNFP, actually 6.7 grains. In my Rossi 92 with 20" barrel they chrony'ed at almost 1400 fps. Shot real nice actually, all within 1.5" at 50 meters using a new tang sight that wasn't fully dialed in yet. I may try bumping it up to 7.5 grains and see how close to 1600 fps I can get. That seems to be a magic number with lead bullets and leading issues.
Thanks for the info!!!

Walt
 
#9 ·
Looks like you're using a BHN alloy strength chart. I've found that cast bullets actually do better with considerably more pressure behind them than what the chart says. For example, I have a stout .357M load using a BHN 15-16 boolit. My load is about 27K PSI. Similar thing with my .45 Colt "Magnum" load. Same alloy, similar pressure level.

Based on that experience, I'd say your BHN 18 bullets will probably be just tickled-pink at between 30,000 and 34,000 PSI.
 
#10 ·
The BHN versus pressure theories are not chiseled in stone.

I regularly shoot cast bullet loads that according to that theory should be scattered all over and coating my barrel with lead.

I size my wheelweight alloy cast bullets (12 BHN) to throat diameter or .001" over bore diameter and load them to 1300 fps. with great success and no leading.

I also shoot cast bullets in my .454 Casulls at maximum levels, which are probably around 50K psi. with nothing harder than 18 BHN.
 
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