Looks Like I'm Done with .357 Magnum as a Carry Round

[Bruce Cartwright]

How about a 147gr HST at 1275? I get 1180fps from my 2.75" m66

03RN:

A factory produced version of your handload, possibly a little slower is exactly what I am talking about. If P-F folks can do this, surely the ammo companies can.....

Thanks.

Bruce

[Velo Dog]

I could go to either Golden Sabre or Hornady Critical Duty with their reduced recoil, but their availability is usually spotty though they're both available now, and then I'd have to create a practice load just for the M19. I'm definitely not going to use the full-power 125s that prematurely wore out guns of my 19's vintage. Looks like I'll stick with the same R-P version of the FBI load that I'm using in my other K frames, along with the practice handloads for them.

.38 Special +P makes a lot of sense in an older S&W Model 19 or 66.

Here's Chris Baker's thoughts on low recoil .357 Magnum options

https://www.luckygunner.com/lounge/r...mo-commentary/

"Out of the six magnum loads that did exceptionally well in our tests, three of them had relatively low recoil compared to the others: The Winchester PDX1, the Remington Golden Saber, and the Speer 135 gr Gold Dot short barrel load. I would probably use one of those three if I wanted a good self-defense magnum load. Looking at the gel test results, there is not a significant difference between these and the loads with heavier recoil."

https://www.luckygunner.com/lounge/3...m-recoil-much/

"Moving on to the .38 +P Golden Saber, there was a little more recoil, but not much change in the scores. Then I shot the .357 Magnum Golden Saber which is pretty mild for a magnum load, but it has significantly more recoil than the +P. My scores were holding steady with the two steel guns, but starting to slip with the LCR."

[awp_101]

I've tried loading 357 down to 1000 fps with 2400 and it just doesn't work.

Doesn't work how? No HP expansion? Too dirty? Uses too much powder for said velocity? Revolver blew up and now they call you stumpy?

Just curious because I'm looking at 2# of 2400 in my reloading stuff with no real idea what I can/should use it for...

[Dusty Stone]

I really preffer revolvers, here's my latest from 12 feet away which is basically across my living room
with two different loads from the S&W mod 66-8 using magnum loads.

[Malamute]

Doesn't work how? No HP expansion? Too dirty? Uses too much powder for said velocity? Revolver blew up and now they call you stumpy?

Just curious because I'm looking at 2# of 2400 in my reloading stuff with no real idea what I can/should use it for...

I believe thats below the best pressure/velocity range for 2400. Dirty and somewhat less consistent than desirable.

Universal is a good replacement for Unique, The loads Ive compared seem to show the same charge for same results. I called the people that make it asking for an equivalent load, the charges they suggest to achieve the same velocity were identical to my Unique loads.

[revchuck38]

Doesn't work how? No HP expansion? Too dirty? Uses too much powder for said velocity? Revolver blew up and now they call you stumpy?

Just curious because I'm looking at 2# of 2400 in my reloading stuff with no real idea what I can/should use it for...

IME, 2400 needs to be loaded to the upper end of recommended loads or it leaves a friggin' TON of unburnt powder behind.

I've got maybe two hundred rounds left of .357 that I loaded with an unremembered charge of Unique (it was the max recommended in the pamphlet they used to put out) under a 158-grain RNL when I was shooting IDPA and wanted something to shoot in my 681 in ESR. It ran ~1100 fps and wasn't unpleasant to shoot. Using Universal or BE-86 would probably get you in the same ballpark.

[Duelist]

Doesn't work how? No HP expansion? Too dirty? Uses too much powder for said velocity? Revolver blew up and now they call you stumpy?

Just curious because I'm looking at 2# of 2400 in my reloading stuff with no real idea what I can/should use it for...

I believe thats below the best pressure/velocity range for 2400. Dirty and somewhat less consistent than desirable.

Universal is a good replacement for Unique, The loads Ive compared seem to show the same charge for same results. I called the people that make it asking for an equivalent load, the charges they suggest to achieve the same velocity were identical to my Unique loads.

IME, 2400 needs to be loaded to the upper end of recommended loads or it leaves a friggin' TON of unburnt powder behind.

I've got maybe two hundred rounds left of .357 that I loaded with an unremembered charge of Unique (it was the max recommended in the pamphlet they used to put out) under a 158-grain RNL when I was shooting IDPA and wanted something to shoot in my 681 in ESR. It ran ~1100 fps and wasn't unpleasant to shoot. Using Universal or BE-86 would probably get you in the same ballpark.

Re: 2400 at lower charge weights in .357 and (.44 SPC) gives incomplete combustion, spewing unburnt powder all over the gun and everything around it. Inconsistent performance as well.

Leaves me feeling like I’m wasting the powder, not using it efficiently, so I reserve it for the top end stuff I do, and use other powders for lower velocity use.

[Borderland]

Doesn't work how? No HP expansion? Too dirty? Uses too much powder for said velocity? Revolver blew up and now they call you stumpy?

Just curious because I'm looking at 2# of 2400 in my reloading stuff with no real idea what I can/should use it for...

I found that 2400 works best for high performance loads, >1200 fps. My issue was unburnt powder in short barrels when you get to the bottom of the load chart, say 1050 fps. I still use it for 30 carbine loading at the top of the range. I also use it for my model 28 loads, mid range. It's good powder for a lot of magnum revolver cartridges. I never tried magnum primers so that may have resolved the issue.

[awp_101]

Thanks everyone, that helps! I'm moving away from Magnums in handguns (actually anything over 9mm/.38 Special except for a very few cases) but it might be useful for my .357 carbines.

[revchuck38]

Thanks everyone, that helps! I'm moving away from Magnums in handguns (actually anything over 9mm/.38 Special except for a very few cases) but it might be useful for my .357 carbines.

Oh yeah, it'd shine there!