It's been many years since I loaded a revolver.
I just picked up a .357 magnum. I load lots of rifle and am trying to figure out if my hand held rcbs will prime the 357 case. Will the large rifle seating rod or small rifle seating rod for the hand primer work with the pistol primers (using the proper shell holder of course)?
It's possible I might use the gun for a "clean shot" inside 20 yards for whitetail in our wisconsin season. Is the hornady 158FP a good choice (I know the 357 is on the light side).
Any accuracy loads or preferred powder anyone can give?
Also has anyone used the new barnes bullets??? (they look awsome).
Thanks for any other ideas. Kraky

I am currently working up a load in my 10" contender. I am using 14.6 grains of H110 under a 158 grain JHP Hornady with CCI small pistol magnum primers. It's shooting about 2.5" at 100 yards off a rest. The Hodgdon site lists 16.7 as max for this so there is still some room to work it up further if need be.

Another load I worked up was 7.5 grains of VV N340 under the same bullet but using CCI small rifle standard primers. It was shooting about 1.5" at 50 yards off a bench.

So...does the small rifle seating stuff work with the pistol primers???

Kraky. The small primer set up with the proper shell holder will work just fine. I use mine to prime .38 Spl. and .357 Mag. all the time.
Paul B.

OK...got a grip on the priming tools.

Any recomendations on primer brand and preferred powder?? I've read great things on the 158 hornady and think that's "my bullet".

If you're wanting to use it for deer you need to be thinking max velocity. At the range you mention load accuracy is less important than shooter ability.

Look into H110/W296 (reportedly the same powder) or 4227. Those should be good with 158 or 180 grain bullets. If you can get past the cost, the 180 grain Nosler partition would be a great choice too. The heavier bullet will help. I do have the 158 Hornady XTP waiting to try, but haven't shot anything yet...too many other fun projects.

Small rifle and small pistol primers are the same size, use your handheld tool with confidence. I like Federal small pistol mag primers, cause they are the first I tried and they work...no reason to change.

Good luck!

I'd look at 2400 and blue dot for top loads with 158 to 180 gr bullets. H-110/W-296 are great in the bigger bore handguns with heavy bullets, but I've never found it to come into it's own in the 357. 2400 is really the powder for top loads in the 357. 2400 also seems to work best with std primers. I've used CCI and fed small pistol and small rifle primers. My blackhawk really slams the primers and occasionally pierces the pistol primers, so I use rifle primers in it.

I think the biggest problems folks have had with the 357 and deer is inapropriate bullets, and of course, poor shot placemnt. A good expanding 158 to 180 gr pushed as fast as your gun can will kill any deer out to at least 50 yds.

I shot one mule deer with a 357 mag revolver.(6 inch) Bullet was Sierra 125 gr jacketed hollow point. Entered the ribs went through and lodged under the skin on the opposite shoulder. Range was about 40 yards.

I'm a big fan of Hodgdon HS 6 for pistol loads. It's versatile, works for 9mm, 38, 357, and 45 ACP. Also works for 44 magnum, but I prefer H110 for magnum loads. H110 is formulated specifically for magnums and provides higher velocities at the same pressures as 2400.

The last stop at the shop for HS 6 found them out of stock, and so I opted for Win. 231. 231 is similar to HS 6, and useful in a wide range of pistol loads.

The difference between "rifle" primers and "pistol" primers is the thickness of the metal in the cap. Small rifle and small pistol are the same size. Large rifle and large pistol are the same size. Rifle has thicker metal because they generally are used in higher pressure loads.

Accordingly, rifle primers used in pistol loads sometimes misfire because the firing pin striker is not strong enough in a pistol. Thompson Contender would be an exception to that rule.

Somewhere in the make-up of primers, pistol and rifle primer charges are likely different. And so it pays to be consistent about using the right primer for the load application.

"Magnum" primers are "hotter" because they're igniting a slower burning powder. I use magnum primers in HS 6 loads because it's a moderate burn rate powder. But a "hot" primer will change your load characteristics, so don't just swap out parts randomly.

OK, this seems obvious -- when you're priming brass, keep your face away from the mouth of the case. Never hurts to wear safety glasses too!

I've never had a primer go off while priming brass, but primers are hot enough to cause a serious injury if they ignite in your face.

My fastest loads using 158gr jacketed bullets come using H110 or W296 & magnum primers. You want penetration on game animlas & the 158gr XTP will certainly give you that.

quote:

Originally posted by kraky:
...I just picked up a .357 magnum. ...Is the hornady 158FP a good choice (I know the 357 is on the light side). Any accuracy loads or preferred powder anyone can give?...

Hey Kraky, If you have some of the "old" reloading manulas on the shelf, be sure to check which firearm those loads were used in. Many of the old Speer Manuals developed loads in Rugers which as you know was (and still is) a very strong design.

The older S&Ws just couldn't take the same loads that the Rugers could without loosening the Crane, so they had to down-grade the loads a good bit in some of the newer manuals. However, the current production S&Ws are absolutely excellent and could withstand the "old" loads.

I use H110 in mine and needed to reload some a few years ago. I have the Load on the inside of the box, but just happened to flip open a "newer" Speer Manual. I thought I had gotten all goofed up and had Proof Loads. But it eventually dawned on me what was going on.

No need for anyone else to have to go through that situation if they are aware of it.
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The 158gr XTP is a fine Deer killer if you do not want an Exit. I've killed maybe half an XTP box of bullets using them and don't remember ever getting an Exit.

Some of the SP designs will give Exits through the Lungs. And the Hard Cast Lead bullets will even give Exits through the Shoulders.

So, it kind of depends on if you want an Exit or not about using the 158gr XTP - from what I've seen.
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If any of you have had a 158gr XTP Exit using a 357Mag, where did the Bullet make Impact and how far away were you?

Kraky,

I'd stay away from CCI primers as alot of revolvers will not strike them hard enough to set them off. The Federal and Win primers are much softer and reliably ignite in all of the revolvers I've loaded for.

If you happen to run across some Bluedot or Lil' Gun, they both work well w/ the 357.

Good Luck

Reloader

quote:

Originally posted by kraky:
It's possible I might use the gun for a "clean shot" inside 20 yards for whitetail in our wisconsin season. Is the hornady 158FP a good choice (I know the 357 is on the light side).
Any accuracy loads or preferred powder anyone can give? Thanks for any other ideas. Kraky

I'm a fan of W-W296 and Hornady XTPs. 17.1 grains and a 158grain HPXTP will knock the stuffing out of any whitetail. Be sure to use a magnum primer and a hard crimp for reliable ignition. This is a stout load for sure, but it's accurate and clocks 1370f/s out of my 6" 686.