I bought some barnes 140 xpb to try in my new taurus 66 pistol. A couple questions.....what pressure is this gun designed to run at? According to quickload Saami prssure is 35,000 and cip is 43,511. It looks like at Hodgdon they show pressures up to about 43,000 cup.

Has anyone experimented with the xpb bullets (even in other calibers). Just like barnes rifle bullets they are extremely long for their wt. I'm thinking of starting with 158 grain bullet data of other manufactueres and going up from there.

(Idid contact barnes and believe it or not they have no recomended loading info for their bullet.....thats a surprise.)

Any other input appreciated....at $1/bullet I don't want to waste too much time and bullets here.

I may have found more info. Is the high pressure load ( cip 43,500) for heavy duty framed revolvers or single action doing silouhette loads??
Am I correct in guessing the tauras is NOT considered a heavy frame like say a ruger?

I guess I'm on my own with the xpb bullets...doesn't look like anyone has worked with them??

Hey Kraky, I've not used those Bullets, so I can't help you there.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't your revolver basically a "clone" of the old S&W M66 design?

I've had a good number of friends "shake loose" the old S&Ws when attempting to use Loads best suited for Rugers and Freedom Arms revolvers. I have no idea at all if Tauras strengthened the design, but I do believe I'd email them and ask them.

On the positive side, one of my buddies is known to be tough on anything he touches. I've seen him destroy the old S&Ws as well as a couple of Rossie revolvers. But..., he never could shake loose a Tauras he had, and he loaded it quite stout. I don't remember what the Model was though.

Best of luck with the Loads.

Hot Core: it is, except now I believe it has been enlarged a bit in the frame and gets a 7 round cylinder these days. It is still classified as "medium frame."

Kraky: I'd stick to the 35,000 PSI data with the Taurus. You won't have any trouble duplicating the majority of factory loads. Extraction with seven shooters can be a bit more challenging, even when using factory ammo.

Hey KLN357, Thanks for the info. Any idea if they strengthened the "Crane" and "Detent"?
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By the way, I seem to remember the Taurus CEO being interviewed on some worthless news-special back when Moscow Bill was in office. The Taurus CEO held his own and told them that under NO CIRCUMSTANCES would Taurus cut-a-deal with the clintonites like the British S&W Owners did back then.

As we all know, S&W had to be sold because of that ignorance and Taurus has flourished. Todays S&Ws are really fine firearms(with the new ownership) and so has been every Taurus I've ever handled or shot.

Anytime, Hot Core!
That is a good question. My response could have been a little clearer when I said they enlarged the frame. What I believe actually happened is that they started using "Tracker" frames to make the 66 a seven shooter. Previously, the older 66s used the same cylinder dimensions as the Smith K-Frame. They've juggled model numbers around a bit and some 669s and 689s eventually became 66s. Same frame with barrel underlug. I've had a couple, or three and they were decent shooters. One was a compensated 66 with the standard underlug barrel and was good enough that I should have kept it!

Thanks guys. I did what I should have done earlier.....I read my owners manual. Of course it says the use of reloaded ammo is a warranty stopper. Anyhow there was a chart of "not to excede velocity". For the 357 it said 158 grainers not to excede 1450 fps. AND according to quick load that would be right on 35,000 psi.
So, I guess I have my answer. I also studied the Taurus website and see that all "Large frame" revolvers are bigger calibers than the .357. And I see my gun weighs as much as any of the other 357's they make like the tracker so I'm thinking it's a well made revolver. I will use my chrono and quickload to keep within the 35k limit.......no need to try and go for more. In my book 1450 out of 158 grain bullets in a 357 is smoken real good.

Hey Kraky, A good number of years ago, I was doing a good bit of hunting with a 6" Ruger Target Model Security Six. I'd done a lot of Load Testing and found mine really shot the best with the MAX 158gr SP Loads with H110 shown in the old Speer Manual.

It really did all I could ask of it. Even had/have some of the Speer Shot Capsules fixed up with some old #7 shot for our Southeastern snakes. And they are absolutely great. I carried the first two cylinders with the Snake Shot and then Bambi Blasters in the remaining four.

Got down a bit low on cartridges and decided to Load-Up a few more. Had the normal Load written in the top of the cartridge box as I normally do and checked it out.

Got stopped by something and when I got back, it was too late to get started Reloading. So I sat back in the old easy chair with a couple of "new" Load Manuals and flipped through them.

Got to the 357Mag data and it appeared I'd somehow gotten my Load mixed up. What was written in the Cartridge Box was way over the Loads shown in the new Speer manual.

Even re-checked to see if I'd remembered it wrong. But, I was using what appeared at first to be a significant Over-Load.

Can't tell you how much it was bothering me and I couldn't figure it out.

Finally pulled out the "old" Speer Manuals(#10 & #11) and those Loads had been Developed in a Ruger Security Six. The "new Loads"(#12) had been developed in a M19 S&W and were more than 2gr less.

I feel sure your Taurus will easily handle the "new" Loads after what you and KLN mentioned.
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For what it is worth, I've had what I consider better performance using SPs rather than HPs in all my revolvers on Deer - deeper penetration.