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Thread: Long range 357 magnum - bullet weight?

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  1. #1
    boff180 Guest

    Long range 357 magnum - bullet weight?

    Hi guys,

    Silly question.

    I'm looking at developing a good very accurate outdoor 100 metre 357 magnum load for my Uberti 1873 and more than likely, a soon to be ordered 1885 low wall. I already have a very very accurate 50 metre load but it doesn't seem to be consistent at 100 when I've tried it possibly because its a 38spl charge in a 357mag case.

    Looking at my load data, I can get some very silly velocities using a lighter bullet out of the rifle to the point it will breach the range limit by a clear margin.

    The velocities quoted for more powerful loads will require a gas check or jacketed bullets but the question....

    What is better for accuracy at range, a lighter bullet say... 125grn or the "standard" 158grn or a heavier bullet in the 170grn/180grn category?

    Thanks

    Andy

  2. #2
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    Quote Originally Posted by boff180 View Post
    Hi guys,

    Silly question.

    I'm looking at developing a good very accurate outdoor 100 metre 357 magnum load for my Uberti 1873 and more than likely, a soon to be ordered 1885 low wall. I already have a very very accurate 50 metre load but it doesn't seem to be consistent at 100 when I've tried it possibly because its a 38spl charge in a 357mag case.

    Looking at my load data, I can get some very silly velocities using a lighter bullet out of the rifle to the point it will breach the range limit by a clear margin.

    The velocities quoted for more powerful loads will require a gas check or jacketed bullets but the question....

    What is better for accuracy at range, a lighter bullet say... 125grn or the "standard" 158grn or a heavier bullet in the 170grn/180grn category?

    Thanks

    Andy
    Just to be clear, before I say anything out of place, but exactly what calibre will your low wall be?

    tac

  3. #3
    boff180 Guest
    357mag at the moment (Uberti do the low wall in this calibre)

    I don't want to mess around with Black Powder therefore due to the range velocity limit (2150fps) I'm also limited by my calibrate choices to essentially 357mag, 44spl, 44-40 or 38-55

    Ideally I don't want to acquire equipment for yet another calibre therefore, if it's viable, 357mag fits the bill. However if more suitable 44spl might also although this would require adjusting my 44mag set up to make rounds.

    Hopefully that logic makes sense.

    Andy

  4. #4
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    Andy,

    My 'gut' would say go for a heavier bullet and a bit more speed. Personally I would not load a 73 action up to the gills.

    By limiting yourself to another 357 in the low wall you might be restricting 'other things'.

    If you went for the 38-55 Low Wall you can easily do 100 yards but if you had the opportunity it could be loaded to work very well at longer distances, people use this case for silhouette shooting and that's out to 500m, but the weight of the low wall would make full loads a bit unpleasant so somewhere in between.

    If wanting to stay with one cartridge then heavier bullets in both the 73 and Low Wall for the longer range,

    BTW you state the MV limit, what is the energy limit out of interest, 2150 is pretty darn quick for a 357

    Brgds Terry

  5. #5
    boff180 Guest
    Thanks for the advice, the long range load would be for the low wall but all I have to test it in at the moment is the 73... I don't want to buy the gun to find I can't shoot it accurately at the range I want.

    The muzzle energy limit is 1496ftlb... its primarily a muzzle loader/pistol range.

    The Lyman reloading manual details 357mag rifle loads for H110 for 125/140grn bullets in excess of 2,300fps

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    Back in he day for long range pistol I used 158 jsp and 2400 powder

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by boff180 View Post
    Thanks for the advice, the long range load would be for the low wall but all I have to test it in at the moment is the 73... I don't want to buy the gun to find I can't shoot it accurately at the range I want.

    The muzzle energy limit is 1496ftlb... its primarily a muzzle loader/pistol range.

    The Lyman reloading manual details 357mag rifle loads for H110 for 125/140grn bullets in excess of 2,300fps
    You don't need that kind of velocity for 100 yards. I shoot on a 100 yard range with a .357". For the lead bullet, 158gr I use 6.8 grains of Unique. The book says the velocity is 1,200fps.
    I use copper jacketed hollow point for foxes (158 grain bullet) and I use 7.2 grains of Unique.

    Accuracy is good for both loads.

    I could swap to a 125 grain bullet for either load and I would expect a velocity of about 1,600fps. Both loads that I use are fine by me so I don't see any point developing another load/bullet combination.

    .38" loads in a .357" magnum case are not very good. I have tried them. If you are using a .357" then i would select a load to suit it.

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    Good thread, I plan to develop a long range .357 for my Ruger 77/357. The SAAMI chamber is long enough to fit a decent length bullet, provided I use it as a single shot rifle (the mag is too short otherwise). Everything to be pre-checked in Quickload, and slowly worked up with a chrono of course.

    I think I'd need jacketed so I was looking at resizing a 35 calibre bullet using a Lee resizing die, but the first problem is finding something with a decent balistics coefficient which is neither too heavy or too long. Have a look here: http://35cal.com/bullets.html

    The bigger problem for me is that I can't have expanding bullets

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    Quote Originally Posted by -Pete- View Post

    The bigger problem for me is that I can't have expanding bullets
    That problem should disappear shortly, I believe.
    I still prefer cast!

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    Quote Originally Posted by dodgyrog View Post
    That problem should disappear shortly, I believe.
    Why?...

  11. #11
    Randy Bohannon's Avatar
    Randy Bohannon is offline “Junes1 is a whining bellend”
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    Quote Originally Posted by -Pete- View Post
    Why?...
    It seems as if the law is going to change with regard to expanding projectiles being classed as section 5 items in their own right.

    A long overdue and very sensible move.
    "An infinite number of monkeys banging away at type writers for an infinite period of time will eventually reproduce Hamlet" Thanks to discussion forums we now know this to be untrue.

  12. #12
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    It is silly cause you can get bullet and drill hole in the end

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