Low Recoil 357mag loads

[arsefactor]

Hi

I use a 105gr SWC slug cast from range scrap with 3.4gr of Bullseye or HP38. Very light bullet, makes very neat holes in paper and very accurate at 20yds, haven't tried any further out. Works great with the same load in my Marlin and Alfa LBR, saves me making two different loads.
I have to cast the bullets myself and as they are a SWC profile, they are rubbish for rapid feeding from the Marlin tube magazine, so I just load one at a time.
I have used less powder before - 3gr was my standard load for a while - but found I preferred a slightly louder bang with 3.4gr. Couldn't see any difference in accuracy though that's my dodgy eyes and iron sights rather than proper load development.

Cheers!

[weebeestie]

Hi Mr A factor,
are you using 357 mag or 38 spl cases.
It seems lower preassure and speed are better from 38 spl load data.
I have plenty 38 cases but found 357s were easier to load with speedloader.
I'll need to start practicing with 38 cases now.

[Simon_S]

I was told just put the 38 load in the 357 case

[arsefactor]

Ey up ... I use .357 cases, had the same batch of cases since I started reloading for them in 2011. Since the loads are relatively sedate and I only apply a light crimp it's a rare event if one splits during firing.
When reloading I prime all the cases on a single state press first so I can check each one for splits or cracks, so a damaged case should never get to the fully loaded stage.

[Daryll]

If you're loading low pressure rounds, .357 cases should last almost indefinately...

I've only just thrown out about 500 starline cases as the primer pockets were starting to get loose. These were cases i bought when i started loading for my S&W686 in 1987...!!

They must have been reloaded over 60 times for the 686, and latterly for my Marlin, but it was time to say goodbye...

My current load for the Marlin is 4.4gn of N320 behind a 158gn truncated cone bullet. For my Taurus LBR I used 3.3gn of N320 behing a 148gn HBWC.

[markreid]

Rossi .357 20” octagonal barrel

158grn lswc .4.5grn bullseye

shoots nice tight groups at 25yrd , smooth to shoot

[weebeestie]

Well I had limited range time yesterday but did manage a few rounds down range.
Shooting a Taurus 66 revolver I decided to go down the 38 spl case load to start with.
Red Dot in 2 gr increments from 2.5 to 3.5 behind 143gr truncated cone.
Supposed to be 140 gr but all within 143 +/_ 0.5.
3gr was nice to shoot but all over the place
Up to 3.5 was punchy and not what I'm after.
The 2.5 was nice and easy, a pleasure to shoot and not to bad accuracy wise.
I may increase by a few tenth of grain for better accuracy next week.

[Simon_S]

I use 3gr tightgroup and 180gr tc in my Rugger 77/357 works nice groups are not bad

[223AI]

Rossi .357 20” octagonal barrel

158grn lswc .4.5grn bullseye

shoots nice tight groups at 25yrd , smooth to shoot

Almost identical to the load I use which is 4.6 gr