Low Recoil 357mag loads

[weebeestie]

I'm only shooting at 25yd max at my range so dont see the point of heavy loading.
Anyone got experience of nice easy loads.
I have 148 and 140gr slugs with N320 and Red Dot.
What have you been using ?

[dprees]

I've used the following load successfully through my Marlin .357 (18.5" barrel, microgroove)
GM 148gr DEWCBB, Fed 100 (or Rem 1.5 or CCI 500) primer, 3.3gr N320, C.O.L.: 1.382".
925fps, 281ft-lb. S.D.: 13.5, CoV: 1.2%
Group size (edge-to-edge, 10 shots): 34mm.

NB. This load was no use in my Taurus LBR; there I got around 710fps, and a group size over 70mm...

[weebeestie]

I couldnt go that low with my marlin.
Only got good grouping at 4.3gr
Id like to take the taurus down to about 600 fps so Red Dot may be the way to go. Maybe even Unique.
Never come across anyone using anything lighter than 158gr so im looking for info on lighter bullets like 110, 125, 140gr bullets.

[JB101]

http://www.hodgdonreloading.com/data/pistol
Try the above for some info , alternatively if you want a low recoil load then use 38special.
ATB
James

[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

[Richard52]

.357 brass is slightly thicker/stiffer, so it may not maintain a consistent crimp for as long as .38 brass. For target loads, .38 cases are more than adequate (and a lot cheaper), so I'd suggest using them unless your lever-action cycles more reliably with the longer case. Popular wisdom is not to put very light loads in .357 cases because of the larger case volume (risk of detonation?), but I've never heard of any specific issue in this respect.

I use 2.5gns BA10 behind a 158 T/C hardcast bullet in my .357 Taurus using a .38 case. 2.7gns of CSB5 also works well, and CSB5 is easier to source than BA10 these days.

[mag44uk]

Realistically there is no difference between 38 and 357 cases apart from one is slightly longer.
If you used a 38 special load in a 357 case the only difference will be about 25fps depending on barrel length and coa length.
I am using 3,8gns of BA10 in 357 brass with homecast 135gn rnfp. Most pleasant and decent accuracy to 50yds.
I used to use Vectan AS which was cheap as chips until it dried up. Moved over to Maxam CSB5 and using up BA10 left over from pistol days.
TBH any fast burning powder shotgun/pistol powder around 3.5gns will work for a target load in a 357 case.
I have used just about most of these types of powder over the past 40 years.

[svincett]

3.1 titegroup with 158 grains gm rnfp 357 bullet heads from Kranks with a very light crimp