Just curious what you guys like for your 38 special and 357 loads

[timthetoolman]

I have loaded a slew of 38 wad cutters, but I have a bunch of 38/357 projectiles burning a hole in my bench.  Mostly 158 gr (RN and JHP) and 125 gr.  (Hornady XTP I think).  

 

I have some Tite Group, H110, and 2400 laying around.  Both std and mag primers.  And some free time.

 

What loads do you like, powder opinions?  Crimp?  Charge weights or sweet loads?

 

I want to load up a couple hundred 357, and the rest 38 Special.

 

I'm shooting these out of a 6" Python.

 

Thanks

 

 

 

[RED333]

I use Titegroup in all my pistols.

[roverboy]

I used several different powders over the years to load both. Unique, 2400, Herco,  H110, IMR4227. The .38 loads usually work best with slightly faster powders. I like 2400, H110  and 4227 in the heavy magnum loads.

Edited June 3, 2013 by roverboy

[Guest Lester Weevils]

I only load .357 because it costs about the same as .38 and I don't have any .38 guns that can't shoot .357.

 

I don't experiment much. Once a load seems to work I just keep making them. Never loaded anyting but blue dot in .357 because long ago somebody said blue dot is good for .357 and it seemed to work OK. When I use up the remaining blue dot got a few pounds of Ramshot Enforcer gonna start using, which supposedly makes a good full-tilt-boogie round.

 

Never loaded anything except 158 gn. For years loaded nothing but Rainier copper plated hollow points. Then in 2008 it got hard to get Rainiers for awhile so I bought a bunch of semi-jacket flat point and semi-jacket hollow points which I haven't used up yet.

 

Always used Federal magnum small pistol primer, just because that's all I ever used and never ran dry of federal mag primers and wasn't able to buy more. If I ever run dry of federal will be just as happy to try some other brand.

[2.ooohhh]

I've almost shot up all the .38 stash that I inherited and I'm still trying to decide if I want to change now or stick with the "family recipe". I can barely read my grandfathers 40+ year old chicken scratch but I know the powder was always Bullseye and the bullet was always his home cast semi wadcutters. 

[I_Like_Pie]

13.5 grains of bullseye on 158 grainers for .357 is my standard.  It is well below max for every bullet in that weight range and doesn't beat me up. 

[ttocswob]

kaboom much?

 

 

Reloader's Guide Alliant Powder Reload Recipes

Recipe(s)

 

Caliber Bullet Case Minimum OAL(inches) Bbl Length Primer Powder Charge Weight(grains) Velocity(fps)

357 Magnum 158 gr Speer LSWC Speer 1.57 6 CCI 500 Bullseye 4.8 939
357 Magnum 110 gr Speer UCHP Speer 1.575 6 CCI 500 Bullseye 8.7 1,403

 

Edited June 3, 2013 by ttocswob

[Sidewinder]

Anyone using the .357Mag/.38Spl in a rifle for hunting? I have a Savage 24V Series D, chambered in .357Mag over a 20 gauge bottom barrel. Barrel length is 24" and the twist is 1" in 12". As soon as I build up some .357 Mag brass, I'd like to load up some loads for killing paper targets, and some for hunting, probably deer, yotes, and other critters. I have "never" reloaded any .357 Mag, even though I've been reloading other calibers and shotshells for years. Thanks, I'm all ears.

[timthetoolman]

Anyone using the .357Mag/.38Spl in a rifle for hunting? I have a Savage 24V Series D, chambered in .357Mag over a 20 gauge bottom barrel. Barrel length is 24" and the twist is 1" in 12". As soon as I build up some .357 Mag brass, I'd like to load up some loads for killing paper targets, and some for hunting, probably deer, yotes, and other critters. I have "never" reloaded any .357 Mag, even though I've been reloading other calibers and shotshells for years. Thanks, I'm all ears.

 

 

Nope I have a 44 mag rifle and have been looking for a 357/38 for a while that isnt a lever action.

[HvBikeWlTravel]

Anyone using the .357Mag/.38Spl in a rifle for hunting? I have a Savage 24V Series D, chambered in .357Mag over a 20 gauge bottom barrel. Barrel length is 24" and the twist is 1" in 12". As soon as I build up some .357 Mag brass, I'd like to load up some loads for killing paper targets, and some for hunting, probably deer, yotes, and other critters. I have "never" reloaded any .357 Mag, even though I've been reloading other calibers and shotshells for years. Thanks, I'm all ears.

Many years ago I had a lever action Rossi. After 2 separate incidents of split cases I decided pushing the pressure limits on a 357 case was both time consuming and costly in the instance where I had to get a Gunsmith to remove the front half of one case. I didn't notice the half-case ejection and tried to chamber another round. Irritating!  Unique and AA#5 have been my preference for both 38 and 357 cartridges. Blue Dot puts out more smoke.

But the 357 is quite effective on Groundhogs in both Rifle and Handgun loads. 125 gr. HP preferred.  Personally, I would not deer hunt with a 357 with any bullet configuration. .41 Mag is the minimum certainly for hogs.

Edited June 15, 2013 by HvBikeWlTravel

[Sidewinder]

Thanks for the information folks. Some say yea and some say nay on deer hunting with the .357Mag. I have other guns I can use for that...Marlin .30-30 lever action, and a Savage bolt in .243. I had planned on keeping the shots in close, and broadside only. But, I can have fun with the gun on other things, as soon as I build up some brass, and some recipes, to reload up or down. I like to start down first, and never excede the published loads. I guess the slow burning powder would be best, as it has a 24" barrel to burn up in. I was thinking jacketed hollow points for the bullet. I'm also trying to keep the reloading cost to a minimum. I've hunted for this little Savage 24, break action for a long time... like all of us usually do, I paid too much for it... but, I've got one by golly!

[Hozzie]

I strictly use Accurate #5 for .357 loads.  I use 158gr SWC's, but what you have would work.  I think titegroup is a bit hot for me in .357.  There is a lot of load data out there.

[Hershmeister]

I also use accurate #5 - for all my pistol rounds. Boring but it works for me

[gun sane]

My .38 Colt Detective Special likes flat pointed 158 gr. LSWC with Trail Boss and Red Dot.  The Ruger Blackhawk shooting the same bullet in .38 prefers Titegroup and AA2.  I haven't tried 158 RN yet, but I'm sure these powders will suffice.

[ttocswob]

Anyone using the .357Mag/.38Spl in a rifle for hunting? I have a Savage 24V Series D, chambered in .357Mag over a 20 gauge bottom barrel. Barrel length is 24" and the twist is 1" in 12". As soon as I build up some .357 Mag brass, I'd like to load up some loads for killing paper targets, and some for hunting, probably deer, yotes, and other critters. I have "never" reloaded any .357 Mag, even though I've been reloading other calibers and shotshells for years. Thanks, I'm all ears.

 

Yes, although I've yet to take a shot. I have a H&R Trapper Handi Rifle 18.5" and a Rossi 16" lever gun. In the Handi Rifle, 158 grain XTP's over 16.5 grains H110 (max is 16.7) will chrono about 1700 fps, as does the Hornady factory loads. Haven't done as much with the Rossi, but loads typically chrono about 50 fps less than the Handi Rifle.

 

I've also gotten similar performance with a gas checked 160g wadcutter over 16 g H110 - and this grouped about 2-1/2" at 100 yards.

 

Either load with either rifle IMO is more than adequate for deer inside 100 yards.

[Sidewinder]

Nope I have a 44 mag rifle and have been looking for a 357/38 for a while that isnt a lever action.

Don't give up! I've been looking for this one for years. Good luck.

[Sidewinder]

Yes, although I've yet to take a shot. I have a H&R Trapper Handi Rifle 18.5" and a Rossi 16" lever gun. In the Handi Rifle, 158 grain XTP's over 16.5 grains H110 (max is 16.7) will chrono about 1700 fps, as does the Hornady factory loads. Haven't done as much with the Rossi, but loads typically chrono about 50 fps less than the Handi Rifle.

 

I've also gotten similar performance with a gas checked 160g wadcutter over 16 g H110 - and this grouped about 2-1/2" at 100 yards.

 

Either load with either rifle IMO is more than adequate for deer inside 100 yards.

Thanks, I'm writing down various recipes people offer. I'm not sure how the extra length of my barrel will affect the loads. Looks like the 158gr semi jacketed soft point will probably be my choice of bullet for hunting. Thanks again, for the info.

[gun sane]

Thanks, I'm writing down various recipes people offer. I'm not sure how the extra length of my barrel will affect the loads.

 

You'll get the most pep out of a lever action rifle, but a 6-8" barrel is much better than a snubbie.

Edited June 18, 2013 by gun sane

[ttocswob]

Thanks, I'm writing down various recipes people offer. I'm not sure how the extra length of my barrel will affect the loads. Looks like the 158gr semi jacketed soft point will probably be my choice of bullet for hunting. Thanks again, for the info.

 

Edited to add: Use Magnum primers with H110 - and I've also used small rifle primers without a hiccup.

[Will H]

I generally keep to two loads.  .38 special is standard primer, 4 grains of Unique, and a 158 grain LSWC from Falcon bullets.  When I want fun in .357 I load 7.8 grains of Unique, magnum primer, and the same 158 grain LSWC from Falcon.

[TNJed44]

I've started taking a serious look at 38 Special and 357 handloads over the last year.  

 

So far, my favorite 38 Special load is 158 swc with a higher end dose of Bullseye.  Smoky, but accurate and easy on the gun, just a tiny bit of leading.  I tried Power Pistol with the same bullet and my barrel was completely smeared with lead after a handful of shots.

 

For 357 mag, I'm starting to really like the same 158 gr swc with the minimum level of AA9 and a magnum primer.  I am not convinced I really need a magnum primer with this, but I accidentally bought a box of 1,000 magnum primers, and I saw on AA's reloading site that magnum primers should be used, so I'm doing it.  Nice load, powerful enough for recoil practice, good & loud, absolutely zero leading.

[Clod Stomper]

Anyone using the .357Mag/.38Spl in a rifle for hunting? I have a Savage 24V Series D, chambered in .357Mag over a 20 gauge bottom barrel. Barrel length is 24" and the twist is 1" in 12". As soon as I build up some .357 Mag brass, I'd like to load up some loads for killing paper targets, and some for hunting, probably deer, yotes, and other critters. I have "never" reloaded any .357 Mag, even though I've been reloading other calibers and shotshells for years. Thanks, I'm all ears.

Wow. I got one if those when I was a teenager. I don't think I have seen another one since then.

Can't give you velocities from the rifle, but I worked up some loads with VV N110 and 158 gr SWC that is 1500 fps from an 8-3/8" barrel S&W. I bet it would be a good load for the rifle. H110 would probably be very similar.

Your post made me want to dig out that old Savage just for old times' sake.

Will

[RichardR]

Unfortunately all of my reloading stuff is in storage & I can't cite the exact amounts of each powder/recipes from memory at the moment but I typically load two variations of each .38spl & .357 mag one for target (148gr WC + accurate #5), and one for self defense (125gr JHP + accurate #9).

The two different loads one w/#5, the other #9 are essentially identical for each of the parent cases, the Accurate #5 +148gr WC's are fairly mild but very accuate, with the Accurate #9 + 125gr JHP's being middle ground SD/HD loads (essentially a hot .38spl +P pressures) that work well out of all of my guns chambered in either .38 or .357

I experimented with just using Accurate #5 for everything & it worked fairly well but I save a bit of money using less of the #9 than with just dropping a little more of the #5

Anyway speaking of cost saving, I also had very good results using Nitro 100 & Alliant Promo + 148gr WC's granted these are both shotgun powders but I was looking for ways to save money while producing large quantities of very accurate target loads.

The downside is the shotgun powders are a bit dirtier, but the cost savings is substantial if you shoot a lot of .38/.357 on a regular basis.

[HvBikeWlTravel]

So far, my favorite 38 Special load is 158 swc with a higher end dose of Bullseye.  Smoky, but accurate and easy on the gun, just a tiny bit of leading.  I tried Power Pistol with the same bullet and my barrel was completely smeared with lead after a handful of shots.

 

For 357 mag, I'm starting to really like the same 158 gr swc with the minimum level of AA9 and a magnum primer.  I am not convinced I really need a magnum primer with this, but I accidentally bought a box of 1,000 magnum primers, and I saw on AA's reloading site that magnum primers should be used, so I'm doing it.  Nice load, powerful enough for recoil practice, good & loud, absolutely zero leading.

My limited experience with AA#9 says definitely use Magnum Primers. I never got complete burn with several 41, 44, and 445 loads.  Still at least 1/2 lb. sitting in my basement. Might be good for fireworks!

 

Update; I noticed a note on the AA#9 Container. Not for use with my Lee Pistol Powder Dropper.  Too fine.

Edited July 11, 2013 by HvBikeWlTravel

[timthetoolman]

Well I am assembling a new lower for an AR project tonight, but I think I will be working on various loads for 38 and 357 this week.  I plan to use magnum primers for the 357, but regular for the 38.  I shoot a bunch of wadcutters and havent had any issues with unburnt powder if I crimp right.  44 is a different animal, seems like they prefer a heavy crimp.  

 

Still not sure which powder I will use but I have a fair amount of Titegroup so I will see whats out there for loads using that.