Reloading Data for 92 .357

[Ranch Dog]

Really, any data from a powder company or Hornady is going to establish the max as far as chamber pressure goes. Pmax is Pmax whether it be in against the chamber wall or a cylinder wall. Velocity will be different but velocity does not establish the max.

Do you have the max load suggested by Hornady? Surely someone here has there book.

[Ranch Dog]

I also think that you have to shoot the firearm to find what works. I've never had another's favorite be the same for my firearm. I have a number of like rifles in the same cartridge and none of those shoot the same load the same. I had to tune each.

[Kiwi-Hunter]

[RD wrote:*Do you have the max load suggested by Hornady? Surely someone here has there book]
Well I have e mailed Hornady two day's ago
The data on the web was mostly pistol and not with the powder I am looking at.
You said it RD with the MAX PRESSURE and that's some of what I need to know.
the 15gn looked like it may work but the primers ? once I have the sight sorted it will shoot better, when I am looking at the target not a half axe handle away.
Thanks for the reply RD, I thought Don & Archer mite have jumped in.
KH

[Ranch Dog]

the 15gn looked like it may work but the primers ?

I personally don't pay attention to the primer brand and I don't use Mag primers in the 357 Mag, 41 Mag, 44 Mag.

[Kiwi-Hunter]

Just some info while on the web, to update the Blue Dot shooters.
KH
.357 Magnum Rifle (Oregon Trail Rifle Data) Reloading Data

Warning! Notes: test gun: Marlin 18 1/2", R 1 1/2; Use WSR for IMR-4227 loads. Do not reduce H-110/W-296 start loads! Apply heavy roll crimp to magnum loads. Do not exceed maximum loads. Never reduce stated overall lengths. Use 1.575 OAL for Round Nose Flat Point.
Update: Alliant Powder Company does not recommend Blue Dot in the .357 magnum using 125-grain bullets. Recipes for heavier bullet weights are acceptable. Their new tests on recent powder samples have shown high pressure spikes that can damage personal property or injure you. For this reason we removed all 125-grain Blue Dot data from .357 magnum tables.

[donhuff]

KH,

I don't worry much about OAL...as long as I am making the rounds LONGER than recommended. I try to crimp in the groove or if the slug has no groove, I make it as long as the cylinder,or chamber, or feeding system will allow. This will usually mean that I can add a little more powder (if desired) to get back to max (if that's what I'm loading to). I don't load bullets with the idea that I'll be using them in multiple weapons, they are usually just for one gun only.

Those primers look fine to me. All the edges are very round. I'd say you were ok. BUT! "they" say that when you see a flattened primer, you could easily be 5-10,000 psi over recommend max. And that is a whole other topic.

When the 357 came out, the max was in the high 40,000 range. Then it was dropped to 42,000, then later down to 38,000.

When I have a gun shooting way off from the bullseye, and I don't have the means to correct it. I'll put up two targets and aim at one, and record groups on the other.

That Blue Dot warning has been out for a while now. It doesn't quite make sense to me cause they still show data for 110 slugs????? I seriously doubt that a 125 grain is all that special. I bet the warning is more politics related for some reason.

I know that you called Archer and myself out specifically, but I'm a little puzzled about what to tell you. I do not know what the recommended max for your load is. But even if I did I would still tell you to work it up like you have been doing, in small steps, until you see some sign of pressure. And then back down until you feel good about it. Like with my 170g lead SWC. I kept going up with 2400 until I got slight flattening on the primers. That was @ 15.0 grains, and I mean it was very slight flattening. So from that I know that I can back down to 14.5, and I might see one out of 50 with a little flattening. That's probably because of a tight crimp caused by a long case, or a little more powder than the others cause I dump and do not weigh each one, or a heavy slug, or an over sized slug, or maybe all of the above got together into one round.

Then if 1 in 50 bothers you, drop back to 14.0, and you'll never see another one. Another way to approach it is to work up loads using Federal primers as they are said to usually be the softest, and will show pressure signs sooner than the others. (CCIs are supposedly the hardest.)

[Kiwi-Hunter]

Hi Don, good to catch up, only called you out as you know something about pressure
Not only that! you have shoot most of your saving's down range or in the air, so there should be something I can learn from your expensive life style
In away you have answered some of what I am looking for, the 4th row was 15gn Alliant 2400 and may have shot the best.
Email: today from Alliant no data for what I am asking, resent a question and am waiting a reply.
couldn't use the second target as my range wasn't set up for it, when the weather come right well blast again.
I seated just out passed the crimp to stop a big jump, will retest this on the other rifle when it returns.
1 in 50 it's nothing to me as long as its flat.
[*I kept going up with 2400 until I got slight flattening on the primers. That was @ 15.0 grains, and I mean it was very slight flattening. So from that I know that I can back down to 14.5,]
What size barrel was this Don? I am thinking about a chron to get data on m/ velocity not that I have gone at it like this.
I just want to find what works and that's it, almost all my shooting is in the 330yds- more that I would load heavier bullets.
But this is a pistol going out the 16" barrel haven't worked with this.
The shooting will be 100 more than likely, so no big deal on range just need it to go flat and hit hard in 1" .

[donhuff]

expensive lifestyle............now you sound like my wife. And you're the one BUYING those fancy schmancy jacketed bullets, while I go out and beg for wheel weights and dig in the range berm for USED bullets


I think my barrel measured right on .357" but I think you must mean length,right? It is a 16 inch long barrel. That load of 15g of 2400, and a 170g lyman 358429 with powder coat, went 1708 fps average for ten shots. And was "levergun" accurate at 100 yards.

This load (and I would suspect your's is too) is plenty flat enough for the yardage that you stated. I have shot it out to 230 yds and it took one notch up, on the rossi ramp, from the 100 yd setting, to get consistent hits on my 12x16 inch metal target. I did not measure the group size that day, as we were just blasting and making noise while it was raining. I would suspect that your bullet will be much more accurate than mine as this slug is too long and heavy for optimum performance in the rossi's slow twist. I tried all kinds of powders thinking that if I push it fast enough, the accuracy might improve.....it didn't. I had read that this bullet did not do that well in the rossi, and I did not believe it. But it is true, and I now know that for a fact.

[Kiwi-Hunter]

[Don wrote*And you're the one BUYING those fancy schmancy jacketed bullets, while I go out and beg for wheel weights and dig in the range berm for USED bullets ]you are starting to sound like JD
Yes Don
Are we plinking or hunting, If I was still driving I wouldn't park at your place
Your last bit of info is what I was thinking on last night.
With the 1:30 twist I will have to check this in both rifles, it's very slow (black powder slow )
trying to go fast it may never do it.
Found my 45 lyman not a lot of comfort there unless it was cast with 5" barrel
Alliant have ask for the bullet and weight, which me, they may do a pressure test.
Now one of your posts Don had this LARGE scope and a small group! what's this 12x16 inch metal target you could hit that if you just throw one of those wheel weights.
Can you give me your address as I would like to send you a pair of nee pads
KH

[donhuff]

KH,

When the wife gets home, I'll see if she can decipher your code and hieroglyphics for me.

I'm more of a black and white/yes or no type of guy. Hints go right over my head and it may be a week or two before I finally figure out what they really mean(if I ever do). I get in trouble about this all the time cause people think that they are telling me something, but I totally miss it.

Sadly for me, my wife is a "hinter" too. She will talk to me for 15 minutes. When she's done I say "so you want me to take the trash out............RIGHT?"

What's worse is. I'll tell her to take the trash out................and she will go to the grocery store and buy a gallon of milk!!!!!!!!!!! then she sez "I thought that was what you meant" NO, I meant what I said!