It's been a bit since I reloaded 357 Mag

[Ohio3Wheels]

Just shot the last of some stuff from the '90s and got the cases deprimed and cleaned and now with the 357 '92 in the stable it's time to get serious.

Looking through my smallish cache of 35 bullets I've a few of each of the assorted weight of Sierra jacketed hollow cavity bullets, some cast from a Lee mold that I borrowed from a friend and a box of Penn 180s without gas check and some 180s from an outfit known as Shamrock. About the only difference is the color of the lube and one is heeled and the other isn't.

So questions:

1) Any of you shooting the 180 cast where are you finding the sweet spot for OAL?

2) For the powders currently on hand I'm finding loading info for H110 and True Blue with these big bullets. I'm finding that in handgun rifle cartridges using heavy for caliber bullets that H110 seems to do a good job, but I've never used it in the 357. Comments and observations?

3) Curious about any experience with the Sierra hollow cavities. I've nailed a couple of ground hog with the 125s out of the Black Hawk but that's the limit of my experience on critters with any weight. My recollection is they maybe blow up too fast to use of bigger game like deer.

These 180's are well aged and they may not work worth a darn for any number of reasons, but I've got the better part of 250 round boxes left over and I've got to try them. I went through a box of each back when I was shooting IHMSA animals with the 357 Herret and the 357 Mag. Shot a lot in the Marlin at pick up "cowboy" matches after the pistol shooting was done.

If life will play nice reports soon, I hope.

Make smoke,

[GasGuzzler]

If memory serves I loaded my cast 180s as long as they'd feed in mine....1.615" comes to mind. It's probably here somewhere. I'd have to check my notes on powder but I used H110/W296 or 2400.

I know that doesn't help much.

[Ohio3Wheels]

It's a start. I got one too long last night and had to pull spring and follower to clear it. About 250 cycles and it's starting to smooth out. Think I'll shoot it box stock for a bit before mods start

Make smoke,

[Ohio3Wheels]

Progress so far crimping the Penn 180 SSK bullet in the groove gives me 1.605 and the '92 is agreeable. I'm working up loads with H110.. The loading info I've found so far for cast 180s comes from Oregon Trail and has H110 starting at 13.0 and topping out at 13.4. Generally I prefer not to deal with such tight min max loadings but I'm starting here. I'm putting together loads from min to max with .1 grain steps using the trickler and scale. I may be able to finish this evening and test tomorrow.

Make smoke,

[HarryAlonzo]

Are you testing with a chronograph?

[Ohio3Wheels]

Are you testing with a chronograph?

I wish my 35P is down right now and don't know when I'll get it fixed.

The data I have shows 1,466 for the min and 1,501 for max out of a 18 1/2" Marlin. I'm figuring the Rossi will be in the neighborhood.

Make smoke,

[Ohio3Wheels]

Finally got to the range Sunday. Conditions could have been better, soth facing range and mid morning made for a lot of glare. I had made up a ladder with H110 and some old Penn 180 grain sized .358. These had shot well in the 357 Herret, the Black Hawk and the Marlin 35 Rem back in the early 90's so they're a place to start. Ten rounds each in tenth grain increments from 13.0 to 13.4. Shooting at the 50 yard line.

Penn180-13pt0-H110.jpg

Results at 13.0, .1 and .2 were all pretty much a pattern some slight sign of instability at 13.0

Penn180-13pt3-H110.jpg

Penn180-13pt4-H110.jpg

At 13.3 and 13.4 things looked a bit better but I'd like it tighter. Some of this is probably my shooting as the light was really messing with my sight picture. So I'm going to make up a few more at 13.3 and 13.4 and go later to put the sun at my back. We'll see what we see.


Make smoke,

[GasGuzzler]

Keep going. Getting better.

[Ohio3Wheels]

Data I have has 13.4 as max with H110. May look at some H4227 will take a ook at data here in a bit.

Make smoke,

[runfiverun]

4227 could do well but if it's liking the speed you might also want to look at going down the road a bit further to mp-300 or even aa-1680.