.357 Magnum - .38 Special loads

[FFEMT128]

I decided after reloading for my .45 that I would start to reload my .357 mag and .38 spc loads. Currently I only have Bullseye powder that I was using for my .45. I have purchased Rainier 158 gr HP bullets (plated). Can anyone recommend a suitable load using Bullseye powder? If not which powder do you recommend. I was hoping to get started on Monday after my additional plate for the turret press arrives.

Thanks a bunch in advance.

[thanker92]

The best advice anyone can give you is to go out and get one of the reloading manuals. They can answer almost any question you have.
And welcome to the addiction....because that's what it is....

[Bama Man]

Hercules powders shows their recommended load for 158 grain Jacket bullets at 6.8 grains of bullseye at 1250FPS and 33,100PSI.
Red-dot uses 6.0 grains for Jacketed bullets, at 1160FPS and 33,400 PSI
Hodgdon shows a nice looking load of HS-6, 9 .0 grains with 1240 FPS and 29,000 PSI
and also HS-7 10.0 grains with 1304 FPS and 29,300 PSI.
These are the best loads I found in my powder books
Hope it helps

[thanker92]

Rule #1: ALWAYS start at the low end of a load and work up....while carefully examining your fired cases....everyone whose opinion I valued has told me the same thing.....Have fun...working up your own pet loads is really a blast...(that might have been a poor choice of words)

[Bama Man]

Amen, thanker.
These loads listed in the hercules and hodgdon powder books are NEVER EXCEED loads.
Best to reduce by 10% and work up. ( the loading books say that reducing by 6% as a start load is ok, but, working up a good load is one of the "perks" of handloading.
Always check for "squib" loads when working up a load also.(light loads that don't push the bullet out the end of the barrel)
Have fun.

[Bama Man]

ANOTHER fun thing for handloading, especially with .38 revolvers, and .357 magnums is:
Take a .120 drill and drill out the primer hole
Take a cookie sheet, and melt about a 1/4" layer of sealing wax in it.
Prime the cases with your standard primers.
Use the primed case as a "cookie cutter", and "load" your brass.
(some people prefer to load the wax prior to loading the primer.
Hang a bed sheet in an appropriate place.
Have fun.
The wax easily cleans out of the pistol with a bore brush, and wax won't penetrate drywall, but the sheet works REALLY well, and, you can hang targets on it, etc.
Lots of fun, fairly quiet, pretty safe.

[mardo]

ANOTHER fun thing for handloading, especially with .38 revolvers, and .357 magnums is:
Take a .120 drill and drill out the primer hole
Take a cookie sheet, and melt about a 1/4" layer of sealing wax in it.
Prime the cases with your standard primers.
Use the primed case as a "cookie cutter", and "load" your brass.
(some people prefer to load the wax prior to loading the primer.
Hang a bed sheet in an appropriate place.
Have fun.
The wax easily cleans out of the pistol with a bore brush, and wax won't penetrate drywall, but the sheet works REALLY well, and, you can hang targets on it, etc.
Lots of fun, fairly quiet, pretty safe.

Man. I forgot about that. I did that about 26 years ago with my buddy's dad's setup. Lots of cheap fun!

[imashooter2]

The Alliant web site will list loads with Bullseye for both .357 mag and .38 Special. Be aware that Bullseye is too fast burning for optimal performance in the .357 mag, but you can put together very economical mid range loads with it.

http://www.alliantpowder.com/reloaders/Index.htm

[FFEMT128]

Okay, apparently Bullseye may not be the best powder for the .357 & .38. Which powder is recommended by the group here so that I can pick some up monday morning? As I originally said, I had the bullseye for the .45 I have been loading.

I'll check my manuals tonight when I am done working but in the mean time I'm asking those with experience with these rounds.

Thanks.

[imashooter2]

Bullseye is a great .38 Special powder. No need to change there.

For .357 mag, Alliant 2400 is a choice that will allow good speeds and flexibility across a wide range of bullet weights. It's a great powder for cast bullets.

For absolute top velocity, Hodgdon H110 or Winchester 296 would get the nod. H110/W296 are not to be downloaded. They are good for top end loads period.