Hey Guys,

Thanks again for everyone's input on all my reloading questions. So I just picked up my new .357 Magnum with a 5" barrel. Now I am looking for a good target load (I know I need to try it in my specific gun). I will be using .357 brass but I want to load to 750-850 fps. I am curious what most of you are using for target loads? Lead? Plated? Wadcutters? SemiWadcutters? Powder?

I was thinking of starting with 120gr - 140gr lead semi-wadcutters and Titegroup powder. Currently I do not have the bullets and powder so I am open to any suggestions.

if you ever decide on using 38 brass, I have some loads that I have chrono'd through a 4" K frame using HP38 / win 231.  I got nothing for 357 though.

if you ever decide on using 38 brass, I have some loads that I have chrono'd through a 4" K frame using HP38 / win 231.  I got nothing for 357 though.

Actually, your info would be quite useful as the bullets are the same diameter and the 357 case is only a fraction longer. No reason why I cannot run the same loads in 357 brass instead of 38 special brass. I doubt the feet per second would change much if any.

Actually, your info would be quite useful as the bullets are the same diameter and the 357 case is only a fraction longer. No reason why I cannot run the same loads in 357 brass instead of 38 special brass. I doubt the feet per second would change much if any.

You're probably right about it not making a difference, I'm just super anal when it comes to reloading.  IIRC, the difference in brass had to do with being careful not to load too light.  Anyway, I'll pull my book out and send some info your way in the next day or so.  As with any load data not worked up by yourself, use it at your own risk. 
 

You're probably right about it not making a difference, I'm just super anal when it comes to reloading.  IIRC, the difference in brass had to do with being careful not to load too light.  Anyway, I'll pull my book out and send some info your way in the next day or so.  As with any load data not worked up by yourself, use it at your own risk. 
 

Don't worry, I am probably just as anal as you are. I am just looking for some real starting points instead of just pulling out of my reloading manuals. It took me so long and so many trials to finally find something acceptable with my rifle I am just hoping to gain a little insight to what bullet types, weights and fps from someone who has already been there. Thank you VERY much!!!

Sorry man, but I use the cheapest stuff out there for my reloads.  Just really interested more in a plinking setup for my 38/357.

I was looking to use Vihtavuori N320 for loading a 140 grain Hornady FTX bullet, but couldn't find the load data.  I was advised by someone from Vihtavuori (via emails, which I cannot find now) that a slower burning powder than the N320 would work better for 357 magnum.  So, it would also apply to TiteGroup & W231.

Long story short, I am using W296 for my 357 magnum loads (18.0gr) using Montana Gold 125gr JHP bullets.

You may consider simply loading with 38spl brass with 38spl load data considering the fps you are looking to achieve.

At 750-850 fps I like to use a HBWC with Bullseye.  I normally use 38 spl brass but it will also work in 357 brass. Speer, Hornady and Remington make some great HBWC's. With these bullets you need to keep velocities to around 750-800 fps to prevent leading. 

I read an article by an old timer many years ago about loading for accuracy in his 357 Magnum revolver. And he was saying that all of his loads were in the same range as the 38 Special. But he used 357 Magnum cases to keep the bullet as close to the cone as possible. Also, he said that brass lasted forever because the 357 magnum cases are designed for the higher pressures and he never loaded them that heavy. So I have kept this in the back of my mind all these years.

My bullets come in Wednesday and I can hardly wait to get started. I hopefully will get enough going so I can get to the range with my new gun this weekend!

^^^The logic makes sense.  Be careful of underpressure loads though. 

Last time I was at Kokohead a guy was shooting/testing his reloads.  He had a lot of squibs.  I don't know if it was powder related or other, but he was using his cleaning rod way too much to clear the bullet from his barrel.  Be careful that if you squib, you don't mistakenly send another round through the barrel before it's cleared.

^^^The logic makes sense.  Be careful of underpressure loads though. 

Last time I was at Kokohead a guy was shooting/testing his reloads.  He had a lot of squibs.  I don't know if it was powder related or other, but he was using his cleaning rod way too much to clear the bullet from his barrel.  Be careful that if you squib, you don't mistakenly send another round through the barrel before it's cleared.

Thanks for the advice. I intend to stay near the minimums as stated here on this forum and in my reloading manuals. I doubt I'll get a squib by staying in the 650-800fps range. I was at the metal range one day and a guy had a S&W 500 X Frame I believe. He had a couple of squibs while I was there. Each time there was quite a bit of unburned powder in each shell. He said he thought that maybe he got some lube in his reload and it fowled the powder. Not sure why there would be so much unburned powder? But the lube fowling the powder sounds possible to me. I have never had this sort of issue as I always run the brass through a last tumble before loading if I use any lube in the process.

^^^^I've been too chicken to try and reload 460 SW Mag. 

^^^^I've been too chicken to try and reload 460 SW Mag.

But can you afford to buy ammo for it? 

^^^Yup

I like it more to clear space out at the silhouette range than anything else. 

NICE!!! 

^^^Yup

I like it more to clear space out at the silhouette range than anything else. 

Shoot big. Miss big.

Shoot big. Miss big.

It's hard to miss that 4'x4' piece of plate steel out there! But I guess it is possible!!! 

Shoot big. Miss big.

Yup. I've got a bad flinching habit.  On the other hand if you shot a 45 acp after the 460 mag/454 Casull you don't really flinch too much afterwards.

  I know this is an old thread, but I just joined here and am reading through the threads. I have shot and hand loaded a lot of .38 Special and .357 Magnum. For a light target load I found the Hornady 148 grain hollow base wadcutter bullets over a moderate charge of Bullseye powder to hard to bear, and accurate in many guns. I used .38 Special brass. Also, I competed for many years in 100 meter and 200 meter NRA Hunter Pistol and IHMSA  Competition. I used a TC Contender in .357 Magnum, BUT, for the 100 meter I used Federal .38 Special brass and Winchester 110 grain JHP bullets again over Bullseye powder. I don't have the exact charge written down any more. Why .38 Special brass? Because when I was doing the load development for those matches, I tried a ton of experimental loads and went with what was the most accurate with enough power to knock down the 100 meter targets reliably. I won a lot of matches with that load. If .357 brass would have been best, I would have used that. I did not like the Speer 148 grain HBWC bullets near as much as the Hornady. These matches at 100 meters were standing, but you could use a scope. I found that my TC Contender and am Aimpoint dot scope using the 110 grain JHP and Bullseye were simply the best in that Contender with the 10" barrel. The HBWC worked great in any of my .38 Special revolvers, and great in my .357 Magnums also.

   

As an update I have worked up a nice load for my pistol to shoot 25yds and 50yds. I use 5.0grs of Titegroup on a 125gr Montana Gold Bullet JHP. According to the manuals it should give around 1,000 to 1,050 fps. I get excellent accuracy and I am satisfied with the low amount of recoil. I have tried these at 100yds but I am not satisfied with the results at a 100. So I have worked up a few higher powered loads and once the rifle range opens back up I'll see what the results are.

Thanks for resurrecting this old thread.