357 mag with 2400 powder???

mshpx645 · September 1, 2012, 08:19 PM

I want to hunt deer this year with my 6 inch Ruger GP100. I'm out of H110 but have lots of 2400 powder. I am planning on using a hornady 180 grain bullet with the 2400 powder. My Lyman book shows 12.5 grns max but numerous places on the internet show up to 14.5 grns. I'm needing some recommendations for this powder/bullet. My Hornady bullets are all jhp's, thinking on going with a flat nose bullet. Thanks

Edward429451 · September 1, 2012, 09:43 PM

My Lyman 49 shows 10.0 to 12.6 for a similar bullet. I advise you to start with 10.0 gr and work the load up, rather than trying to max too fast, no matter what you heard. You have time if you get busy.

GP100man · September 2, 2012, 10:47 AM

The 180 xtp does a good job of balancing the available space & weight distribution for the 357mag case !

As Edward429451 suggested work ya loads up ,as every revolver/firearm is an entity to it`s own likes & there will be a sweet spot (in grs) that the bullet & revolver will like . My 6" liked 12.2grs. any more & groups opened fast!

It`s been a while since I`ve shot any jacketed, but I do remember the xtps & 2400.

Crankgrinder · September 2, 2012, 11:23 AM

The Lee book i have shows 11.8gr start load and 12.5gr max load for 180gr jacketed. Lyman book shows 10.0 start load and 12.6gr for 180gr jhp. Each 2400. Hornady xtp were the first things i ever loaded and 2400 was the powder i started with and used it ever since. I do have a new revolver that i notice shows scorch marks on tops of the cylinder when i use it, i suppose due to slow burn rate. I believe i had .005 cylinder gap when i last checked it, my last gp100 was 4" barrell and it didnt do this my new one is 6" and it does. Overall though id recomend 2400 i think its a great powder.

Clark · September 2, 2012, 01:31 PM

"Speer 12" 1994 says 180 gr 13.5 gr 2400 for 1.690" for Contenders 45kcup.
I don't think that is going to fit in your 1.590" revolver.
Quickload thinks the difference in length is 40.1kpsi vs 56.9kpsi
QL thinks one should reduce it to 12.1 gr to get 40.1kpsi at 1.590"
John Bercovitz posted about the 357 mag in 1993 on use net, before www gun forums:
..if a chamber's walls are particularly thin, it will be hard to extract cases (regardless of whether or not these thin chamber walls are within their stress limits). A really good illustration of this can be found when comparing the S&W model 19 to the S&W model 27. Both guns are 357 magnum caliber and both can take full-pressure loads without bursting. The model 27 has thick chamber walls and the model 19 has thin chamber walls. Cartridge cases which contained full-pressure loads are easily extracted from a model 27 but they have to be pounded out of a model 19. So manufacturers don't manufacture full-pressure loads for the 357 magnums anymore. ..

crowbeaner · September 2, 2012, 08:22 PM

The best way to find out is to start with 11.0 grains and work up 1/2 grain at a time until you start to get sticky extraction and back down 1/2 grain. Watch the primers closely; you'll start to see dimpled firing pin marks when the pressure is getting close to max. Keep in mind that 357 data for 2400 has been continually lessened in manuals since the cartridge was invented; lawyers or prudence is the reason. 2400 today isn't the same as the stuff in the old metal cans that the late Mr. Keith used. Use standard primers, not magnums.

WESHOOT2 · September 9, 2012, 09:29 AM

Suggest 12.0--13.0g, and limiting shots to under 120 yds.

Different bullet? Different charge weight.

I prefer the Remington 'conventional' 180g JHP from my GPs as a deer load.

Sevens · September 9, 2012, 10:41 AM

2400 is a great powder for this role as it builds toward it's max evenly without REALLY nasty & spiky surprises at the end.

When I'm triple-checking (and beyond) a 2400 load, I tend to look at the older guides and manuals along with the "current" sources. I'll second the point made earlier that all the 2400 load data has been reduced over the last many years.

IMO, there's safe room slightly in excess of what is a published max in the year 2012, but you can't simply state what that max is -- you have to work toward it.

September 1, 2012, 08:19 PM	#1
mshpx645 Member Join Date: December 27, 2009 Location: Missouri Posts: 19	357 mag with 2400 powder??? I want to hunt deer this year with my 6 inch Ruger GP100. I'm out of H110 but have lots of 2400 powder. I am planning on using a hornady 180 grain bullet with the 2400 powder. My Lyman book shows 12.5 grns max but numerous places on the internet show up to 14.5 grns. I'm needing some recommendations for this powder/bullet. My Hornady bullets are all jhp's, thinking on going with a flat nose bullet. Thanks

September 2, 2012, 10:47 AM	#3
GP100man Senior Member Join Date: August 1, 2007 Location: Tabor City , NC. Posts: 1,969	The 180 xtp does a good job of balancing the available space & weight distribution for the 357mag case ! As Edward429451 suggested work ya loads up ,as every revolver/firearm is an entity to it`s own likes & there will be a sweet spot (in grs) that the bullet & revolver will like . My 6" liked 12.2grs. any more & groups opened fast! It`s been a while since I`ve shot any jacketed, but I do remember the xtps & 2400. __________________ GP100man

September 2, 2012, 01:31 PM	#5
Clark Senior Member Join Date: December 4, 1999 Location: WA, the ever blue state Posts: 4,678	"Speer 12" 1994 says 180 gr 13.5 gr 2400 for 1.690" for Contenders 45kcup. I don't think that is going to fit in your 1.590" revolver. Quickload thinks the difference in length is 40.1kpsi vs 56.9kpsi QL thinks one should reduce it to 12.1 gr to get 40.1kpsi at 1.590" John Bercovitz posted about the 357 mag in 1993 on use net, before www gun forums: ..if a chamber's walls are particularly thin, it will be hard to extract cases (regardless of whether or not these thin chamber walls are within their stress limits). A really good illustration of this can be found when comparing the S&W model 19 to the S&W model 27. Both guns are 357 magnum caliber and both can take full-pressure loads without bursting. The model 27 has thick chamber walls and the model 19 has thin chamber walls. Cartridge cases which contained full-pressure loads are easily extracted from a model 27 but they have to be pounded out of a model 19. So manufacturers don't manufacture full-pressure loads for the 357 magnums anymore. .. __________________ The word 'forum" does not mean "not criticizing books." "Ad hominem fallacy" is not the same as point by point criticism of books. If you bought the book, and believe it all, it may FEEL like an ad hominem attack, but you might strive to accept other points of view may exist. Are we a nation of competing ideas, or a nation of forced conformity of thought?

September 2, 2012, 08:22 PM	#6
crowbeaner Senior Member Join Date: June 4, 2007 Location: Upstate SC Posts: 1,943	The best way to find out is to start with 11.0 grains and work up 1/2 grain at a time until you start to get sticky extraction and back down 1/2 grain. Watch the primers closely; you'll start to see dimpled firing pin marks when the pressure is getting close to max. Keep in mind that 357 data for 2400 has been continually lessened in manuals since the cartridge was invented; lawyers or prudence is the reason. 2400 today isn't the same as the stuff in the old metal cans that the late Mr. Keith used. Use standard primers, not magnums. __________________ If you want your children to follow in your footsteps, be careful where you walk. Beware the man that only owns one gun; he probably knows how to use it. I just hope my ship comes in before my dock rots.

September 9, 2012, 09:29 AM	#7
WESHOOT2 Senior Member Join Date: February 20, 1999 Location: home on the range; Vermont (Caspian country) Posts: 14,324	Suggest 12.0--13.0g, and limiting shots to under 120 yds. Different bullet? Different charge weight. I prefer the Remington 'conventional' 180g JHP from my GPs as a deer load. __________________ . "all my ammo is mostly retired factory ammo"

September 1, 2012, 09:43 PM	#2
Edward429451 Junior member Join Date: November 12, 2000 Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado Posts: 9,494	My Lyman 49 shows 10.0 to 12.6 for a similar bullet. I advise you to start with 10.0 gr and work the load up, rather than trying to max too fast, no matter what you heard. You have time if you get busy.

September 2, 2012, 11:23 AM	#4
Crankgrinder Senior Member Join Date: July 24, 2011 Location: Texas Posts: 917	The Lee book i have shows 11.8gr start load and 12.5gr max load for 180gr jacketed. Lyman book shows 10.0 start load and 12.6gr for 180gr jhp. Each 2400. Hornady xtp were the first things i ever loaded and 2400 was the powder i started with and used it ever since. I do have a new revolver that i notice shows scorch marks on tops of the cylinder when i use it, i suppose due to slow burn rate. I believe i had .005 cylinder gap when i last checked it, my last gp100 was 4" barrell and it didnt do this my new one is 6" and it does. Overall though id recomend 2400 i think its a great powder.

September 9, 2012, 10:41 AM	#8
Sevens Senior Member Join Date: July 28, 2007 Location: Ohio Posts: 11,756	2400 is a great powder for this role as it builds toward it's max evenly without REALLY nasty & spiky surprises at the end. When I'm triple-checking (and beyond) a 2400 load, I tend to look at the older guides and manuals along with the "current" sources. I'll second the point made earlier that all the 2400 load data has been reduced over the last many years. IMO, there's safe room slightly in excess of what is a published max in the year 2012, but you can't simply state what that max is -- you have to work toward it. __________________ *Attention Brass rats and other reloaders:* I really need .327 Federal Magnum brass, no lot size too small. Tell me what caliber you need and I'll see what I have to swap. PM me and we'll discuss.