357 mag load please

[Blackhorse]

Came up with several hundred 125 grain xtp's, and several pounds of h110 powder, want to load these components to run through my 27-2 Smith, My horandy, speer and hodgdon books vary wildly. So would like a few suggestions from those of you that have worked up loads. thanks

[HSMITH]

I load that bullet with [REMOVED BY MODERATOR] and run it in my K-frames. It is safe in my guns.

[629 shooter]

Since you are using the XTP I would just stick to Hornady reloading data. Don't know which Hornady manual you have but my Hornady Fourth Edition lists:

357 Magnum

125 XTP
H110

19.3 1450fps
19.7 1500fps
20.0 1550fps
20.3 1600fps
20.6 1650fps

The test revolver they used for the data was an 8 3/8" Smith Model 27.

[Sport45]

From the Hodgdon site. Pay attention to primers used, test fixtures, etc. and always approach maximum loads with great care.

[Ben Shepherd]

One thing not yet mentioned. Use a very firm to heavy crimp with that powder and slug combonation. Preferably the redding "profile crimp" die.

[Toney]

Use the max load in the hornady book, it's a good load

[Blackhorse]

Do you have to use magnum pistol primers with the H110? I see one of my books says yes and the others don't say anything

[629 shooter]

For 357 mag loads the Hornady manual lists the Federal 200 as the primer they used. The 200 is a small pistol magnum primer. I have always used some brand of magnum primers with my H110 357 loads.

[Poodleshooter]

Whatever load you use, use a magnum primer for sure. If you find sandy grains of unburned powder in your barrel or case, your load pressure is too low,and the charge needs to be boosted,the bullet seated deeper,or the crimp increased slightly. If the brass is sticking in your cylinders,then your load is too heavy-back it off in .2gr increments until it doesn't stick. H110 and WW296 both have very narrow windows of function. That's why the Hodgdon manual indicates only an allowable 3% reduction from the max charge. Luckily, being a slow powder it's fairly safe as far as pressure peaking,relatively speaking.
Pick a charge that falls somewhere in the middle of the available range of charges that data shows. Pay close attention to the seating depth. That's what really sets the different brands of bullets apart.

[6mm4me]

I worked up a load for a 8" Dan Wesson in .357. The load I came up with was listed in several loading manuals and was listed as close, but not at the Max of the listings for 2400 powder. However, in under a 1000 shots, it turned the gun into a paperweight. It was accurate while it lasted but ruined the gun.
Since, I have reduced all my loads some in interest of saving the guns over accuracy.

[caz223]

A few things to note:
Your load depends a lot on your gun.
If you happen to be shooting a .357 that was made on a .22 frame (Like a dan wesson 715, etc.), then yeah, be careful on load selection.
My 715 was a POS anyway, but it didn't shoot loose, the gun had an action job done to it by a local guy who didn't know that the parts he was stoning on were case hardened and within a year the gun was just worn out.

However, if you're shooting a 2 to 20 year old blackhawk, an older vaquero, a nice old N-frame smith (Like yours.) your choices certainly aren't limited by the guns' stoutness.
Hornady book loads are great.
A GREAT basic recipe is hornady XTP-HP bullets, magnum primers, and a near-max load of H110. Just can't go wrong.
I just love N-frames, esp. older ones. They just don't make 'em like that anymore.
The hornady, hodgdon, and speer books are great resources, and if you can find 2 of those 3 books that come within a grain of agreeing, start at the lower book (Not the lowest, just the lower of the two that are the closest.).
Don't reduce H110 under starting loads. It doesn't like it.
The problem is when you find a MAX load in one book that is under a starting load in another, and vice versa.
Use common sense and all will be fine.

[StrikeEagle]

These heavy loads with H110 really rock the house. I use 125 grain bullets with heavy charges of this powder (or W296) and they really liven things up, that's for sure!

StrikeEagle