Best bullets for reloading .357

teesh · September 3, 2007, 10:57 PM

Want to start reloading for a GP100 (4" SS) I just bought. Looking to reload for range shooting, jack rabbits and coyotes close in. To reduce lead fouling, what bullets would you prefer for these needs? Berry's, Laser-Cast, Rainier, LBT......which do you like/use? Which do you hate? What is meant by a "gas check" on some of the current bullets? I've got Grizzly ammo for out in the woods. And I will buy my HP/SD and carry ammo......won't be reloading that. Any suggestions are appreciated. Thanks.

DWARREN123 · September 4, 2007, 12:13 AM

I like and have used Berry's and Hornady HP-XTP's. These 2 brands have all the types I like. I don't use lead so can not help there.

DBotkin · September 4, 2007, 12:54 AM

I've been using Laser-Cast 158 grain SWC for a while now, with loads ranging from light .38 SPL to some pretty substantial Magnum loads. No lading so far, and I've been looking for it. My .44 was leading up pretty badly with the Laser-Cast bullets, but not the .357.

TWB · September 4, 2007, 02:55 AM

I've used the following with good results, in no particular order:
Berry's, Ranier, bulk Remington SJHP, bulk Winchester JHP, Nosler JHP, Hornady XTP (requires higher velocities to expand), Sierra JCP(?), and Speer JHP. If you keep velocities below ~1150fps, the Berry's and Raniers are lowest cost. I haven't found any significant differences in accuracy or performance in any of the hollow points listed. Berry's makes a hollow point plated bullet that should expand nicely, based on what I've seen with their flat points. Gold Dots are nice, too, but expensive for low velocity goofing around. I decline to use lead bullets anymore. Too much smoke, fouling, variability in lubes causing nasty buildup in gun and reloading dies and on cases. I've had a good brand or two, but those are no longer made, and I'm not inclines to mess with them again. Berry's and Ranier are worth the difference to me. Sometimes you can find bulk Winchester or Remington nearly as cheaply.

Which do I hate? Lone Star cast bullets....may as well pour honey or airplane glue into your guns and dies. Rucker cast bullets from Texas are pretty sorry, too.

Try some of the better quality cast bullets recommended by other folks here. You might like them....nothing wrong with good cast bullets...this is a simple matter of taste.

twb

Sevens · September 4, 2007, 08:20 AM

Quote:

What is meant by a "gas check" on some of the current bullets?

If you push a lead (non-jacketed) bullet too fast, especially if it's too soft, it will lead up the barrel. The gas check is a small copper base on the bottom of a lead bullet that expands and seals the hot gases from the lead bullet, supposedly preventing leading of your barrel even when pushing lead bullets to high speeds.

rugerdude29 · September 4, 2007, 12:51 PM

In jacketed bullets, I really like the Hornady 158 gr. XTP-HP. Really good accuracy. For a lead bullet, I reccomend the Leadheads 168 gr. Keith. Have had very good results with little/no leading. They are hard cast, so they don't mind being pushed pretty hard. Give excellent accuracy from midrange to wide-open loads.

amamnn · September 4, 2007, 09:53 PM

The plated bullets like Rainier or Berry's are great for practice shooting/plinking. You'll use the same powder charge as a lead bullet or 10% less than a similar jacketed bullet, according to their loading info. I had the chance to play with some Hornady XTPs and wet telephone books and was disappointed in the expansion of the XTPs. While my little experiment was by no means a comprehensive scientific clinical study, I did shoot enough bullets into enough wet books to decide to use Nosler or Sierras. In 12 shots into the books from 20 yards, in one caliber I had 6 XTPs fail to expand and 3 more actually closed the points. The Noslers and Sierras I have shot since have all expanded as advertised. I did not test multiple lots of each brand.

joneb · September 4, 2007, 11:40 PM

I don't mean to sound brash but this is a tough question to answer, kinda like what color should I paint my house

For me accuracy is the most important, I have sacrificed many hot loads for this reason. If I need more power I'll get a different gun.

Tuzo · September 5, 2007, 03:09 PM

For 38 Special I load Lasercast 125 grain flat points with 5.0 grains of Bullseye at ~975'/sec for a good combination of accuracy and reliability. I shoot these reloads in either a Colt Police Positive, S&W 686, or Ruger SP100. Recoil in the Smith and Ruger is very mild and a bit more harsh with the lighter Colt.

The bullet lubricant gives of some smoke but it is not objectionable. Leading has not been detected so far and cleaning is a quick process of Hoppe's 9 and a hard plastic bristle. The barrels come out clean and shiny with sharp rifling edges.

For 357 magnum I use Hornady 180 gr HP/XTP with 9.6 gr AA#7 at 950'/sec. Accuracy is great out to 100 yards. I consistently hit a 12" diameter plate 5 out of 6 shots with this loading.

jhansman · September 6, 2007, 02:13 PM

I have the same revolver and am partial to Laser-Cast and Bear Creek 158gr. SWC. Over 5 gr. of Titegroup I get really good accuracy with no leading. Bear Creek is hard to get now, so much in demand, and you can get Laser-Cast on sale now at Cabelas.

8ring · September 8, 2007, 11:25 PM

A good quality hard cast lead 140gr truncated cone bullet sized to .358" is a particular favorite in my 6" barrel GP-100. I use 6.2gr. Universal or 6.5gr N-340 to get about 1,225 fps. I can shoot 100 of these bullets in a session without leading. They are accurate and give less recoil than 158gr bullets.

I suggest that you try Laser Cast or Penn Bullets for these. Get flat base instead of bevel base if possible.

Many factors affect leading in a revolver. Proper bullet size and hardness are probably the most important. Throats that are too small will promote leading and throats that are too big can cause poor accuracy.

Chris

Redneck with a 40 · September 9, 2007, 11:43 AM

I've had very good luck with Rainer 158's, as long as you keep them below 1200 fps. Remington 125 grain semi-jacketed hollow points are excellent, as are their 158 grain jacketed soft points. I just bought a box of 250 Nosler 158 grain hollowpoints, I'm sure these will be good as well.

moxie · September 12, 2007, 11:56 AM

and will shoot just great out of your GP-100 4 inch. Should be terrific on the targets you mention. It's a great self defense bullet as well and can either be hand loaded to your specs or bought off the shelf as the Golden Saber. The 125 JSPs should also meet your needs and could be a bit cheaper.

Crosshair · September 13, 2007, 12:20 AM

+1 on the Laser-Cast 158 grain SWC. Heck, +1 on any Laser-Cast bullet for that matter. Even Full-house .357 loads don't foul the barrel any worse than a jacketed bullet. Very cheap compared to jacketed bullets.

Shooters Choice is another brand I use. I load 40 S&W using them and they shoot well.

langenc · September 13, 2007, 08:41 AM

I have used remingtons-low cost andgood. Last time I added some Raniers-cheap-have not loaded any yet!!

joet47 · September 13, 2007, 08:24 PM

I load the above Lee bullet in my .357 propelled by 7.3 grains of Unique. From my 6 inch Ruger security six the velocity is 1300 fps. There is no leading and accuracy is decent. While it is listed as 158 grains this Lee bullet is closer to 150 grains. I use the Lee Alox lube, dusted with Mica. This is a rather powerful load without the pressures of the full bore .357 mag loads.

September 3, 2007, 10:57 PM	#1
teesh Member Join Date: June 21, 2007 Posts: 22	Best bullets for reloading .357 Want to start reloading for a GP100 (4" SS) I just bought. Looking to reload for range shooting, jack rabbits and coyotes close in. To reduce lead fouling, what bullets would you prefer for these needs? Berry's, Laser-Cast, Rainier, LBT......which do you like/use? Which do you hate? What is meant by a "gas check" on some of the current bullets? I've got Grizzly ammo for out in the woods. And I will buy my HP/SD and carry ammo......won't be reloading that. Any suggestions are appreciated. Thanks.

September 4, 2007, 12:13 AM	#2
DWARREN123 Senior Member Join Date: January 22, 2006 Location: BETWEEN TN & KY Posts: 1,758	I like and have used Berry's and Hornady HP-XTP's. These 2 brands have all the types I like. I don't use lead so can not help there. __________________ Have a nice day!

September 4, 2007, 12:51 PM	#6
rugerdude29 Member Join Date: August 21, 2007 Location: Stillmore, GA Posts: 41	In jacketed bullets, I really like the Hornady 158 gr. XTP-HP. Really good accuracy. For a lead bullet, I reccomend the Leadheads 168 gr. Keith. Have had very good results with little/no leading. They are hard cast, so they don't mind being pushed pretty hard. Give excellent accuracy from midrange to wide-open loads. __________________ "Ignorance is curable, but Stupid is forever!" -Granddad

September 5, 2007, 03:09 PM	#9
Tuzo Senior Member Join Date: June 14, 2007 Location: Louisiana Posts: 797	For 38 Special I load Lasercast 125 grain flat points with 5.0 grains of Bullseye at ~975'/sec for a good combination of accuracy and reliability. I shoot these reloads in either a Colt Police Positive, S&W 686, or Ruger SP100. Recoil in the Smith and Ruger is very mild and a bit more harsh with the lighter Colt. The bullet lubricant gives of some smoke but it is not objectionable. Leading has not been detected so far and cleaning is a quick process of Hoppe's 9 and a hard plastic bristle. The barrels come out clean and shiny with sharp rifling edges. For 357 magnum I use Hornady 180 gr HP/XTP with 9.6 gr AA#7 at 950'/sec. Accuracy is great out to 100 yards. I consistently hit a 12" diameter plate 5 out of 6 shots with this loading. Last edited by Tuzo; September 5, 2007 at 03:20 PM. Reason: Additional information

September 12, 2007, 11:56 AM	#13
moxie Senior Member Join Date: October 17, 2006 Location: TX Posts: 513	The Remington 125 BJHP is available in bulk from Midway and will shoot just great out of your GP-100 4 inch. Should be terrific on the targets you mention. It's a great self defense bullet as well and can either be hand loaded to your specs or bought off the shelf as the Golden Saber. The 125 JSPs should also meet your needs and could be a bit cheaper. __________________ If you want to shoot...shoot...don't talk! Tuco USAF Munitions 1969-1992 RVN 1972-1973

September 4, 2007, 12:54 AM	#3
DBotkin Senior Member Join Date: December 14, 2006 Location: Omaha, NE Posts: 302	I've been using Laser-Cast 158 grain SWC for a while now, with loads ranging from light .38 SPL to some pretty substantial Magnum loads. No lading so far, and I've been looking for it. My .44 was leading up pretty badly with the Laser-Cast bullets, but not the .357.

September 4, 2007, 02:55 AM	#4
TWB Senior Member Join Date: April 19, 2007 Posts: 145	I've used the following with good results, in no particular order: Berry's, Ranier, bulk Remington SJHP, bulk Winchester JHP, Nosler JHP, Hornady XTP (requires higher velocities to expand), Sierra JCP(?), and Speer JHP. If you keep velocities below ~1150fps, the Berry's and Raniers are lowest cost. I haven't found any significant differences in accuracy or performance in any of the hollow points listed. Berry's makes a hollow point plated bullet that should expand nicely, based on what I've seen with their flat points. Gold Dots are nice, too, but expensive for low velocity goofing around. I decline to use lead bullets anymore. Too much smoke, fouling, variability in lubes causing nasty buildup in gun and reloading dies and on cases. I've had a good brand or two, but those are no longer made, and I'm not inclines to mess with them again. Berry's and Ranier are worth the difference to me. Sometimes you can find bulk Winchester or Remington nearly as cheaply. Which do I hate? Lone Star cast bullets....may as well pour honey or airplane glue into your guns and dies. Rucker cast bullets from Texas are pretty sorry, too. Try some of the better quality cast bullets recommended by other folks here. You might like them....nothing wrong with good cast bullets...this is a simple matter of taste. twb

September 4, 2007, 09:53 PM	#7
amamnn Senior Member Join Date: May 13, 2006 Location: WA, the left armpit of the USA Posts: 1,323	The plated bullets like Rainier or Berry's are great for practice shooting/plinking. You'll use the same powder charge as a lead bullet or 10% less than a similar jacketed bullet, according to their loading info. I had the chance to play with some Hornady XTPs and wet telephone books and was disappointed in the expansion of the XTPs. While my little experiment was by no means a comprehensive scientific clinical study, I did shoot enough bullets into enough wet books to decide to use Nosler or Sierras. In 12 shots into the books from 20 yards, in one caliber I had 6 XTPs fail to expand and 3 more actually closed the points. The Noslers and Sierras I have shot since have all expanded as advertised. I did not test multiple lots of each brand. __________________ "If the enemy is in range, so are you." - Infantry Journal

September 4, 2007, 11:40 PM	#8
joneb Senior Member Join Date: December 10, 2005 Location: Central , OR Posts: 1,888	I don't mean to sound brash but this is a tough question to answer, kinda like what color should I paint my house For me accuracy is the most important, I have sacrificed many hot loads for this reason. If I need more power I'll get a different gun.

September 6, 2007, 02:13 PM	#10
jhansman Senior Member Join Date: June 17, 2007 Posts: 680	I have the same revolver and am partial to Laser-Cast and Bear Creek 158gr. SWC. Over 5 gr. of Titegroup I get really good accuracy with no leading. Bear Creek is hard to get now, so much in demand, and you can get Laser-Cast on sale now at Cabelas.

September 8, 2007, 11:25 PM	#11
8ring Member Join Date: October 26, 2002 Location: Denver, CO Posts: 84	A good quality hard cast lead 140gr truncated cone bullet sized to .358" is a particular favorite in my 6" barrel GP-100. I use 6.2gr. Universal or 6.5gr N-340 to get about 1,225 fps. I can shoot 100 of these bullets in a session without leading. They are accurate and give less recoil than 158gr bullets. I suggest that you try Laser Cast or Penn Bullets for these. Get flat base instead of bevel base if possible. Many factors affect leading in a revolver. Proper bullet size and hardness are probably the most important. Throats that are too small will promote leading and throats that are too big can cause poor accuracy. Chris

September 9, 2007, 11:43 AM	#12
Redneck with a 40 Senior Member Join Date: July 28, 2006 Posts: 336	I've had very good luck with Rainer 158's, as long as you keep them below 1200 fps. Remington 125 grain semi-jacketed hollow points are excellent, as are their 158 grain jacketed soft points. I just bought a box of 250 Nosler 158 grain hollowpoints, I'm sure these will be good as well.

September 13, 2007, 12:20 AM	#14
Crosshair Senior Member Join Date: December 16, 2004 Location: Grand Forks, ND Posts: 5,333	+1 on the Laser-Cast 158 grain SWC. Heck, +1 on any Laser-Cast bullet for that matter. Even Full-house .357 loads don't foul the barrel any worse than a jacketed bullet. Very cheap compared to jacketed bullets. Shooters Choice is another brand I use. I load 40 S&W using them and they shoot well. __________________ I don't carry a gun to go looking for trouble, I carry a gun in case trouble finds me.

September 13, 2007, 08:41 AM	#15
langenc Senior Member Join Date: August 19, 2007 Location: Montmorency Co, MI Posts: 1,551	I have used remingtons-low cost andgood. Last time I added some Raniers-cheap-have not loaded any yet!!

September 13, 2007, 08:24 PM	#16
joet47 Junior Member Join Date: November 26, 2005 Location: Kentucky Posts: 12	Lee 158 grain SWC HP GC I load the above Lee bullet in my .357 propelled by 7.3 grains of Unique. From my 6 inch Ruger security six the velocity is 1300 fps. There is no leading and accuracy is decent. While it is listed as 158 grains this Lee bullet is closer to 150 grains. I use the Lee Alox lube, dusted with Mica. This is a rather powerful load without the pressures of the full bore .357 mag loads.