.357mag Unique verse AA#2

[BiggDaddyBrown]

I have a choice in what powder I need to switch for reloading cast or lead, I have 2lbs of Blue Dot and Alliant says it's a Big No-No to use on any .357mag 125grn Bullet's. I prefer the 125grn cast for target and like to hunt with the 125grn Sierra HP. My Question is What are the best all around powder for Both bullets? Unique, AA#2, or Other

[spacecoast]

What round - .357 mag?

AA#2 is a fast powder mainly for target shooting with light to medium loads. Unique is slower and probably better suited to hunting loads than AA#2, but can also be used for targets. Hence I voted for Unique. I haven't used AA#2 in .357 mag, but use it a lot for .38 special, so it would work fine in the .357 as well.

[BiggDaddyBrown]

Sorry .357 mag

[BiggDaddyBrown]

I have a choice in what powder I need to switch for reloading cast or lead, I have 2lbs of Blue Dot and Alliant says it's a Big No-No to use on any .357mag 125grn Bullet's. I prefer the 125grn cast for target and like to hunt with the 125grn Sierra HP. My Question is What are the best all around powder for Both bullets Unique, AA#2, or Other?

[jepp2]

AA #2 is very fast for the loads you intend to use.

Unique would be my choice. Lots of folks don't like Unique since it can be dirty if you use lighter loads of it. If you load to the upper end, I find it to be quite clean. If you are shooting lead, a lot of the residue will be from the lube and not the powder.

But it depends a lot on the velocity you are going to load for. Blue Dot was always my go to powder for the 125 gr. jacketed and gave me excellent accuracy. But once I shot up what I had loaded before the warning came out, I have used other powders since then.

You aren't shooting these 125 gr. in a K frame S&W are you? Best not to.

[jwrowland77]

Unique by far. Love that stuff.

[rclark]

Up until a few years ago, all I used in .357 was Unique. Now my preferred powder for .357 'target' loads is Red Dot under both 125g and 158g bullets. Anyway, you can't go wrong with Unique!

[FM12]

I've never been dissapointed with Unique. But is is quite nasty and smokey loading cast or any lead bullet.

[Mike Irwin]

WW 231 for up to mid-power loads in .357.

If you're looking for full power loads, you want something slower than either 231 or AA 2.

AA 5 or 7 would be a good choice.


That said, we have a Handloading and Reloading forum.

Please use it for questions of this nature.

[Mystro]

I am a AA fan. I use it in everything. Measures very well and low flash. You need AA5 or AA7 for a Magnum round. I use AA9 in 10mm 454Casull and my 44Mag only eats AA9. Accuracy is outstanding.

231, H110 are a far second choice over Accurate Arms.

[Shootest]

2400 is my preferred powder under 125g JHP for 357mag. It just shoots great in all my guns.

[zxcvbob]

Herco is awesome with heavy cast bullets. I haven't tried it with 125's (Unique or Bullseye might be better with light bullets) but it should work if you keep to the upper end of the load data.

AA#7 is comparable to Blue Dot, but it meters better and doesn't have all of BD's nasty habits -- like pressure spikes and temperature sensitivity. I also got severe leading when I tried BD, and equivalent loads with AA#7 don't have that problem. YMMV.

Power Pistol is on my short list of powders to try -- but I have 16 pounds of AA#7 and five pounds of Herco, so I might not get to it for a while

[Slamfire]

Accurate Arms #9 is a good magnum powder. I developed loads with 158 lead bullets I am certain it would work well with 125 Lead. It is a ball powder and it is a magnum level only.

I used to shoot 125's with 2400. This is an excellent and flexible powder, can be downloaded a bit, something you really should not do with AA#9 or H110.

H110 is perhaps the best of the magnum level only powders. I tested it with 158's and performance was excellent.

I stopped shooting 125's back in the 80's, huge fireballs and top strap etch, since then it has been 158's in the 357.

[Misssissippi Dave]

You could load some powder puff loads up in .38 special with AA2 powder. It is way too fast for .357 mag. You probably could get by using AA5 for both loads but the mag load will never quite get where it should be. I like using AA7 with .357 mag. AA9 and heavy bullets in .357 mag. is also a good combination.

Unique could work but it isn't a powder I care for.

[BiggDaddyBrown]

That said, we have a Handloading and Reloading forum.
Please use it for questions of this nature.

Dear Sir Being New To T.F.F Forum's, I assure you that I thought this was the right forum to post this question on, Because this forum was talking about .357 Loads, If I have in any way offended you I Greatly Do Apologize, and Thank You For You time.

[Misssissippi Dave]

I think this might be be a mistake. This is the only section I know of for this type of post. I don't think it was moved from some other part of the forum.

[m&p45acp10+1]

I never heard of the not using Blue Dot with 125 grain bullets. Lyman list for a 125 JHP and a 125 grain Cast bullet.

My source is Lyman Pistol & Revolver 3rd Edition. Though publishing date of the second printing was in 2008.

[jepp2]

I never heard of the not using Blue Dot with 125 grain bullets.

Really?

[Mike Irwin]

I'd not heard that, either.

But, then again, I've never used Blue Dot for anything.

[Strafer Gott]

Unique and lead seem to get along, but Unique is pretty far from optimal for full house loads. You'll get pressure signs long before you achieve real .357 velocity.

[Slamfire]

Let me recommend not using Blue Dot for much of anything. It is not a flexible powder. Caused severe leading in my 357 with cast bullets at velocities which 2400 or AA#9 did not create leading. It is no good at reduced loads, I have seen extreme spreads in 45 LC, 38 Spl in hundreds of feet per second.

There are better magnum only powders.

[mikld]

My 357 Mag. gets loads of Unique, Universal, True Blue, WC820, and 2400. In that order. Normally I shoot 150 gr. cast SWC lubed with either my version of Speed Green or Caranuba Red. With a DEWC I use light Unique or Universal loads...

FWIW; I have used a lot of Bluedot in my .44 Magnums and some in 158 gr. cast loads in .357.

[zxcvbob]

I never did find a decent load in .357 Magnum (or .30 Carbine) using Blue Dot, but I was using cast bullets. (it did work very well in heavy .45 Colt loads, but by the time I discovered that I was almost out) Since BDB has 2 lbs of Blue Dot already, it might be worth trying it with 158 grain jacketed bullets. My biggest complaint with BD was barrel leading.

Or maybe he can trade it to a shotgunner for some Red Dot.

[joneb]

I use Accurate #5 for 357 mag. 158gr lead loads. I have used Unique but did not care for the poor metering and soot.
If given a choice between Unique or Accurate # 2 I would use #2 for the 125gr lead bullet, #2 may work as well or better than #5 with that bullet weight.

[rclark]

It aint a mag unless its got mag powder.

Beauty of reloading is you don't have to load to magnum velocities in .357 Magnum or .44 Magnum . Makes for some pleasant shooting! When target shooting you certainly don't need hyper velocity loads to bust paper or the occasional rabbit, skunk, gopher, snake, varmint.... .