357 Reloads

BuckRub · September 2, 2013, 04:22 PM

I just reloaded some 357s went outside and shot 14 of them. I usually use other powder but I thought I'd use something else. I never used my Modern Reloading second edition I looked in it and found me a recipe starting at 21.0 with H110 using 125 XTPs. That's what I used. I went outside and Man, if you don't hit it youll catch it on fire ! You have about a 5' red flame visible in the day.

MrJog · September 2, 2013, 04:55 PM

H110 and Win 296 are pretty good for that. Try firing them out of a snubbie.

BuckRub · September 2, 2013, 05:13 PM

Yea if you have some kids you want to impress with fire it'll definitely be good for that. You sure better hang onto your pistol also because it jumps like crazy.
Would not be good for a SD gun at night time. You shoot the first round you'd blind yourself for the next minute.

You just have to pray and spray with the rest.

Toney · September 2, 2013, 05:41 PM

The blue flame special! !! Only takes a few to cut the top strap...

BuckRub · September 2, 2013, 06:04 PM

Just like a cutting torch huh ? Lol. I've heard that before but I don't really believe it. And if it ever did happen I would care. It's just and old Taurus model 66 that I hardly ever shoot. I'm more an auto man.

pmeisel · September 2, 2013, 07:05 PM

H110 is really great at that flame thing.

2400 isn't bad either, not as spectacular but still impressive.

Nick_C_S · September 2, 2013, 07:51 PM

Back in my early reloading days (1984 - 21-22 years old) when I used to be 10 feet tall and bulletproof, I used to load 20+something+something grains of 296 (the powder would almost reach the top of the case) with a Sierra 110g JHC (357 Mag). That bad boy round was a serious flame thrower! Use to love shooting those at night. Serious velocity w/ my 8 3/8" barrel 686. Shooting gallon jugs of water with them would make quite a rainbow.

I'm older, wiser, and mortal now.

296 is a very slow powder. All it's really good for is long barreled magnums and lever-action rifles chambered for 357 or 44. I still have a steel can of 296 I bought in 1987. It's 3/4 full.

Now days, I have become a very "fast-powder-centric" loader. Between gaining a mental understanding of the dynamics of a round discharging, and the use of a chronograph, I have since learned that slower powders aren't all they're cracked up to be. All I load with 296 now days is 44Mag - and only because my 44Mag has an 8 3/8" barrel. And I don't shoot my 44 much. (My 8 3/8" barrel 686 is also a safe queen now.)

If the barrel is under 6", 296 is useless.

Nick_C_S · September 2, 2013, 08:00 PM

Quote:

...found me a recipe starting at 21.0 with H110 using 125 XTPs. That's what I used.

The Hornady book maxes at 20.3g. Just thought you might wanna know. Granted, 296 is a very forgiving powder. But since it's a Hornady bullet you're using, I thought you should know what the Hornady book states.

BuckRub · September 2, 2013, 08:39 PM

Thanks Nick, yea I also have a Hornady and about 12 others. Sometimes those older manuals show higher charges. I guess it's liability purposes but then again now we have better metals. But I think things are a little watered down. I still stay in the middle but when I'm really looking for a load its for accuracy.

buck460XVR · September 2, 2013, 09:24 PM

Hodgdon shows a min of 21gr of H110/W296 with a 125gr XTP, with a max of 22gr. Hornady is generally conservative with all their recipes. Hodgdon on the other hand is generally stout. Regardless of the velocity or the amount of flame shooting out the barrel, the important question is, was the load accurate or not?

BuckRub · September 2, 2013, 09:49 PM

Don't have a clue if it was accurate or not. I usually always seek nothing but accuracy but just for grins just loaded something different and been forever since I shot this gun. I just wanted to throw some lead down range. I've been loading maybe 400 rds of 40s this week and started out seeing what I could come up with, we'll for my Glock gen 4 model 22 its Winchester small pistol primers, 7.7 gr's of Unique, w/Rainier 135 gr FP with a COAL of 1.105" (Extremely Accurate).

TimSr · September 3, 2013, 07:12 AM

All I use is 110 or 296 for heavy magnum loads. Personally, I think Blue Dot has a lot more flash effect. Nothing gives you 100 yard, hundgun hunting accurracy like 296 behind a quality bullet.

Nick_C_S · September 3, 2013, 09:29 AM

And it's 296 (H-110) . . . I'm pretty sure you could just take a cartridge and scoop it into a bucket of the stuff, load a bullet atop it, and the round would be fine lol. Very forgiving powder.

And for the lawyers: That was humor of course. I wouldn't suggest anybody seriously do this.

jim8115 · September 5, 2013, 12:12 PM

"21.0 with H110 using 125 XTPs"

I ruined the forcing cone on a new GP100 with that exact load. Now I use AA #9 for full power loads, and Power pistol for midrange.....

JIm

BuckRub · September 5, 2013, 01:07 PM

Yea Jim, I could believe that. I only loaded some and I don't like them. I was just playing. I have about 100 other boxes half commercial and half reloads but things I like. I usually find something I like and stay with it. This time I was just playing around and wasted them bullets. That won't happen again.

WESHOOT2 · September 8, 2013, 06:03 AM

More recent manuals benefit from improved testing techniques, so what was once considered safe is found to be unsafe.

There are no lawyers at their load benches......

LOLBELL · September 8, 2013, 08:45 AM

May not be lawyers at the load benches but the lawyers would just love to get the loaders into their court room

buck460XVR · September 8, 2013, 09:05 AM

Quote:

May not be lawyers at the load benches but the lawyers would just love to get the loaders into their court room

It does not take a lawyer for any intelligent lab technician to redo recipes when modern and more advanced technology tells him prior recipes may indeed be unsafe. Part of being a reputable and responsible company that wants it's customers to continue to buy their products. No hard to comprehend that safe, accurate and efficient loads are better customer relations than hand held grenades.

AlaskaMike · September 9, 2013, 10:42 AM

This is exactly why I won't use 296 with bullets lighter than 158 grains in the .357 mag. Those light bullet loads might be perfectly fine in carbines, but they're so darn hard on revolvers.

wogpotter · September 9, 2013, 10:49 AM

125 Gr XTP with 20.3 Gr of H110 is my "standard" .357 load. 1360 FPS from a 6" bbl (@15') & the flash from hell, "flame butterflies" everywhere. Never had a stiff extraction, flattened primer, or other sign of pressure problems either. Recovered bullet fired into water expanded nicely as well.

The flame cutting will form then stop. Depending on the barrel's shape at the cylinder end its a fine load but some revolver designs make it problematic.

The Dan Wesson doesn't seem to have a problem with the load even after years of using it. Accuracy is better than I can do so its not a problem for me, but its recoil does have a little "authority " to it, hence the Hogue grip.

September 2, 2013, 04:22 PM	#1
BuckRub Junior member Join Date: October 3, 2012 Location: Central Texas Posts: 1,046	357 Reloads I just reloaded some 357s went outside and shot 14 of them. I usually use other powder but I thought I'd use something else. I never used my Modern Reloading second edition I looked in it and found me a recipe starting at 21.0 with H110 using 125 XTPs. That's what I used. I went outside and Man, if you don't hit it youll catch it on fire ! You have about a 5' red flame visible in the day.

September 2, 2013, 06:04 PM	#5
BuckRub Junior member Join Date: October 3, 2012 Location: Central Texas Posts: 1,046	Just like a cutting torch huh ? Lol. I've heard that before but I don't really believe it. And if it ever did happen I would care. It's just and old Taurus model 66 that I hardly ever shoot. I'm more an auto man. Last edited by BuckRub; September 3, 2013 at 11:33 AM.

September 2, 2013, 07:05 PM	#6
pmeisel Senior Member Join Date: December 30, 2008 Location: WV Posts: 271	H110 is really great at that flame thing. 2400 isn't bad either, not as spectacular but still impressive. __________________ Paul

September 2, 2013, 07:51 PM	#7
Nick_C_S Senior Member Join Date: March 21, 2013 Location: Idaho Posts: 5,523	Back in my early reloading days (1984 - 21-22 years old) when I used to be 10 feet tall and bulletproof, I used to load 20+something+something grains of 296 (the powder would almost reach the top of the case) with a Sierra 110g JHC (357 Mag). That bad boy round was a serious flame thrower! Use to love shooting those at night. Serious velocity w/ my 8 3/8" barrel 686. Shooting gallon jugs of water with them would make quite a rainbow. I'm older, wiser, and mortal now. 296 is a very slow powder. All it's really good for is long barreled magnums and lever-action rifles chambered for 357 or 44. I still have a steel can of 296 I bought in 1987. It's 3/4 full. Now days, I have become a very "fast-powder-centric" loader. Between gaining a mental understanding of the dynamics of a round discharging, and the use of a chronograph, I have since learned that slower powders aren't all they're cracked up to be. All I load with 296 now days is 44Mag - and only because my 44Mag has an 8 3/8" barrel. And I don't shoot my 44 much. (My 8 3/8" barrel 686 is also a safe queen now.) If the barrel is under 6", 296 is useless. __________________ Gun control laws benefit only criminals and politicians - but then, I repeat myself. Life Member, National Rifle Association

September 3, 2013, 09:29 AM	#13
Nick_C_S Senior Member Join Date: March 21, 2013 Location: Idaho Posts: 5,523	And it's 296 (H-110) . . . I'm pretty sure you could just take a cartridge and scoop it into a bucket of the stuff, load a bullet atop it, and the round would be fine lol. Very forgiving powder. And for the lawyers: That was humor of course. I wouldn't suggest anybody seriously do this. __________________ Gun control laws benefit only criminals and politicians - but then, I repeat myself. Life Member, National Rifle Association

September 2, 2013, 04:55 PM	#2
MrJog Member Join Date: October 23, 2012 Posts: 20	H110 and Win 296 are pretty good for that. Try firing them out of a snubbie.

September 2, 2013, 05:13 PM	#3
BuckRub Junior member Join Date: October 3, 2012 Location: Central Texas Posts: 1,046	Yea if you have some kids you want to impress with fire it'll definitely be good for that. You sure better hang onto your pistol also because it jumps like crazy. Would not be good for a SD gun at night time. You shoot the first round you'd blind yourself for the next minute. You just have to pray and spray with the rest.

September 2, 2013, 05:41 PM	#4
Toney Senior Member Join Date: August 17, 2005 Location: Stillwater Oklahoma Posts: 790	The blue flame special! !! Only takes a few to cut the top strap...

September 2, 2013, 08:39 PM	#9
BuckRub Junior member Join Date: October 3, 2012 Location: Central Texas Posts: 1,046	Thanks Nick, yea I also have a Hornady and about 12 others. Sometimes those older manuals show higher charges. I guess it's liability purposes but then again now we have better metals. But I think things are a little watered down. I still stay in the middle but when I'm really looking for a load its for accuracy.

September 2, 2013, 09:24 PM	#10
buck460XVR Senior Member Join Date: December 28, 2006 Posts: 4,342	Hodgdon shows a min of 21gr of H110/W296 with a 125gr XTP, with a max of 22gr. Hornady is generally conservative with all their recipes. Hodgdon on the other hand is generally stout. Regardless of the velocity or the amount of flame shooting out the barrel, the important question is, was the load accurate or not?

September 2, 2013, 09:49 PM	#11
BuckRub Junior member Join Date: October 3, 2012 Location: Central Texas Posts: 1,046	Don't have a clue if it was accurate or not. I usually always seek nothing but accuracy but just for grins just loaded something different and been forever since I shot this gun. I just wanted to throw some lead down range. I've been loading maybe 400 rds of 40s this week and started out seeing what I could come up with, we'll for my Glock gen 4 model 22 its Winchester small pistol primers, 7.7 gr's of Unique, w/Rainier 135 gr FP with a COAL of 1.105" (Extremely Accurate).

September 3, 2013, 07:12 AM	#12
TimSr Senior Member Join Date: March 8, 2013 Location: Rittman, Ohio Posts: 2,074	All I use is 110 or 296 for heavy magnum loads. Personally, I think Blue Dot has a lot more flash effect. Nothing gives you 100 yard, hundgun hunting accurracy like 296 behind a quality bullet.

September 5, 2013, 12:12 PM	#14
jim8115 Senior Member Join Date: July 23, 2011 Location: Arkansas Posts: 229	"21.0 with H110 using 125 XTPs" I ruined the forcing cone on a new GP100 with that exact load. Now I use AA #9 for full power loads, and Power pistol for midrange..... JIm

September 5, 2013, 01:07 PM	#15
BuckRub Junior member Join Date: October 3, 2012 Location: Central Texas Posts: 1,046	Yea Jim, I could believe that. I only loaded some and I don't like them. I was just playing. I have about 100 other boxes half commercial and half reloads but things I like. I usually find something I like and stay with it. This time I was just playing around and wasted them bullets. That won't happen again.

September 8, 2013, 06:03 AM	#16
WESHOOT2 Senior Member Join Date: February 20, 1999 Location: home on the range; Vermont (Caspian country) Posts: 14,324	NOT "Liability" More recent manuals benefit from improved testing techniques, so what was once considered safe is found to be unsafe. There are no lawyers at their load benches...... __________________ . "all my ammo is mostly retired factory ammo"

September 8, 2013, 08:45 AM	#17
LOLBELL Senior Member Join Date: March 4, 2010 Location: Fayette AL Posts: 226	May not be lawyers at the load benches but the lawyers would just love to get the loaders into their court room __________________ Don't squat with your spurs on!!

September 9, 2013, 10:42 AM	#19
AlaskaMike Senior Member Join Date: September 26, 2005 Posts: 941	This is exactly why I won't use 296 with bullets lighter than 158 grains in the .357 mag. Those light bullet loads might be perfectly fine in carbines, but they're so darn hard on revolvers.

September 9, 2013, 10:49 AM	#20
wogpotter Senior Member Join Date: September 27, 2004 Posts: 4,811	125 Gr XTP with 20.3 Gr of H110 is my "standard" .357 load. 1360 FPS from a 6" bbl (@15') & the flash from hell, "flame butterflies" everywhere. Never had a stiff extraction, flattened primer, or other sign of pressure problems either. Recovered bullet fired into water expanded nicely as well. The flame cutting will form then stop. Depending on the barrel's shape at the cylinder end its a fine load but some revolver designs make it problematic. The Dan Wesson doesn't seem to have a problem with the load even after years of using it. Accuracy is better than I can do so its not a problem for me, but its recoil does have a little "authority " to it, hence the Hogue grip. __________________ Allan Quatermain: “Automatic rifles. Who in God's name has automatic rifles”? Elderly Hunter: “That's dashed unsporting. Probably Belgium.” Last edited by wogpotter; September 9, 2013 at 11:12 AM.