.357 mag hot loads with 2400

[rclark]

My (and looks like others) load is the 13.5g 2400 under 158g SWC. I tested as high as 14.5g, but liked the 13.5g load better. Of course I have no real need for this load as I will carry a big-bore in the woods anyway, so my normal .357 loads are 158g SWCs in the 1000fps range with faster powders such as Green Dot. Enjoyable to shoot, accurate, fun, and will knock over targets and varmints as needed.

[flintlock.50]

I saw 15 gr for a 170 gr Speer Gold Dot HP on the Alliant sight just last night. Just saying 15 grains might not be seriously overpressure with a 165 gr lead bullet.

[USSR]

Stick with lead bullet data for lead bullets. They use less powder than jacketed bullets to reach the same velocity.

Don

[gwpercle]

Originally Posted by flintlock.50

Best group is in the 1.3" range (average of two 5-shot groups). That's at 12 yards. I'm shooting a 686 plus with 4" barrel with open sights.

No one has ever mistaken me for a real marksman. I'll shoot 4 shots touching then throw one 2" away. I attribute that to a defect in the nut behind the trigger.

Thanks

I consider 1.3 " groups at 12 yards great shooting , them pesky flyers mess up a lot of one ragged hole groups .
Doing good , keep on .

I can't post photo's either... I could at one time... camera broke , but the time I got another ... I forgot how to do it. Getting old sucks rocks.
Keep casting , loading and shooting .
Gary
Gary

[flintlock.50]

Someone earlier asked for group pictures. I don't know where I can store pictures so I can post them here, but here is the latest data with group size. Shot from a rest at 13 yards.

All the groups are pretty good, but some stand out. The 5-1 group data is where I throw out the worst shot from the 5-shot group.

charge Alliant 2400, grains
13.5 13.7 13.9
Starline cases
MV (10 ft), fps 1240 1258 1266
Std Deviation 20 27 24
Energy, ft-lbs 563 580 587
Extreme Spread 72 111 96
5-shot group (3 grp avg.) 1.282 1.647 1.397
5-1 shot group (3 grp avg.) 1.122 1.252 0.999

Winchester cases
MV (10 ft), fps 1237 1245 1278
Std Deviation 30 24 26
Energy, ft-lbs 560 568 598
Extreme Spread 112 95 88
5-shot grp (3 grp avg.) 1.343 1.201 1.112
5-1 shot grp (3-grp avg.) 0.898 0.965 0.766

(Sorry I can't make things line up properly. They DO line up in the message window, but not when the I preview the post. I hope folks can make sense of it. If anyone know how to make things align let me know.)

I was surprised to see that Winchester cases consistently gave better groups than Starline cases. Winchester cases are ~11% heavier than Starline, so they have less case capacity. That would make the pressure higher, but, interestingly, Starline cases gave slightly higher MV than Winchester at 13.5 and 13.7 grains. Winchester cases only gave higher MV at the highest charge, 13.9 grains.

I wish my extreme spread were lower. I weigh all my charges with an electronic scale, so the charges are "dead on." I don't know what I can do to lower the extreme spread. It may be that my chronograph just isn't that precise.

Which would you choose if you were looking for a hot load for pigs or deer? I'm thinking either of the 13.9 grain loads, though the load with Winchester cases has the edge.

Comments?