I ran across some Corbon Hunter 357 magnum 180 grain soft points. I was wondering if these would be too hot for my Smith & Wesson model 686. What say you?
Shouldn't be too hot for an L frame, but I have not used them personally. I have been working up some loads for 180 cast, but I generally stay with the common wisdom and 158 JHP for the field.
I have shot a few of Buffalo Bore 180 grain rounds from my 686. They clock in at about 1400 FPS. (5 inch barrel) I still have most of a box because it did not feel safe in the 686. Since then I have shot some out of my Coonan and get about 1475 (6 inch barrel and no cylinder gap).
Buffalo Bore is hot stuff. There 357 magnum and 45-70 loads are extremely hot.
Buffalo Bore claims all of there 357 magnums are safe in any gun chambered for the 357 magnum. If they can do it at 1400-1500 FPS I am sure Corbon can do it at 1200. (180 grain cast bullet)
Corbon claims to get 1200 fps outta a 6'' test barrel. Hornady manuals claims they get 1150 fps from a 8" Python with their 180gr XTP and plain ol' 2400. Hornady is generally considered quite conservative. Cor-Bon also does not give any other warnings about what guns to use this ammo in other than
Use only in firearms in good condition, designed and chambered for the caliber of the ammunition
There wa s reloading manual that showed results for a revolver test , 357 , 4" barrels , 125 gr .All the same ammo .In that test the revolvers went from 1200 fps to 1600 fps !! So don't look at the numbers .Try the ammo and see how much recoil, pressure signs , and accuracy.
The L-Frames are very stout revolvers and should handle the Cor-Bon ammunition just fine. Honestly, I wouldn't be all that afraid to shoot that particular loading in a K-Frame revolver though I probably wouldn't feed it a steady diet.