I've shot over fifty deer with the .357mag in a variety of revolvers. Some custom built and some off the shelf. Most were shot using the Hornady 158g XTP JHP bullet. I can tell you for a fact that keying in on velocity is not going to give you any significant edge in killing deer with a handgun. Spend your time looking for the most accurate load for your gun at mid-to-top velocity. A hundred feet per second won't give you a significant edge. The bullet you have chosen is one I keyed in on many years ago. I have found many bullets that work well, but none that actually worked any better. They are readily available, shoot with the best, and perform well on deer at just about any velocity. This bullet will expand very well at any reasonable range. I have dozens of recovered bullets and I have noted the difference in expansion a various distances. The .357mag, regardless of a hundred or so feet per second difference, will start to lose expansion properties beyond fifty yards. That's regardless of the velocity difference you can get out of your handgun. If you stick with handgun hunting you'll find that out over time. Spend your time looking for the most accurate load you can get, not the fastest. Speed doesn't kill, bullet placement does. Eddietruett posted a reply to your question. FWIW, I've communicated with him quite a bit over the last year and he's about as knowledgible an individual on this subject as you'll find. Send him a PM if you'd like to know more. He's spent a lot of time becoming an expert on this subject. Good luck hunting with your handgun.....it's a lot of fun.I should have included this---I am shooting a GP100 6" and I have on hand 2400, 296, Imr4227, HS-6, and Unique. I am trying to get a load around 1350 fps+ with a 158 xtp for deer hunting. [with accuracy] So far I am going to start with 2400 @ 14-14.5 gr and 16.5 with 296. I have used similar loads with a nosler 158 gr HP [slightly less] and found the bullet to be too soft for my liking. I have and shoot revolvers from 357 mag up to 475 L so recoil is not a consideration. It seems to me with the new SAAMI standards you cannot reach this velocity range.
The first response to your post refuted that.Thanks for your replies. Based on the responses I gather you can not get 1350 fps out of a 158 XTP at todays pressure limits.
It's my understanding that BB uses a special powder blend, not available to reloaders.Sure you can.
From BB's own website and their chrono results are from real world guns and I have found them to be realistic.
Oh, I didn't know we were in the "reloading" forum!
Sure sounds like that was what the OP was asking.Can you load a 158 HPXTP to 1350 fps in a 6" revolver? I am talking about staying in todays recommended pressure limits.
I need to ask, have you chronod that load with 300 MP to know that is real world figures?