357mag any 158gr fans?

since we got history.....

......we can just deny historical data and say "I like heavier bullets because Idon'thaveascientificcluewhy" or we can use 125g JHP's driven hard.
History suggest the 125's work better ("more effectively") for defense.

ME? I use the R-P 180g SJHP bullet driven, based on which gun I'm wearing, over 1100fps.
 
I have always prefered the 158 grain JHP over the 125. Trust me, you can load the 158 to be as fast as a factory 125. At that point, there is no advantage even on paper, to the 125.
 
I have a Tarus 66 loaded with CCI 158 grain for Gremlin control. Since my wife's HD weapon is a Rossi Mod:92 rifle in 357 we use the same ammo in both guns. Don't feel that there is enough difference between the 125's and 158's when the Gremlin's come knocking at the door. Besides out of the rifle there is no recoil, and the velocity is something like 1,700 fps out of that 16" barrel...more than enough for my purpose.
 
A few years ago, I loaded some commercial cast RNFP 158s over 15.2 of Alliant 2400 over a standard small pistol primer. The bullets had the same long bearing surface as the magna machine semi-wadcutters. The bullets will slide into an unsized case and the crimp groove would rest even with the case mouth on top of that charge. The original load is generally documented as 158 lead bullet over either 15.2 or 15.7 grains of 30's vintage Hercules 2400 with the large pistol primer in use at the time. Documented velocity is 1520 feet per second and over 800 fpe.

While my loads couldn't be exact duplicates, coincidentally or not, they did average 1520 feet per second from an 8 3/8" model 27 and 1460 from a 4" GP100. Shot to shot variation was small. Fired cases slid easily from the chambers and the primers were not sharply flattened or cratered (CCI 500) .

The general wisdom is that current 2400 is more energetic than the stuff in use in the 1930s. The literature indicates that the factories soon reduced the original velocities and it is important to note that my load-which could be found in 1960-70 loading manuals - exceeds any published recommendation at this time.
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0BTT/is_154_25/ai_78870860

a few years ago, a shooter came up with a can of hercules 2400 from the 1960s. I loaded 158 grain semi wadcutters over a load I had found useful and accurate in my 6" gp100.
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With the measure set for 14/2400, I found that the same volume of new Alliant 2400 would weigh .2grain more than the old powder (unsealed partial can), so I adjusted one set of data upward by that amount. The results are remarkably close.
 
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