Henry Big Boy .38/.357 loads

6

629StealthHunter

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I just got a Henry Big Boy .38/.357 rifle I would like to handload for. I want some accurate target/cowboy action shooting loads. I have Titegroup and Win 231 powder so far. Thanks
 
I like TiteGroup in my .357 mag loads....personally in my Henry rifle, I load the same round I shoot in my .357 mag handguns...

TiteGroup
Montana Gold 158gr JHP ( this bullet has a cannelure in it ...!! )
CCI or Winchester primers

check your Hodgdon online load data...but I load them to about 5.8 gr of TiteGroup for around 1190 fps....pretty soft shooting cartridge, good solid and accurate load.

I would not pick a bullet without a cannelure ring in it ...
 
Yup... TG meters well. Very economical loading. Use it along with Bluedot and 700x. I use Xtreme 158gr for plinking rounds.
 
I like 7.5 gr of Unique under a 158gr JHP for accurate, but soft shooting, outta my .357 levers. Cowboy Action requires the use of lead bullets tho.
 
For cowboy action I recommend moving toward Trailboss and staying with .357 cases for the rifle. It just hasn't been that hard for me to have 38s for my revolvers and 357s for my rifle. I use 158 gr in the .357s to keep the velocity down, which is not tested to qualify but is supposed to be under 1400 fps in rifles. Note that .357 rifles typically have issues with reliably feeding 38 Special unless custom loaded to a minimum COL of 1.50, which is longer than typical crimp grooves would dictate or longer than purchased ammo. Such ammo will just barely fit in my 38 Special revolver chambers but I would rather have dedicated ammo and reload using the bullet's crimp groove.
 
You have to work up the load for your rifle. Regular .357 Mag data from Hodgdon's site(.357 rifle data is kind of slim though. Better you buy a Lyman manual.) will do. For target loads(that's what CAS loads are), it'd be best to load .38 Special loads in .357 cases.
5.8 grains of TiteGroup is a jacketed bullet load. Don't use it for cast or plated bullets. Cast max loads of TiteGroup are well below the jacketed start load.
 
While published "powder puff" loads for .357 in rifle/carbine are hard to find, not so much for revolver. What I try to do when looking at reduced loads for my levers is to stick to a published load that creates at least 800fps in a revolver and thus has very little chance of producing a squib in my carbines.
 
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