Powder suggestions for 357 Mag

My choices are as follows.

1st Choice for jacketed is going to be Accurate. Either #9 or #7. #7 seems to have less flash in the indoor range.

2nd. Choice is H110. Though I would not go lighter than 158 grain with it.

3.rd Choice is IMR 4227. It still works.

Most of the loads I run in my revolvers are .38 Special.

My go to magnum loads are cast lead. Using one of the Accurate line of powders.
 
2400, Power Pistol, and HS-6 have all worked well for me in the 357. All meter well and burn relatively clean (though too little HS-6 can leave unburned powder). 2400 if you want a hotter load. Power Pistol seems the cleanest burning of the three in 125gr 357 loads.
 
2400 always gives me good results in both .357 magnum and .44 magnum. YMMV. For the sake of consistency, I'll trickle up each load if I'm loading on a single stage press.

As to the leaking powder measure, I never have leakage from my RCBS.

--Wag--
 
Before too many line up to be smug about their powder measure not leaking, let's agree that it is the sliding cavity type measures that have the worst time with very fine powders. And yeah, it's a progressive or turret thing, because I expect few would bother to load .357 on a single stage or charge powder from a standalone measure.
 
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231 would be quite a step down, since he is looking to improve upon 296. There probably are better choices for plated as light as 125, but something still in the magnum realm would be AA#7 and others in that burn range (that are not too fine)
 
2400 is my go to powder, 158 LSWC is fantastic for target shooting and general hunting. Truncated Cone 140 grain with a mid-range pistol powder such as Titegroup if I am doing an action pistol sport.
 
I expect few would bother to load .357 on a single stage or charge powder from a standalone measure.
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I'm one of "the few" it seems. I gave up on progressives and went back to single stage press and stand alone measure a long time ago. But, that's just me...;)
 
44 AMP > Nothing wrong with using a single stage if that is what you are comfortable with. I use a Lee Classic Turret Press with the index rod removed. I manually rotate the turret one operation at a time. After charging each case I put them into a loading block so I can check to see that they all look consistent. Good insurance to avoid double charges and uncharged cases. I am in no hurry. In the near future I plan on picking up some Accurate No. 9 to try out for warm to hot .357 magnum loads. Seems to be comparable to 2400.
 
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From what I can tell, H110 works well behind a heavy bullet with a strong crimp.

All things being equal and seemingly contrary to many posts, H110 is my go to powder for pushing gas checked cast 180gr WNFP bullets out of my 24" Rossi R92. I can push them really hard without leading and routinely enjoy 2" groups at 100 yards.

And ain't it cool to hear that bullet slap that paper from 100 yards away?
 
For magnum loads I'm in agreement with 2400 and H110. Instead of plated bullets I have switched to HyTek Coated with fantastic results. I worked up my loads, but wound up using the same charges that I would with jacketed. The Coated lead will also give faster velocity than jacketed and plated with equal charge of powder. No leading, clean shooting and most have a nice crimping groove. Like Passtime, I shoot 180gr for hogs and with H110 have no problem getting around 1300fps out of a 8 3/8" Barrel. Very Accurate and a lot cheaper than plated as well
 
I expect few would bother to load .357 on a single stage or charge powder from a standalone measure.
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I loaded 357 Magnum on a single stage for 31 years. Only until 2015 did I switch to a progressive. And even then, I still charge powder from a standalone measure.

So although I now use a progressive, I don't use it in a typical manner. I recondition brass and do the actual loading in completely different processes; with priming by hand, and charging off-press in between the two press sittings. A "hybrid" progressive loading process, as it were.
 
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Poconolg wrote:

I shoot 125gr plated bullets out of a 6" barrel with mixed brass and Winchester small pistol magnum primers.
I would like a flake powder if that is possible
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Poconolg, I'm shooting 125 platted bullets from a 6" 357M.

It's my practice load using Green Dot and CCI 500 small pistol primers.

I worked it up to 1,260 FPS using 6.8 grains
to get it to hit the same POI as my defense loads.
 
I only load full house loads for 357 mag. 16.5 gr of H110 with the Berry's 158 plated RNFP is my best grouping load for my Ruger 6" GP100.
 
I only load full house loads for 357 mag. 16.5 gr of H110 with the Berry's 158 plated RNFP is my best grouping load for my Ruger 6" GP100.
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I recall that Berry's have a recommended limit on how hard you can push them. Your near max load is rated around 1500 fps. Since H110/W296 does not do well loaded down it suggests that H110 and plated are not compatible. While you may be getting what you want, I am not sure anyone should follow your lead and ignore Berry's recommendation.
 
Real Gun said:
I recall that Berry's have a recommended limit on how hard you can push them. Your near max load is rated around 1500 fps. Since H110/W296 does not do well loaded down it suggests that H110 and plated are not compatible. While you may be getting what you want, I am not sure anyone should follow your lead and ignore Berry's recommendation.
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Don't know where your gathering your data but your "1500 fps" is grossly over-rated. I'm at about 1285 fps measured by my Alpha Chrony. Here's h110 / 158 jhp data taken right from my Lyman's 49th :

min 16.3gr @ 1178 fps / max 17.0gr @1309 fps

To further clarify i'm running the .38 cal Berry's "TP" (Thick Plated) bullets which are rated up to 1500 fps.
 
Data was from Hodgdon, and it did say 1591 for 16.7 gr max and 158 XTP. In any case, now knowing you are using thick plated, rated for higher velocities and use of jacketed data, it doesn't matter so much. There are "Berry's" and then there are "Berry's TP", and maybe we need to be clear about that.
 
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