Question re 44 & 357 Mag components

but you can't reduce the load much (using H-110/W296), so unless you want near full-power loads you'll have to use something else.
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. . ^ 'xactly. ^

I prefer to turn my "full magnum" loads down just a touch. And that's why I switched from W296 to 2400. My 2400-loaded rounds are still boomers, mind you. Just not quite as boomy as with W296 ;).
 
In 357 with a 125 JSP, 7.5 grains HP38 is a full grain below Hodgdon's conservative max. Load density is terrible, roughly 33%, but it shoots real nice. Nice mellow muzzle blast, pleasant recoil, and the Rem 5-1/2's don't flatten at all, so I'm comfortable with that pressure level, and I'm sure my gun is too.

7.5 Unique is better, slower, safer, fuller, but I have some old powders to burn up.

I agree that if you're going to load to full pressure, you should use a slow powder.
 
7.5 Unique is better, slower, safer, fuller (compared to W231), but I have some old powders to burn up.
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. . ^ I agree. ^

You won't find a bigger fan of W231 than me. And you'll find lots n lots of bigger fans of Unique than me. But in this case, I'd definitely give Unique the nod to propel 125's (or any weight) over W231 in 357 Mag.

It has been my experience that W231 is really touchy in 357 Mag. It seems to get really spunky and unmanageable in this higher pressure cartridge. My load workups contain lots of notes about very flat primers and difficult case extractions. Even the notoriously spunky TiteGroup is more manageable in 357 Mag. I gave up on W231/357Mag.

I'm convinced that W231 is at its best running in the pressures typical of 38 Special and 45 ACP.
 
Being a dinosaur and set in my ways I consider 2400 the king in the magnums. I use it a lot with cast bullets and only occasionally with jacketed. I sometimes use mag primers with 2400 but not always and it probably doesn't need them, anyway. But if I use H110/296, which I especially like in the .44, it's mag primers all the way.
 
I used regular primers with Blue Dot and Unique when I loaded for 44Mag. I have been loading much softer rounds in the 44 special range for a while. I don't shoot the 44 that often.
 
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