your best ,357 target load

B

Brutus

New member
Recently got back into the .357. Most of my target loads were around 5gr of WW231 for 900fps. or 4.4gr. of Unique for 850fps. under a 158gr. SWC.
Just curious what some of you folks prefer.
Switched from Unique to Universal because it meters better but most of my success with it has been in .44 Mag. or .45 Colt target loads.
5.3 gr. of U/C yielded 1000fps. in .357 but accuracy wasn't that great.
 
My GP100 (4") loves 7 grains of unique under a speer 158 grain plinker soft point. I bought them bullets by mistake but they've proven to have a use. Even with the charge it's incredibly light on recoil. It's just plain fun and accurate to shoot. I may keep looking for more deals on em and keep a few boxes around just for target loads. I have no idea on the velocity.
 
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I only have one: 158gn X-treme (plated) SWC; w/ 5.4 grains of TiteGroup under.

Chronos at 979 f/s through a 4" bbl; and 881 through a 3" bbl.

Goes nice n straight.

Everything else I load for 357 runs near or at defense level potency, using either jacketed hollow or soft points.
 
Used to be a 158 LSWC guy, but right now my preferred target/field load is 7.0 grains N340 under a 125/135 jacketed bullet.

The Speer 135 Gold Dot short barrel and the Speer 125 TMJ shot very well today at 28 yards, the Sierra 125 JSP was disappointing.

Want to try the 125 XTP after reading the great reviews.

If you shop the sales jacketed bullets can be quite affordable and the accuracy is excellent. Also looking at Montana Gold for a bulk order.

Bought 2 pounds of N340 for $80 this summer and I'm not regretting it. Meters great, burns super clean with a standard primer and no loss in accuracy compared to Unique. Unique and HP-38 also work great in this load at 7.5 grains.
 
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Lately I've been using HS-6 in my 357 plinking loads, both 125 & 158 gr. jacketed bullets.
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I'm curious how you define "plinking."

HS-6 will do the job for what most consider plinking ammo (generally, de-tuned ammo for basic range shooting). But it won't like it. HS-6 is notorious for running sooty and inconsistent unless it's pumped up good n stout.

HS-6 is not what I consider versatile. It likes heavy bullets, and it likes to be massaged toward the upper end of the load data scale. That's where it runs well. Otherwise, not so much. Some propellants turn down better than others. HS-6 is not among them.

I've run 158 XTP's with HS-6 to 1153 f/s through a 4" bbl; and 1107 f/s through a 3" bbl (at the "set" recipe charge weight; I went beyond during the course of the load work ups). Although about 100 f/s slower than what you'd expect from a big slow propellant, they are excellent handling rounds and well suited for shorter barreled guns. And still potent in their own right. This is where HS-6 shines. Very pleasing, well "balanced" ammo.

I've done lots of experimentation with 125 grain bullets but could never get them to calm down and be consistent with HS-6. They were plenty accurate (XTP's are always accurate - the propellant seems to not matter), but the chronograph showed high ES and SD numbers.

At any rate, "plinking" ammo can be made with HS-6, but it's not in its wheelhouse. Other intermediate burn rate propellants will likely do a better job (AA#5, Power Pistol, even Unique, and others).
 
I probably should not have replied to a “target load” question with plinking load suggestions. My plinking loads are simply the ammo I use for casual shooting. They are not intended to be either full power, or high accuracy target loads. I want my plinking loads to be something with a little more gusto than light target loads, but without the flash and blast of full power loads.

Often times my plinking loads utilize the leftover powder or bullets I have on hand. So they may not represent a load that excels at anything. My recent 357 practice load of HS-6, 158gr. JHPs, and mag primers was worked up to use up some 20 year old powder and mag primers. But it turned out to be a nice plinking load (fun to shoot) in my 4 5/8” Vaquero.

As far as HS-6 in general, I much prefer it to Unique or Universal (of Canadian origin) in most pistol cartridges. I find it cleaner than Unique and it flows better through my powder measure much better that either of them. (Note: I always use a mag primer with HS-6.)

Power Pistol is fine, but it usually goes off with a noticeable flash/blast. Accurate #5 is OK as well, but it's high density means it's a little hard to see in the larger revolver cases when double checking charge levels. It all comes down to personal preference.

If I were looking for a load to shoot the smallest possible 357 groups on paper without regard to the fun factor, I'd start with W231/HP-38 or Bullseye, or perhaps Accurate #2.
 
As far as HS-6 in general, I much prefer it to Unique or Universal
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Me too. Well, regarding Unique, at least. I have no experience with Universal

I find it (HS-6) cleaner than Unique
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It can be. Both have a sooty reputation. Both require some pressure (about 25K-ish in my estimation) to run clean and consistent.

and it (HS-6) flows better through my powder measure
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No doubt it flows much better than Unique.

(Note: I always use a mag primer with HS-6.)
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Good move. At least in cavernous revolver cartridges. Probably not necessary in the tighter confines of semi-Auto cartridges.

Power Pistol is fine, but it usually goes off with a noticeable flash/blast.
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True. Power Pistol (which I'm a big fan) is flashy, energetic stuff. Very useful however - assuming muzzle flash isn't an issue (it's not for me).

Accurate #5 is OK
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I find it better than okay. It's great stuff. Better suited for semi-autos however; where it runs clean and consistent. Falls right in an excellent burn rate range for the task of range shooters. Or even high performance ammo with lighter bullets.

but its (AA#5) high density means it's a little hard to see in the larger revolver cases when double checking charge levels.
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True. Part of why I prefer it in semi-autos. Although, I never consider load density and/or fill level to be a major factor when selecting a propellant. I'm pretty good about checking powder levels before placing the bullet.

It all comes down to personal preference.
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Indeed. The beauty of loading your own. The load bench may be the last place on earth where somebody isn't telling me what to do. :p
 
I buy 158gr. Either plated Berry's for target or SJHP for live targets. I like H110 running @ 1,400+ (as Elmer Keith intended!).
 
I use about 8.8 gns of HS-6 under a 158gn LSWC (cast actually, not "lead"). I find it on the cusp of where HS6 starts to "act right." It isn't exactly a mild load, but I wouldn't call it "Hot" either. I could shoot a hundred of them with no complaint. To be fair, I launch them out of an old Ruger Security Six with a 6" barrel... so recoil shouldn't be a complaint.

I find HS-6 to be one of those powders that doesn't really have a niche in the pistol world. It can do a ton of things pretty good. Warm loads of higher pressure cartridges? Yeah it does ok. I wouldn't label it a true magnum powder like 2400 or H110, but it get's you most of the way there in the revolver magnums. Warm 9mm loads? Yup. Full-house 10mm? Yup. Low pressure rounds like 45 acp, or light plinking loads of 9mm? Not so much. Unburnt powder and very inconsistent velocities abound.
 
Don't really want to add any more powder to the dozen cans I already have so HS-6 is out for the time being. Medium to fast powders I have available are:
Universal
HP-38
Power Pistol
Autocomp
AA#7
Bullseye
WSF

Autocomp and WSF were purchased during the powder slump and I've delegated them to 9mm punybellum . AA#7 is reserved for my 10mm target loads.

Mostly interested in good bullseye accuracy and will be shooting them in a Dan Wesson with both 6" and 8" barrels.
5.0gr. of 231 were always tack drivers in my Colt Python not so much in the Dan.
 
Recently got back into the .357. Most of my target loads were around 5gr of WW231 for 900fps. or 4.4gr. of Unique for 850fps. under a 158gr. SWC.
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Old standbys get to be old standbys because they work really well.
I use hp38/ww231 or Unique for target loads in most everything, I tend to push Unique a little into midrange.
I know Unique doesn't meter that well but it doesn't seem to matter much on the targets, I get outstanding accuracy with Unique out of my Hornady measure.
 
Medium to fast powders I have available are:
Universal
HP-38
Power Pistol
Autocomp
AA#7
Bullseye
WSF
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HP-38 is a very nice powder in 357 brass for light to medium loads. Meters great and delivers the accuracy. I prefer it to Universal, Bullseye and PP for its mild muzzle blast.
 
Well went to the range today, loaded up 50 rounds of 158gr. Lazercast SWC. with 4.7gr of HP-38 and 50 with 5.0grains. Couldn't distinguish much difference between the two other than 4.7 grain load was more accurate.
Think I'm on the right track. Still under the impression that the Python is more accurate but then I've been shooting it for 40 years. Shot the Dan with the 8" barrel attached, all the groups were in the black at 25 yards.
Shot at an indoor range so I can't report velocities that will have to wait until I can get outdoors.
One thing I will say about the Dan Wesson, it has the best double action of any revolver I have ever shot. Really need to get some better grips for it. Discarded the rubber grips it came with for some Houge wooden ones but they still just don't feel right. Would love to find some Ropers but my searches haven't revealed any.
 
Target loads? 148 grain cast Lee TL FBWC loaded crimped into the top microgroove over 3.5 grains of Bullseye. Stays in the 10 ring all day and X-ring most of the day.
 
Thanks for the reply Unclenick, unfortunately I don't cast my own bullets. In my youth hitting the X ring wasn't a problem but years of staring into a computer at work has taken a toll. At 25 yards the black is a blurr so I'm happy when none of my rounds hit the white.:) Case in point, I used to fly RC aircraft but had to give it up because my depth perception got so bad I couldn't distinguish if my aircraft was in front of the trees or in them.:rolleyes:
 
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