357 B&D

[JD]

New here to the Graybeard Outdoors forum, been skulking in the weeds for coupla weeks now. Like what I'm hearing and seeing.
 I could use any load info for the heavyweights (180-200). Just got my Octagon barrel back from surgery; Speer 180 Sillywet over 18gr H110 resulted in a case head separation. Then realized it was all old brass with at least 8 reloadings. DUH!!!.
 I love all things 35 calaiber, favorite is big Herrett w/ Pach rubber, 2-7 Burris, 14"er, never thought it was right in 10".
 Noticed in a post below someone wasn't sure about the Speer 180 FP. My only elk was a 3yr old at 90 yds not quite broadside. Bullet was laying against far side ribs, good mushroom, MV was 1800FPS. The elk just kinda folded in a pile.

[Steve E]

I'm a big fan of the 357 B&D. I even had a rifle built in it(Marlin 1894S). I have yet to take a Game Animal with either gun yet but vermin sure don't like it at all. My 12 in Bullberry really likes the 158 Gr. weight bullets.

                                                 Steve E........

[RonF]

JD, as far as 180s go, I have only tried the Hornady XTP.  It is excellent in my gun (a Merrill).  It did a nice job on a button buck last fall, but the range was very short, probably under 10 yards.  A claw hammer would have done about as nicely :-D  If your barrel has a long throat as mine does, then I recommend you try large doses of AA 1680.  It is too slow to get maximum velocities if you are limited to standard seating lengths, but if you can seat the bullet out you can get higher velocities at lower pressures than you can with H110 using the heavier bullets.  You might want to email the folks at Accurate to see what they have to say.

RonF

[JD]

Made a mistake on my post; they actuaslly had 21!!! gr H110. Problem is I can't find the source I used for that load. I don't want to fire them 'cause I don't know if it is weak old cases or just wayyy to much powder. Maybe both.  How can I tell if I have a long throat or not? The barrell is an ealy Octagon model

[RonF]

To see how long your chamber throat is, seat a bullet out as far as you can and still have it stay in the case (an EMPTY case) and see if your Contender will close on it.  If not, seat it a little deeper and try again.  If you find yourself having to seat to the cannelure, then you don't have a long throat.

That 21 gr. of H110 sounds a bit warm to me for a 180 gr bullet, but I don't have my manual handy just now.

RonF

[T/C nimrod]

Made a mistake on my post; they actuaslly had 21!!! gr H110. Problem is I can't find the source I used for that load. I don't want to fire them 'cause I don't know if it is weak old cases or just wayyy to much powder. Maybe both.  How can I tell if I have a long throat or not? The barrell is an ealy Octagon model

Cerrosafe - leaves no questions about what you really are dealing with. (May want to take the ejector off before you do a cast - trust me on this :oops: )

[RonF]

JD, I checked the Hodgdon manual and they show 21.0 gr H110 as maximum with a 158 gr bullet.  I believe your 180 gr loads using that amount of H110 are dangerous if loaded to standard length and that you should break them down and not shoot any more of them.

RonF

[madog]

Have you used the 180 grn. lead Sillouette bullets in your 357/44?  And how about Vitourvouri N 105 or N 110 Powder?  I've found this powder has a much less muzzle blast and flash than H 110.

[RonF]

I've not used any of the Vitavouri (sp?) powders in anything I shoot.  I did try some 180 gr LBT gas checked bullets, but they were in a Contender with a short and tight throat - bad idea with such a short case neck.  I may get around to trying them in this Merrill, which has a long and generous throat, but I think they would be best in my .35 Rem.

RonF