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Author Topic: .357 mag Handi Loads  (Read 791 times)

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Offline kmittleman

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.357 mag Handi Loads
« on: March 08, 2012, 04:04:26 AM »
Hi Guys,
 
I'm loading my .357 Handi up for deer and was looking for a decent load for it. The one I currently am working with is a 158gr Speer SP over 2400. I haven't Chronied it yet but it should give me around 1800fps. Is this a good combo for deer or should I try something like an XTP? I have some of those but hear that they top out at around 1500fps.
 
-Kevin
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Offline Dales66Ford

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Re: .357 mag Handi Loads
« Reply #1 on: March 08, 2012, 04:10:21 AM »
Hate to piggyback your topic, but I was also curious of the 158 gr load for deer.  Can get plenty of styles of bullets in cast and jacketed.
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Offline Deerhunter#1

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Re: .357 mag Handi Loads
« Reply #2 on: March 08, 2012, 04:23:57 AM »
Dont have the answer you are looking for with loads but i posted asking the question regarding the Buffalo Bore 357 ammo. It is advertized at 2200 ft seconf with 158 grain bullet. I got my 357 and reamed it to Maximum to acheive just these velocities that Buffalo Bore is getting from the standard 357 mag. So far no one has respondef that have tried them for a handi rifle. It makes me question weather or not I should have just kept it a mag as i could just buy 2 boxes of there ammo a year for deer and just load up some cheap 38 and 357 ammo for plinking which is the fun part about the gun caliber combination.
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Offline Jason F

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Re: .357 mag Handi Loads
« Reply #3 on: March 08, 2012, 05:22:01 AM »
They shoot mag bullets sometimes better after they are reamed to Max,I don't have no experience with buffalo bore bullets,I reload my own I cant remember the last time I bought factory ammo.
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Offline yukondog

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Re: .357 mag Handi Loads
« Reply #4 on: March 08, 2012, 06:32:29 AM »
158 gr. should work just fine,I lean towards the 170,180 gr. but only cause I haven't worked up a load for the 158 yet and it shoots them pretty good.
My max. shoots 357 mag. and 38's pretty good.
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Offline Deerhunter#1

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Re: .357 mag Handi Loads
« Reply #5 on: March 08, 2012, 07:50:28 AM »
I reload for all my calibers also but it would be nice to have a 357 load that shot well such as the buffalo bore that could be used for hunting  with the extra speed and knock down power than the 357 loads advertized for reloading at 1800 ft second. That difference equates to 750 lbs of energy at 100 yards vs 1100. Nice to have that little extra. Unless someone can explain to me how they are getting those speeds as i would love to be able to duplicate those loads.
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Offline bigvarmnt

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Re: .357 mag Handi Loads
« Reply #6 on: March 08, 2012, 08:37:02 AM »
You probably won't be able to duplicate their load and might not want to try. I'd either buy a box and try them or load yours to your comfortable max. Or just load the MAXIE. They probably have a powder we can't get. I just started shooting some old 357s I had and am loading a couple test loads right now. Mostly only have lead from the old pistol days. I have to pick up some 158s and like to get some 170-180 soft nosed bullets hopefully this weekend. Don't want to push the old lead and only have jacketed hollow points in 110 and 125 on hand. Wondering how 110 or 125s will fly, Fast :-\   
I have a few left out of 500 cute little pointed 105 gr lead that I might load in some 38+P carts. for short range backyard critters ;D
I don't know if the XTPs are the best choice for speed and deer. I had a little piece of paper that used to come with the XTPs, still might that showed the low and high vel. that they recommend. Think that was for people hunting though. Not sure how well they'd hold up. I had that paper, I never throw anything away, probably why I can't find it ;D  I think the Speer SP @ 1800 should be a good load. Distance probably matters the most.


Added: I knew I put it where I could find it ::)  I don't know if they still put the paper in with the XTPs, they did when they first came out. It says vels. for max Pen. & Exp.
38-158 HP/XTP   700-1400 fps
38-158 FP XTP   1175-1800+ fps
I've never found the FP XTPs yet but I think you can order them. I WILL ;)
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Offline Gohon

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Re: .357 mag Handi Loads
« Reply #7 on: March 08, 2012, 04:15:08 PM »
I load the Remington 158grain JSP which is pretty much the same design as the Speer.  Loaded ahead of 17 grains of Lil'Gun it runs 1827 fps from my Handy and accuracy at 100 yards is just a little over 1 inch.  A 158 grain XTP ahead of a max load of 18 grains of Lil'Gun is 1940 fps at the muzzle and accuracy again is very good.   As for using 2400......a 158 grain SWC/GC cast ahead of  14.5 grains of 2400 clocks at 1803 fps from my gun but accuracy is 3-4 inches at 100 yards. 

I've taken only two deer with the Remington JSP, one at 45 yards and the other at just a little over 100 yards and it flat puts them down.  The deer at 45 yards ran maybe 20 feet and the one at 100 yards dropped on the spot.   Personally I would consider these loads good out to 100 yards but if a good broadside shot presented itself out around 125 or so yards I wouldn't hesitate to take the shot. 
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Offline jpshaw

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Re: .357 mag Handi Loads
« Reply #8 on: March 09, 2012, 02:25:00 AM »
Check your chamber.  I lot of .357 barrels will accept .360 Dan Wesson right out of the box.  Don't assume but do a chamber check.  Mine did and I simply got some 360 DW brass and the rest is fine.  I use the 180 gr XTP crimped on the lower groove even.  Not giving data but it's H110 and vel is over 1800.
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Offline yukondog

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Re: .357 mag Handi Loads
« Reply #9 on: March 09, 2012, 03:03:25 AM »
Mine was one of the ones that would take 360 DW and shot them for several years before reaming to max. The 158 xtp/fp at mid-way are around 18.00 per 100.
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Offline twoshooter

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Re: .357 mag Handi Loads
« Reply #10 on: March 09, 2012, 04:26:12 PM »
my grandson killed several deer with the 158 XTP's and 13.8 gr of 2400, worked just fine and I think is about 1700 fps. Deer went down within 40/50 yards, they were shot @ 60 to 80 yards distance. That load grouped at about 1.25" on my 75 yard range.
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Offline cwlongshot

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Re: .357 mag Handi Loads
« Reply #11 on: March 09, 2012, 11:45:04 PM »
IMHO, 158s from a magnum, loaded to that velocity will provide best performance on deer than any other bullet. You might experiment with long seated 170/180 but you would be treading uncharted waters as you would likely be above listed max powder charges. The 170 Speer Gold Dot is a damn nice bullet, it will work, but I like the bit more vel from the 158's in the mag case.
 
I have shot deer with my marlin 357mag using speer and Hornady 158 SP and XTP FP bullets. My #1 preference is the Hornady 158 FP bullet. I like 296 powder, but H110, #9, Lil gun, 2400 or VH powders will all get the job done! I also use small Rifle primers with my carbine loads, but small pistol mag may prove just fine.
 
The maxi is better with the 170 GD and 180G projectiles. But again IMHO the 200's are too heavy (maxi).
 
DEFINITELY stay with a SP design and find one that shoots best and dont look back, you will have a freezer filling combo!
 
CW
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Offline Fred McIntire

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Re: .357 mag Handi Loads
« Reply #12 on: March 10, 2012, 05:06:23 AM »
I would submit a 185 grain, flat nose, gas checked cast bullet by Beartooth Bullet over 16 grains of H110, and a Small Pistol primer.
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