Pyrodex/Blk Powder in 357 max?

[tallyho]

I have a factory 357 max with laminated straight stock and Williams peep sight. I have been shooting it with various loads of cast and jacketed bullets and smokeless using .38, .357, and .357 max brass (.357 & Max brass seem to work the best)... but I have a can of Pyrodex RS sitting more or less unused since I only just dabble with muzzleloaders.

It occurred to me that it might be fun to try some in the Max.

Anybody done that, and if so can you suggest a decent load using 158 gr RNFP lead? Or any other load that you have a recipe for...

Cheers
Kerry

[quickdtoo]

Here's T7 data for the .38, pyrodex is 15% less powerful than T7, if that helps any. Should be a good starting place. You might call or email Hodgdon and ask em, they're real responsive to phone or emails. If you can browse thru a Lyman Black Powder Handbook, you might find some data, I can't find mine or I'd look it up for ya.

Tim

http://www.hodgdon.com/data/muzzleloading/granular/t7cartridge.php

http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=219023

[JPH45]

In days of old there was a cartridge, the 35 Maynard I believe that was a near twin of the 357 Max. When using BP and replica powders in metallic cases, the rule that mustbe followed is no air space between the powder charge and the payload. Experiment at will letting that be your guide, either the bulklet base itself or a wad the bullet rests agaist must slightly compress the powder. I shot a fair amount of Reloder 15 in my 357 Max, would give about 1400-1500 fps with 200 grain bullets, and was surprisingly accurate. My few attempts with black were not as promising and I quickly went back to smokeless, though there is no good reason that BP load should not shoot as well. I was just not determined enough to find it.

[quickdtoo]

I took a look in my old Cartridges of the World 4th edition, it has a .38 Ballard Extra Long that looks a lot like a 357max case which is 1.605" long with a .379" base, with a little internet reseach the Ballard is 1.63" long and has a base diameter of .441" and according to COTW, it used 31gr of 2f powder with a 145gr lyman 358161 bullet......FWIW.

Tim

[Jack Ryan]

Double the calibur maximum is a pretty general rule for safe muzzle loader use. I doubt the case will even hold 70 grains of pyrodex.

Remember black powder is measured by volume, not weight.

[tallyho]

Hey Tim thanks for the data I appreciate it... and JPH, I had forgotten about the 'no space between bullet and powder' rule.... Thanks for reminding me, probably saved me some grief!!