Moderate 357 plinking load

[Evil Dog]

Just picked up a 6" S&W 686 and am looking for a moderate 357 plinking load.... don't need full throttle. Will be using the Lyman #358311 160gr RN bullet cast from straight wheelweight. Powders I currently have on hand are Red Dot, Green Dot, W-231 and Unique. Primers are Winchester Small Pistol Magnum but might change to Federal just so I can tell the difference between Mag and Std primers... the Winchester are brass color and the Federal are nickel color. Cases are brass (no nickel) and of assorted headstamps. Would prefer to stay within the components I already have on hand. Suggestions? Thanks.

[foxtrotuniformlima]

Why not go to a 38 spl load ?

[Evil Dog]

Why not go to a 38 spl load ?

I have a 38 Spl load that works really well with this particular bullet, 4.5gr Unique. Was just thinking that once in a while I might want something a bit hotter.

[revchuck]

Why not go to a 38 spl load ?

I have a 38 Spl load that works really well with this particular bullet, 4.5gr Unique. Was just thinking that once in a while I might want something a bit hotter.

My IDPA load for ESR is the standard 158 grain RNL (Magma) that everyone sells over 6.8 grains of Unique with a Federal 200 primer. It gives around 1100 fps (more or less, depending on the gun) from a 4" barrel. This load is straight out of Alliant's data. The Lyman 358311 looks like it would have a longer overall length due to the location of the crimp groove, so it would probably run a little slower. I used to cast either straight wheelweights or 9 lbs. of WW with a pound of 50/50 solder mixed in, and had no problems with leading at this velocity.

[SIX SHOT]

Try using 38 special cases with either primer & 5.2 grs. of W231 with your 358311 slug, this is my everyday plinking load, works great. Dick

[Kosh75287]

Just picked up a 6" S&W 686 and am looking for a moderate 357 plinking load.... don't need full throttle. Will be using the Lyman #358311 160gr RN bullet cast from straight wheelweight. Powders I currently have on hand are Red Dot, Green Dot, W-231 and Unique. Primers are Winchester Small Pistol Magnum but might change to Federal just so I can tell the difference between Mag and Std primers... the Winchester are brass color and the Federal are nickel color. Cases are brass (no nickel) and of assorted headstamps. Would prefer to stay within the components I already have on hand. Suggestions? Thanks.

You might try 4.9/RedDot/160. The max load from Alliant is 5.5/RedDot/158, so this is probably a "pseudo .357" load, rather than a .38 +P (probably too hot for .38s). The last time I looked at a Winchester/Hodgdon/whomever owns them this week manual for .357 Mag data using WW231, the charge range was 6.0-6.9/WW231/158, so perhaps 5.4/WW231/158 might be worth a try? I've used Unique in .357 from 3.6/Unique/148DEWC to 8.0/Unique/158SWC, and have always liked the results. The first load is a PPC/Bullseye level load and the latter is a maximum load, so approach with caution. For a ".38+P+P+P" load, 6.4/Unique/158 is not half bad. It's authoratative (makes 1000 f/s from my 4" Ruger), accurate, and pleasant to shoot. It burns on the dirty side, but loading it with magnum-level primers might help with that. Unique will probably never be known for being a particularly clean burning powder, but it tends to burn MORE cleanly FOR ME, when mag primers, weighty bullets, heavy crimps, and pressures above the .38 +P level are present. But frankly, if Unique burned TWICE as dirty as it does now, I'd STILL use it because it's so very versatile.

I hope you find this information of help. ALL LOADS LISTED ASSUME THE USE OF .357MAGNUM BRASS AND DUE CAUTION ON THE PART OF THE RELOADER.

Cordially,