38/357 loads

[wally1229]

I just bought a Ruger Red Hawk in .357 and wanted to get some suggestions on nice easy plinking loads, and some hot loads as well.

Thank's Wally

[belus]

3.5gr of Trailboss behind a 158gr SWC is one of my favorite light plinking loads. I introduce a lot of new shooters to centerfire with it.

[wally1229]

3.5gr of Trailboss behind a 158gr SWC is one of my favorite light plinking loads. I introduce a lot of new shooters to centerfire with it.

Belus

Thankyou for the info, I looked up IMR's loading charts and I also noticed that Hodgen clays was very close to the Trail Boss load W/158 lswc bullet, have you ever used Clays? I have a lot of Clays and wondered how it might perform in the .357.

Thank's Wally

[Brewski]

3.5gr of Trailboss behind a 158gr SWC is one of my favorite light plinking loads. I introduce a lot of new shooters to centerfire with it.

Belus

Thankyou for the info, I looked up IMR's loading charts and I also noticed that Hodgen clays was very close to the Trail Boss load W/158 lswc bullet, have you ever used Clays? I have a lot of Clays and wondered how it might perform in the .357.

Thank's Wally

I use Clays for my IDPA loads. 3.9 grains under a 158 grain bullet gives you a nice shooting +P load in .38 cases. 3.4 grains with a 180 LTC is also a great +P load in .38. I'm sure you can take these down a bit to get a plinking load.

[kframe_mike]

For an all purpose .357 Mag load,I like 6.2grs of Bullseye under a 158 LSWC.They're soft shooting without a lot of muzzle blast,but still a real .357 load.IRC,they roll about 1100 fps.I believe Alliant used to list 6.5 as a max load at like 32,500 PSI.For a really fast hunting type load,I don't know.I've tried all of the slow burners at max book loads,and have always been pretty disappointed over the chrono.-Mike

Edited July 27, 2009 by kframe_mike

[bball97]

I just bought a Ruger Red Hawk in .357 and wanted to get some suggestions on nice easy plinking loads, and some hot loads as well.

Thank's Wally

I shoot 38 special for plinking in my 357's.

3.7 gr WST powder with 158 gr lead rnfp from S&S Castings 1" grouping at 7 yards shot single action with Ruger Security Six: Most accurate load tested yet. (I still need to load up a bunch and test to make sure that I wasn't just in the Zen Zone! Am cleaning the casings right now with new Dillon Tumbler that I just got from Brian.)

4.3 gr 231 powder with 158 gr lead rnfp from S&S Castings

3.2 gr 231 powder with 148 gr lead DEWC from S&S Castings

[Jeff Matzka]

An unbelievably light plinking load for .38 Special:

Rainier 125 gr. FP over 2.9 grains Clays

Super accurate out of my Ruger GP-100 and almost no recoil. You can barely tell it went off.

(Caution: I wouldn't use this load with Jacketed bullets, as it may not produce enough force to get the bullet out of the barrel. With lead, or plated bullets like Rainier, I haven't had any problems.)

[Graham Smith]

+1 on Clays for .38 Sp

Edited July 31, 2009 by Graham Smith