Tried a new .357 load.

[Hangfire]

Having some Alliant 2400 sitting around from my .44 Mag days and some Sierra 125 gr. JSP bullets I got a wild hair yesterday and figured I'd try the two together in my 4" GP-100.



I loaded 65 rounds of 16.6 grs. of 2400 under the 125's and headed to the range this morning.

At 25 yds. where I normally aim center on the 8" gong I had to hold 6 o'clock or my rounds would be a little over the gong.

Load impression; the load is pretty snappy, accurate, the fireball is impressive, it gave me 'Glock Knuckle', I've got a very slight tenderness in my wrist now after firing 65 rounds but I had no trouble keeping the bullets on the 8" gong when I did my part.

 

[sklfco]

You should stretch that load out a bit further, it will surprise you. I have a 77/357 and a similar load with Golden Sabre’s comes close to the 2kfps mark and leaves really nasty looking wounds on the side of a pigs head.

 

[Dumpstick]

Strangely enough, I've never tried 2400 in 357 Mag. I don't know why not.

I've used RedDot, Clays, Hp-38, Bullseye, Universal, HS-6, AA#'s 5, 7 and 9, H110, and 4227. Probably a few others.

But not 2400.

 

[Hangfire]

Strangely enough, I've never tried 2400 in 357 Mag. I don't know why not.

I've used RedDot, Clays, Hp-38, Bullseye, Universal, HS-6, AA#'s 5, 7 and 9, H110, and 4227. Probably a few others.

But not 2400.

Funny about the data using 2400 under a 125 gr. bullet in a .357.....it's all over the place depending on the manual.

Sierra # 5 shows a min of 16.2 and a max of 19.0 with a 6" barrel. <-------I'm barely over min.
Speer # 6 shows a min of 17.5 and a max of 19.5 with a 6" barrel <-------I'm considerably under min.
Hornady # 4 shows a min of 14.4 and a max of 16.3 with a 8 3/8 barrel <-------according to Hornady my 16.6 load is over max.

All I know is is that my 16.6 gr. load had some "Bark" to it and it shot well.

 

[sklfco]

I have learned over the years to walk up very slowly to max and to listen to what the empty cases have to say more so than the book, and what is max in one can very well be deadly in another of the same chambering. With that said, I rarely end up with more than a couple shells with that red paint mark on the primers. My loadings tend to be more on the accurate side of the scale than nuclear hot.
But it is fun to watch the faces of the uninitiated

 

[swampratt]

My first loadings for 357 mag was 2400 powder and Lee gas checked bullets that weighed 170gr.
I shot those at 100 yards and out shot a buddy and his 30-30 at 200 yards with that load.

I have used 2400 in 30-30 for cast also. But Varget or H4350 gave better groups.

I have some old Hercules 2400 in a tin can and it did not burn completely up unless I upped the charge vs the newer Alliant 2400

 

[Jcann]

I shot 110gr out of a 6” GP 100 .357 mag with I think 19.5 grains of 2400. They were pushing close to 2000 fps and shot wonderful. They were easy to shoot but the pressure wave was significant.

 

[Glock 'em down]

I shot 110gr out of a 6” GP 100 .357 mag with I think 19.5 grains of 2400. They were pushing close to 2000 fps and shot wonderful. They were easy to shoot but the pressure wave was significant.

Good thing you were using a GP100. Even an SP101 might be able to handle that kind of charge (if'n you could hang on to it) but it would probably be detrimental in a Security Six or a K frame.

 

[panayoti]

I had a can of herco I found in my dad's shop.
7.1 g with 158 lswc. Pretty nice.

 

[Rustygun]

I don’t see many recipes for herco in any of my reloading data books. Has it been stored in a climate controlled area and Second question how old do you think the can is?
The reason I ask is there is a common thought that powder has to be stored in a climate controlled area to last a long time. I have powder that has been in my garage for close to a decade and it still seems to shoot very well.