Favorite 38/357 loads for a 6" 686?

[DRAB_81]

I have Titegroup, WST, WSF, Longshot, 800X & Blue Dot all on hand, but I'm not opposed to buying new powder. I need some of your Pet Loads for a 6" Revolver, for paper punching, hunting & flame throwing. Thanks in advance.

[sargenv]

My current target load for a 4" 686 is 4.6 of Solo 1000 with a 158 RN though a SWC might prove to be a bit more accurate. I use RN's since they go into the cylinder faster under the pressure of the the clock (USPSA or ICORE). Flame throwing used to be something on the order of 13 gr of Blue Dot with a 125 JHP... but these days Alliant asks you not to use Blue Dot for magnum loads with light bullets so if you load these, I'd work up the load by backing off 10% and working up carefully. It worked ok in my GP100 but I wouldn't use it in a light framed 357 (anything less than an L frame Smith, ie 686 or better). Blue dot can be very flashy especially at dusk or in the dark.

[Bill Steele]

For sure the three top powders for big dog magnum loads are W296/H110, AA#9 and VV-N110.

You can get the load data for all three of these powders online from the manufacturer.

My favorite of the above is AA#9, is goes right up there with the other two velocity wise but will download to lighter target loads as well.

Good luck, have fun.

[DRAB_81]

Thanks guys, keep em coming!

I'm thinking Bear Creek 158gr LSWC's for 38 target loads, and maybe some 125 & 158 grainers for the 357's.

.

[Dark Mod]

I have a 4" 686 and my pet load is 16.2 grn of H110 under 158 grn jacketed hollowpoints

[Fishslayer]

My go to Big Dog is 14gr of 2400 under a 158gr XTP or Nosler SJHP.

Of your powders available I would go with Blue Dot myself. Quite a bit of data available.

IMO WST & Titegroup are way too fast for a true magnum load.

Here's a burn rate chart. GENERALLY you're going to get higher velocity for a given peak pressure with slower powder, especially with heavy bullets.

There are other factors besides burn rate but you can get a good idea of where a powder is at.

http://www.hodgdon.com/burn-rate.html

[Nirrad]

My favorite so far is AA#7 under an Extreme plated 158g SWC for paper punching. Very satisfying.
I would like to try #9, but the listed starting velocity is 1,104fps. So I'd probably have to switch to jacketed.

[DRAB_81]

My go to Big Dog is 14gr of 2400 under a 158gr XTP or Nosler SJHP.

Of your powders available I would go with Blue Dot myself. Quite a bit of data available.

IMO WST & Titegroup are way too fast for a true magnum load.

Here's a burn rate chart. GENERALLY you're going to get higher velocity for a given peak pressure with slower powder, especially with heavy bullets.

There are other factors besides burn rate but you can get a good idea of where a powder is at.

http://www.hodgdon.com/burn-rate.html

Yeah, I figured I might be able to load TG/WST/WSF for light 38 target loads, but I have no intention of using it for 357.

There seems to be a pattern with 2400 & 296/H110 for serious 357 loads, so I'm sure a pound or two of one of those is gonna make its way to my loading bench soon.

[dexter9659]

I use 4.0 grains of unique behind a 148gr soft lead hollow base wad-cutter in my model 10 ppc (38 spl). Just make sure to tip the barrel up so the powder seats before you shoot. Very very little recoil. Very very dirty.

[24Sailor]

Yeah, I figured I might be able to load TG/WST/WSF for light 38 target loads, but I have no intention of using it for 357.

There seems to be a pattern with 2400 & 296/H110 for serious 357 loads, so I'm sure a pound or two of one of those is gonna make its way to my loading bench soon.

I have both W296 and 2400....2400 you can use standard or magnum primers in .357 plus download a bit if you want (cost effective primer wise if you're loading both 38spl. & .357). W296 & H110 = Magnum primers and it's also dangerous to back the loads off too much....but this is the flame throwing powder.

[HKMadness]

I shot my first .38/.357 loads yesterday and had a blast.
I had:
3.8gn of 231 with a 125grn lswc .38spl
4.8gn of 231 - 158grn lswc .38spl+p
4.5gn of 231 - 125grn lswc (magnum)
6.2gn of 231 - 158gn lswc (magnum)

I know 231 isn't a great powder for magnum loads, but it seemed to work well. This was all out of my 2.75" ruger police zervice six and super fun to shoot. Currently, I have the 125grn magnum loads in the cylinder, and two speed loaders with the 158 magnum loads. The light bullets give low recoil even in the magnum load I had, and the 158grn bullets kicked more in both loads.

I just need more magnum brass and some 2400 powder

[ns3v3n]

I got 2400 for full power loads and W231 for 38 special and dont forget trail boss, will fill alot of the casing for some low velocity loads.

[AJD]

Yeah, I figured I might be able to load TG/WST/WSF for light 38 target loads, but I have no intention of using it for 357.

You could even use those powders in .357 cases if you wanted to in order to make light plinking loads similar to .38 special loads. I believe Hodgdon even has data for TG in .357 cases. But there's more data for light target loads out there for .38 special so there's that. Just because it's a .357 mag case doesn't mean it can't be loaded differently than a full house .357 mag load.

[DRAB_81]

Just to add a little background, I'm no salty vet, but I have been loading my own ammo for a few years now. I started with 10mm, then 9x25 Dillon, 45, 9mm & 40. I shoot USPSA & IDPA (40 Major, 9 Minor), and I haven't bought more than a few boxes of factory target ammo since the day I started handloading (my component inventory wasn't keeping up with my shooting at first). I will be loading these on my Rockchucker, because I won't shoot them as much as the 10mm/45/40/9mm, which I have quick change setups for on the XL650.

The plan for my 38 brass is to load some light/accurate loads for general plinking and introducing new shooters (friend's wives included). The 357's are more for fun, and hunting small game.

A friend gave me a box each of Magtech 158gr LRN & Fiochi 125gr JSP (38). They seemed to shoot pretty well, and it felt like a 22 after shooting 10mm & 9x25 Dillon. I didn't chrono them, but I think either would be a good ballpark of where I'm looking to go. I've seen favorites from Bullseye to AA9, so I don't think I can go wrong with almost anything in between.

I think I'll go with 2400 for the stout 357's, but I'm still undecided on a powder for the 38's. Thanks for the help guys, keep it coming.

[DRAB_81]

And as always , I'll do my own workups of these loads in my gun. I just wanted to see what my fellow Calgunners were loading.