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.357 Magnum/.38 Special

Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2018 1:42 am
by Sporty
For Pistol Cartridge animals, what is your bullet type, bullet weight and 24" muzzle velocities for your reloads? Using factory ammo, I'm trying to mimic what the reloaders have without breaking targets with hotter factory ammo.

The muzzle velocities I'm getting with a 24" barrel is about 300 fps more than what the factory reports for the pistol cartridge. So far my factory ammo testing has found one particular load to be the most precise at 100 meters but the muzzle velocity of the 158 grain soft tip jacketed bullet averages 1540 fps.

I have some 158 grain .357 Magnum cowboy action ammo and .38 Specials on order that should range from 1100 to 1260 fps. Hopefully, I will find one of those that my 1873 rifle likes and be able to knock down the ~15 pound rams and ensure it doesn't break the chickens.

Re: .357 Magnum/.38 Special

Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2018 6:36 am
by frankmako
What I have found with a 158 gr and/or 125 gr bullet a velocity between 950 fps to 1300 fps will work in pistol cartridge. Your rifle will tell you which bullet and speed to use. You got to test some loads to find out. Factory ammo to me is too hot for pistol cartridge and could damage targets. I like my 357 mag to feel like I am shooting a 22lr. It don't take much to knock down a pistol cartridge target with the 357 mag.

Re: .357 Magnum/.38 Special

Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2018 7:11 am
by Sporty
frankmako wrote: Fri Dec 28, 2018 6:36 am What I have found with a 158 gr and/or 125 gr bullet a velocity between 950 fps to 1300 fps will work in pistol cartridge. Your rifle will tell you which bullet and speed to use. You got to test some loads to find out. Factory ammo to me is too hot for pistol cartridge and could damage targets. I like my 357 mag to feel like I am shooting a 22lr. It don't take much to knock down a pistol cartridge target with the 357 mag.
That's exactly the information I was looking for. Thank you!

The factory ammo I mentioned in my last paragraph should match your velocities. I look forward to testing those loads.

Re: .357 Magnum/.38 Special

Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2018 9:05 pm
by TheBugFather
I have used for a while a load that is subsonic (less than 1080fps), if you use 125's plated or 110's it feels like a 22lr.

I also have another load with a 110gr around 1600-1700 fps that is less clicks from chickens to rams, that is also closer to a 38 special load. No target damage and I don't feel bad about hurting the animals. Very accurate. Some guns don't like the lighter bullets.

My current load is a 200+gr lead bullet, subsonic that I can use for both Pistol Cartridge and Long Range, with the same load for all 8 animal distances, No recoil and no targets are hurt, but man a lot of clicks to that 200 meter ram.

Thanks, Dennis