Hand Loads dot com Data check...

The #1 community for Gun Owners in Indiana

Member Benefits:

  • Fewer Ads!
  • Discuss all aspects of firearm ownership
  • Discuss anti-gun legislation
  • Buy, sell, and trade in the classified section
  • Chat with Local gun shops, ranges, trainers & other businesses
  • Discover free outdoor shooting areas
  • View up to date on firearm-related events
  • Share photos & video with other members
  • ...and so much more!
  • 87iroc

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    4   0   0
    Dec 25, 2012
    3,437
    48
    Bartholomew County
    So I'm running through some different loads for 357 for my pistol and lever action. I have quite a few powders to choose from and have been dabbling in each powder in an effort to find the one that I like the best. I went through all the load books I had and have loaded what i could find. I decided to look around for load data on some of the other powders I had to see if they had data available. For instance, none of my load books have Red Dot and 158 Gr bullet data available. I have Lyman and Lee load books. Then I have the MidwayUSA load books for 357 to look through as well.

    So I pulled up Handloads and found a few choices for red dot. I jot them down...then start scanning other loads and comparing them to load data in my manuals. Most of them are running quite a bit hotter(I was looking at LSWC data mainly as I load Xtreme plated bullets) than what my books said. Now, I did look at things like 'is that a jacketed bullet load'...and that sort of thing to justify that hot of powder charge working in the gun...but not necessarily with the bullet.

    Anyway...Should I trust the Red Dot load and give it a try(its on the internet so it must work mentality)? I struggle to blindly trust some guy online that says it works well with his gun. Do I give it a shot(ha ha) or avoid that as a source of realistic data.

    Hope that made sense...

    Thanks!
     

    M67

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    23   0   0
    Jan 15, 2011
    6,181
    63
    Southernish Indiana
    Anyway...Should I trust the Red Dot load and give it a try(its on the internet so it must work mentality)? I struggle to blindly trust some guy online that says it works well with his gun. Do I give it a shot(ha ha) or avoid that as a source of realistic data.

    VS following the book so it much work mentality? Reloading manuals change constantly depending what edition you get. When I started loading 9mm with red dot, depending where I looked, it was listing max 4.9-5.1gr. I load 4.9 and most of the manuals or data I find now, I'm shooting over max... That load does shoot pretty good though for me

    I'll check loaddata.com later when I'm by a computer and see what they say. It's a compiled list of different manuals and has a wide variety of bullet weights


    ETA

    They're showing loads for a LSWC from 5-5.5gr, cowboy loads go as low as 3.3gr (I use that load in 38spl for plinkers).

    Jacketed, 5.5-6gr
     
    Last edited:

    87iroc

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    4   0   0
    Dec 25, 2012
    3,437
    48
    Bartholomew County
    VS following the book so it much work mentality? Reloading manuals change constantly depending what edition you get. When I started loading 9mm with red dot, depending where I looked, it was listing max 4.9-5.1gr. I load 4.9 and most of the manuals or data I find now, I'm shooting over max... That load does shoot pretty good though for me

    I'll check loaddata.com later when I'm by a computer and see what they say. It's a compiled list of different manuals and has a wide variety of bullet weights


    ETA

    They're showing loads for a LSWC from 5-5.5gr, cowboy loads go as low as 3.3gr (I use that load in 38spl for plinkers).

    Jacketed, 5.5-6gr

    Thanks for checking on it for me.

    I've seen repeatedly to 'follow the book' and you'll be fine. I'm a year in to reloading....and enjoy having all my digits...so I like to check with the more experienced crowd before I vary from what the book says.
     

    87iroc

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    4   0   0
    Dec 25, 2012
    3,437
    48
    Bartholomew County
    I have a loading pamphlet from Alliant. It shows a .357 magnum Red Dot load for 158gr. LSWC of 5.5 grains, giving 1215fps at 34,000 psi.

    HTH

    Interesting, I looked through my little Aliant load book I found in my NRA swag from Indy last year and that book had nothing for 158 gr and Red Dot.
     

    kludge

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    5   0   0
    Mar 13, 2008
    5,360
    48
    Powders can change over time. Measurement equipment does too. Modern piezo pressure measurement equipment is far more accurate and captures the true peak pressure, which in many cases (no pun intended) was higher than old copper crush measurement methods indicated. Hence the books change.
     

    warthog

    Shooter
    Rating - 100%
    66   0   0
    Feb 12, 2013
    5,166
    63
    Vigo County
    I have used their data for years and have yet to blow anything up.

    Many manuals and the website under report max values, that way when folks decide to push those limits they can show their limits id someone tries to sue.
    Lawyers created much of this sort of thing so they want to make sure the data they publish is as safe as they are able to make it.

    I use Red Dot for some of my 357 loads but would need my notebooks at hand to give any of my pet loads
     

    oldpink

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Apr 7, 2009
    6,660
    63
    Farmland
    Maybe it's because Red Dot is the only powder you can locate for handgun loading, but I have to ask why you would select it over so many other choices (IMR 4227, Alliant 2400, Unique, AA#7 , AA#9, and the king of the hill, H110) that would be far better suited to loading for .357 Magnum?
    If you're loading for .357 Magnum, you probably want close to factory load performance, something that fast powders as Red Dot are ill suited for; and you'll load .38 Special in your revolver when you want to shoot milder and less expensive, i.e. lower powder charge, loads.
    Red Dot, Bullseye, and other fast burning powders would be far better suited to .38 Special and the like.
     

    mkgr22

    Expert
    Rating - 100%
    3   0   0
    Dec 5, 2010
    1,244
    63
    Starlight, IN
    Interesting, I looked through my little Aliant load book I found in my NRA swag from Indy last year and that book had nothing for 158 gr and Red Dot.

    I've had this booklet for maybe 15 years. It's dated for the year 2000. but the data should still be correct.
     

    jstory

    Sharpshooter
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Feb 14, 2015
    739
    18
    Wabash
    I trust what alot of what people say here, but I also know that people can make mistakes. That said, if it was my hand and gun on the line and i can't find anything in the manual, I call the manufacturer of that particular powder. Just my opinion, and my approach.
     

    87iroc

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    4   0   0
    Dec 25, 2012
    3,437
    48
    Bartholomew County
    Maybe it's because Red Dot is the only powder you can locate for handgun loading, but I have to ask why you would select it over so many other choices (IMR 4227, Alliant 2400, Unique, AA#7 , AA#9, and the king of the hill, H110) that would be far better suited to loading for .357 Magnum?
    If you're loading for .357 Magnum, you probably want close to factory load performance, something that fast powders as Red Dot are ill suited for; and you'll load .38 Special in your revolver when you want to shoot milder and less expensive, i.e. lower powder charge, loads.
    Red Dot, Bullseye, and other fast burning powders would be far better suited to .38 Special and the like.

    Just trying out different loads. AA#5 is my favorite so far(AA7/9 I have never seen around locally). H110 I loaded a few with but am concerned, once again due to available load data, that I am hot rodding lead bullets to try to use it. I'm trying to push the limits as high as possible but maintain use of Xtreme Coated bullets rather than jacketed bullets. These are for plinking...not hunting.
     

    oldpink

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Apr 7, 2009
    6,660
    63
    Farmland
    Just trying out different loads. AA#5 is my favorite so far(AA7/9 I have never seen around locally). H110 I loaded a few with but am concerned, once again due to available load data, that I am hot rodding lead bullets to try to use it. I'm trying to push the limits as high as possible but maintain use of Xtreme Coated bullets rather than jacketed bullets. These are for plinking...not hunting.

    Yes, but I must be missing something here, i.e. why make plinking .357 loads when you can do the same thing for less cost, more easily, and with abundant load data for .38 Special loads instead?
    They'll work in the same revolver with no problem, and they'll probably even wind up being a bit more accurate than those longer .357 Magnum cases with all that air space you'll be creating with that low bulk and quick burn rate Red Dot.
     

    Broom_jm

    Master
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Dec 10, 2009
    3,691
    48
    Others would ask why you're shooting 38 Special loads from a 357 Magnum, when you're going to wind up cleaning carbon buildup from your cylinder and accuracy won't be as good with all that bullet jump.
     
    Top Bottom