skeeter 357 loads

[45lcrevolver]

can the ruger sp101 357 handle the heavy skeeter loads? in particular the 150 grain bullet over 14grains of sharpshooter or any of them.

 

[mac45]

Sharpshooter is long discontinued.
Skeeter was one of my favorite writers, but may I respectfully suggest that you would be better served with more modern data.
I highly recommend the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook. (Skeeter shot mostly cast as I remember it).
As to the SP101, it's a light revolver, with small grips. Safe enough, but it wouldn't be my first choice for experimentation with max loads in the .357.

 

[Six Shooter Steve]

You also have to watch OAL with the SP 101. Some models are designed for the lighter protection 357 bullets so the cylinder is a bit shorter. I ran into having to cook up a shorter load for mine cause standard 158 gr loads were too long for the cylinder. Buy as to your question they are built plenty tough to handle hot loads.

 

[45lcrevolver]

Thanks for the help guys. I was going to load some hot rounds and was just needing to know they where going to be safe in my little ol' ruger.

 

[mac45]

Dang, I forgot about the short cylinder in the older ones. (Thanks Steve!)
If the gun is marked "125 grain only" it's the short frame, and actually sorta collectible.
Current ones are good for pretty much anything, just start low and work up to it.

 

[Six Shooter Steve]

love my 125gr beauty

I still shoot 158gr out of it, I just have to lower the powder charge and run a shorter OAL

 

[45lcrevolver]

Mine doesn't say 125 only. So I might be good to go all the way up to 180grains.

 

[Claddagh]

It's been a lo-o-ong time ago but IIRC, Skeeter's favorite general purpose .357 handload used the cast, gas checked Lyman 358156 HP over about 12.5 gr. of 2400 in .38 Spl. cases. Don't know if they still even make a mold for the HP version anymore. As the nominal weight for this bullet is 155 gr. for the solid, my guess would be that the HP version would run real close to 150.

At the time, .38 Spl. cases were way cheaper and a lot easier to come by than .357s which is why (I'm supposing) he used them instead. Personally, if I even owned a .38 Spl. revolver too, I'd stick strictly to .357 cases for loads like this, as the max listed +P charge of 2400 with this bullet in .38 Spl. is 8.8 gr.

 

[mac45]

For some reason I was thinking Skeeter was shooting a 168gr, but 358156 rang a bell and I had to go look it up.
You're right.
The Bullets of Skeeter Skelton

BTW....if you cast, or even just shoot lead, do yourself a favor and read Dr. Glen.
The LA Silhouette Club has a bunch of his stuff on their page.
A VERY bright guy, and a pretty good writer.