Short barrel data for .357 Magnum

[Adam5]

I’m looking at changing my loads for full power .357 Mag rounds. My full power loads have been a 158gr Hornady XTP over 15.8gr of W296 and a magnum primer. My friend that taught me to load and that I load with has been using this load for many years in longer barrel revolvers. It’s great for those, but is a handful in my smaller and lighter Colt King Cobra with its 3” barrel.

I’ve been researching load data for shorter barrels, but am coming up blank. Lyman lists it’s data as being from a 4” which is close. Everyone else uses 6”-8” barrels for testing. Hodgdon even uses a 10” barrel for their .357 Mag test data.

Does anyone have a good data source for shorter barrels?

 

[hseII]

I’m looking at changing my loads for full power .357 Mag rounds. My full power loads have been a 158gr Hornady XTP over 15.8gr of W296 and a magnum primer. My friend that taught me to load and that I load with has been using this load for many years in longer barrel revolvers. It’s great for those, but is a handful in my smaller and lighter Colt King Cobra with its 3” barrel.

I’ve been researching load data for shorter barrels, but am coming up blank. Lyman lists it’s data as being from a 4” which is close. Everyone else uses 6”-8” barrels for testing. Hodgdon even uses a 10” barrel for their .357 Mag test data.

Does anyone have a good data source for shorter barrels?

Look up the Remington Golden Saber 125 grain 357 loads- they are just right out of the stubby SP101. If I were wanting a short barrel load for the .357, I would try to duplicate that load.

It’s minute of cat across the yard with a SP101 with more HP than a .38 special.

 

[gh1950]

I shoot mostly 4" and I favor 180 gr, bullets.

For the shorter barrels, I like 125 gr. bullets for a number of reasons, not the least is reduced recoil. The benefit of shooting 125 gr, from short barrels is discussed several places on the interweb, and a couple of manufacturers have factory loads specifically for short barreled revolvers.

 

[Adam5]

I ended up going to a lighter bullet and a faster powder. I also stayed off the max load.

I went with a Hornady 125gr XTP over 9.5gr of Power Pistol. They should run just shy of 1300fps from a 3” barrel.

 

[PA4476]

Federal makes a special load for short barrel 38’s. They are called micro personal defense. They are loaded with a 130 gr HST bullet. They are loaded like a wadcutter so as to produce sufficient pressure and speed to make the hollow point open up.
I was able to buy some of the HST bullets from Midway USA a while back and have been loading my own “micro” rounds.
But I also loaded some for my 357 M&P 340.
Below are some pics.

38+P

357’s. I loaded these to the crimp ring since the full power 357’s will have enough velocity to open up upon impact. I loaded em hot with HS-6 powder.

 

[rosewood]

I’m looking at changing my loads for full power .357 Mag rounds. My full power loads have been a 158gr Hornady XTP over 15.8gr of W296 and a magnum primer. My friend that taught me to load and that I load with has been using this load for many years in longer barrel revolvers. It’s great for those, but is a handful in my smaller and lighter Colt King Cobra with its 3” barrel.

I’ve been researching load data for shorter barrels, but am coming up blank. Lyman lists it’s data as being from a 4” which is close. Everyone else uses 6”-8” barrels for testing. Hodgdon even uses a 10” barrel for their .357 Mag test data.

Does anyone have a good data source for shorter barrels?

I loaded up some using Longshot powder. Gets you good velocity and less blast than H110 in the snubbie. H110 gets you a bit more velocity, but I think the trade off is worth it.

Rosewood