What weight bullets for 357 Mag

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Number10GI
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What weight bullets for 357 Mag

Post by Number10GI »

Just bought a 357 Mag rifle and need to know what weight bullets I need to purchase. I would prefer one weight for all animals to keep it simple for reloading.
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Re: What weight bullets for 357 Mag

Post by cedestech »

1/2 scale, anything. Doesn’t take much to reliably knock down the 1/2 scale ram at 100 yards.

Full size, 158 going fairly fast will knock down the first three reliably, 50-ish% knock down on the rams, give or take, ymmv etc…

180 for rams is slightly better, no guarantee.

What rifle are you using? If it’s a ‘73 don’t recommend more then medium/mild 158, some people will hot rod them but remember, that is a toggle action.

Marlin/Henry/Winchester 92 or clones, no worries.

;)
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Re: What weight bullets for 357 Mag

Post by ppkny »

I have a 357 Rossi and have great luck with Berry's 125gr and 158gr bullets. I use two different weights basically to reduce cost. You don't need 158's to knock done chickens or pigs. Also know guys that are using 125's for all animals using IMR 4227.
I have my rifle setup so I don't need to move the sights between animals.
125gr Berry's with 12.5gr IMR 4227 for Chk/Pigs
158gr Berry's with 7.0gr Unique for Tky/Rams
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Re: What weight bullets for 357 Mag

Post by 44 mag »

For 1/2 scale 125 grain with tight group is about as perfect as u can get.

For full scale. 125 grain with tight group for chickens and pigs and a 180 grain with H-110 for turkeys and rams. Not 100% on rams but works pretty decent.
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Re: What weight bullets for 357 Mag

Post by PAndy »

Anything will work for 1/2 scale as others said. Coated cast bullets are cheap and easy and available, if you can find a decent load. The truncated cone shapes feed nicely through lever guns. Look at Missouri, Brazos, T&B Bullets, etc
Bullet choice for the 200m event is a more complicated question.
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Re: What weight bullets for 357 Mag

Post by Number10GI »

The rifle is a Rossi 92. I had one some years ago that was very accurate with factory loads and like a dumb a$$ I sold it. Right after I got it I went to the range with a friend and shot it from the bench. Using factory 158 grain bullets at 50 yds I fired 3 shots that measured a bit more than 3/4" and then my friend shot 3 shots in less than 3/4". You would think that I would learn after a few of these lapses in judgement. Hopefully this new rifle will do the same.

I shoot full size and half scale at the clubs where we shoot silhouette. After reading the replies to my post, thanks to all of you, I'm going to go with 125 grain for the first 3 animals and 158 grain bullets for rams.
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Re: What weight bullets for 357 Mag

Post by Doodaddy »

I use 125gr Xtreme with 5.5gr of Green Dot at a C.O.L. of 1.58" in my Rossi 92. Used to Shoot Rainiers until I couldn't buy them any more.
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Re: What weight bullets for 357 Mag

Post by Joaquin B »

I have been experimenting with .357 Mag. Loads for full-sized silhouettes and found coated 158 gr. bullets from Bear Creek Supply loaded with a little less than a max. load of Hodgdon Longshot works great on chickens, pigs and turkeys. This is from a Miroku/Winchester 1873 rifle, which cannot be subjected to high pressure loads, due to its toggle lock design.

For shooting rams at 200 meters with the same rifle, I have found the Missouri Bullet 180 gr. coated bullets, loaded 1 grain short of Win. 296/Hodgdon H110 published max. to be marginal, typically, leaving rams standing if hit below centerline. I will be doing some experimenting with cast 200 grain bullets available from Midway USA, but doubt I will get satisfactory results.

One of my solutions was to order a Miroku/Winchester 94 in .38-55. I have sentimental reasons for picking this cartridge over the venerable 30-30. Once my rifle is delivered, I will be experimenting with 255 gr. bullets from Bear Creek and 255 cast/Alox coated bullets.

I also shoot a Rossi 1892 lever rifle in .45 Colt, using 255 gr. Coated bullets from Missouri Bullet and Alliant 2400 powder and have no problems knocking any rams down. My problem is with big-time leading while using Alox coated, cast 255 gr. bullets loaded with Alliant Blue Dot at moderate velocity, for use at the lesser distances. I will be solving this problem by installing gas checks on the bases of the bullets.

Bottom line: The .357 Mag. cartridge is marginal and unreliable for full-sized rams at 200 meters. Better-suited cartridges are .44 Mag. .45 Colt, .30-30, .38-55 and others capable of achieving higher impact energy. Having said that, the .357 Mag. is excellent for 1/2 scale targets in the pistol caliber category.

Just my 2-cents worth.
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Re: What weight bullets for 357 Mag

Post by ppkny »

Don't waste your time and money trying to shoot CLA with a 357. It's a great PC caliber but get a 30-30 for CLA and be done with it. Been there done that.
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Re: What weight bullets for 357 Mag

Post by IHMSA53393 »

I’ve been using a Marlin 24” barrel 357 CB for LA since last year. In my IHMSA shooting days. A .357 Dan Wesson or a T/C loaded with a 200 gr cast bullet took Rams with no problems. So why not use in a rifle. With the 200 gr cast, CCI 550 primer and a reasonable dose of WW296 I have not rung a RAM yet. A 158 gr cast on C,P & T works well.
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Re: What weight bullets for 357 Mag

Post by cedestech »

ppkny wrote: Mon May 02, 2022 10:24 am Don't waste your time and money trying to shoot CLA with a 357. It's a great PC caliber but get a 30-30 for CLA and be done with it. Been there done that.
ppkny
Have you priced a reasonable quality 30-30 lately? Even clean 336 carbines are getting almost 4 digits… If you have a 357 AND you understand you may loose rams with it (same as someone shooting 22mag for 1/2 scale) AND you don’t want to lay out $ for a new rifle AND loading components… (I think I just bought the last “reasonably” priced new brass on the planet)…. 357 on 180-200 gr pills on the rams are not the worst choice. Honestly, if it’s a club match and you have a good 158 load, I’d lob those at rams all day long. Your already loading them and you don’t have to do anything special except screw that elevation knob a few more turns… ;)

(Do agree, if you are serious, get a 30-30 or at least a 38-55 if your recoil shy)
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Re: What weight bullets for 357 Mag

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IHMSA53393 wrote: Mon May 02, 2022 4:21 pm I’ve been using a Marlin 24” barrel 357 CB for LA since last year. In my IHMSA shooting days. A .357 Dan Wesson or a T/C loaded with a 200 gr cast bullet took Rams with no problems. So why not use in a rifle. With the 200 gr cast, CCI 550 primer and a reasonable dose of WW296 I have not rung a RAM yet. A 158 gr cast on C,P & T works well.
When shooting IHMSA pistol the targets are set just forward of the topple point, with LA most ranges set full foot on the rail. Makes a big difference in what it takes to know the ram down.
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Re: What weight bullets for 357 Mag

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stsbuyer wrote: Tue May 17, 2022 7:11 am When shooting IHMSA pistol the targets are set just forward of the topple point, with LA most ranges set full foot on the rail. Makes a big difference in what it takes to know the ram down.
Paul
If that is the way "most ranges" are setting the Ram targets, they contravene rule 4.2 Target Setting (Lever Action Only) which states:

To ensure that full-size rams will be knocked down with reasonable loads, they should be set so that the center of gravity works through a plane intersecting the stands approximately 1 1/4” forward of the rear edge. This can be accomplished by experimentally moving the target to the rear until it topples, and then moving it forward 1”. Stands can be designed to incorporate stops to facilitate setting the targets to the proper topple point.

Pistol Cartridge Lever Action and Smallbore Lever Action Rifle Targets are to be set full-foot and flush with the backs of their stands.


For too long I have heard that "we've always done it that way" or, "it's too hard to change the setup".
I'm sorry but that doesn't cut it; the rule is clear. If the range can't be set up in the prescribed manner can it, with all honesty, be described as a 'sanctioned match'?
And, why should a contestant have to develop a load to defeat a non-compliant target?
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Re: What weight bullets for 357 Mag

Post by IHMSA53393 »

stsbuyer wrote: Tue May 17, 2022 7:11 am
IHMSA53393 wrote: Mon May 02, 2022 4:21 pm I’ve been using a Marlin 24” barrel 357 CB for LA since last year. In my IHMSA shooting days. A .357 Dan Wesson or a T/C loaded with a 200 gr cast bullet took Rams with no problems. So why not use in a rifle. With the 200 gr cast, CCI 550 primer and a reasonable dose of WW296 I have not rung a RAM yet. A 158 gr cast on C,P & T works well.
When shooting IHMSA pistol the targets are set just forward of the topple point, with LA most ranges set full foot on the rail. Makes a big difference in what it takes to know the ram down.
Paul
I’ve been shooting the 200 gr cast since last year in my 357 CB. Shooting at 3 different ranges in the Pittsburgh area as well as Ridgway. I rang my first Ram last Saturday. Not to bad as I’ve seen Rams rung on that range with 38-55 and light loaded 30-30. The 357 with a 200 gr cast will work.
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Re: What weight bullets for 357 Mag

Post by 375Short »

My wife and I have both been shooting a .357 this season. To date no Rams lost with 200gr cast at 1080 fps. Logistically it’s an easy cartridge to load for and economical to shoot. A Ram can be lost to most any cartridge, we are willing to potentially trade a few rams for loading ease between matches. For Pistol Cartridge whatever shoots good in your rifle, any bullet weight will work even at subsonic speeds. I have had surprisingly good accuracy from 105gr bullets even at Ram distance at about 1080fps also. Whatever our Pistol cartridge load of choice is that load also serves as the chicken load for the HP match. I think with the success I have read about others having with the .357, the decades of pistol silhouette to its credit and our own experience this season the .357 is adequate but certainly best suited to a person that reloads and doesn’t mind slow heavy bullets. Kind of like fishing with lightweight gear, your going to loose a few, on a tough hard set range maybe more than a few.
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