357 Mag. Data Point
Posted: Tue Feb 02, 2021 7:20 pm
Finally managed to get to the range today with some 357 Mag. loads I put together in the beginning of January. The weather wasn't too bad but the sun kept playing games with the chrono. The temp. was right around 40 F and there was a good wind blowing. The loads I was testing were as follows:
Caliber: 357 Mag (mixed head stamp brass)
Bullet: Missouri Bullets 158 gr. RNFP Hi-Tech coated
Powder: Hodgdon Universal 6.0 gr., 6.2 gr. and 6.2 gr with non-magnum primer
Primer(s): CCI 550 Magnum primer and Federal 100 small pistol primer
COL: 1.585"
When I was putting these loads together I decided last minute to create some of the 6.2 gr. Universal loads with a non-magnum primer just to see how it impacted the results. For the chrono I fired 5 shots and recorded the data for each load. For my rifles I use both my Henry BBS and my Rossi R92. The only reason I test loads in both rifles is that I get about 20-40 fps more velocity from the Rossi.
Here is the chrono numbers:
6.0 gr. Universal from Henry BBS
Avg. Vel.: 1224.0 fps High Vel 1258.2 fps Low Vel. 1200.1 fps SD: 22.9 ES: 58.1 fps
6.2 gr. Universal From Henry BBS
Avg. Vel. 1261.0 fps High Vel. 1280.4 fps Low Vel. 1220.6 fps SD: 24.8 ES: 59.8 fps
6.2 gr Universal Non-Magnum Primer from Henry BBS
Avg. Vel. 1211.2 fps High Vel. 1221.9 fps Low Vel. 1204.0 fps SD: 7.4 ES: 17.9 fps
Results from the Rossi R92 were as expected, the approximate same deviation and spread but with about 2% higher velocities. So no senses providing details here.
What I found most interesting in this test was the results from the non-magnum primer load. Although this load produced 50 fps less velocity, the standard deviation and extreme spread improved greatly. I would like to have retested these results, but unfortunately I only put together 10 rounds of this loads. Just enough to chrono. once in each rifle.
I also fired the magnum primer loads at a 40 yard target. The 6.2 gr load produced a 2 inch 5 shot group. So for me this seems to be the sweet spot in both my rifles.
Going forward I plan to make more of the 6.2 gr. of Universal with non-magnum primers. When the weather improves I will redo the chrono test of this load and also test it for accuracy.
Paul
Caliber: 357 Mag (mixed head stamp brass)
Bullet: Missouri Bullets 158 gr. RNFP Hi-Tech coated
Powder: Hodgdon Universal 6.0 gr., 6.2 gr. and 6.2 gr with non-magnum primer
Primer(s): CCI 550 Magnum primer and Federal 100 small pistol primer
COL: 1.585"
When I was putting these loads together I decided last minute to create some of the 6.2 gr. Universal loads with a non-magnum primer just to see how it impacted the results. For the chrono I fired 5 shots and recorded the data for each load. For my rifles I use both my Henry BBS and my Rossi R92. The only reason I test loads in both rifles is that I get about 20-40 fps more velocity from the Rossi.
Here is the chrono numbers:
6.0 gr. Universal from Henry BBS
Avg. Vel.: 1224.0 fps High Vel 1258.2 fps Low Vel. 1200.1 fps SD: 22.9 ES: 58.1 fps
6.2 gr. Universal From Henry BBS
Avg. Vel. 1261.0 fps High Vel. 1280.4 fps Low Vel. 1220.6 fps SD: 24.8 ES: 59.8 fps
6.2 gr Universal Non-Magnum Primer from Henry BBS
Avg. Vel. 1211.2 fps High Vel. 1221.9 fps Low Vel. 1204.0 fps SD: 7.4 ES: 17.9 fps
Results from the Rossi R92 were as expected, the approximate same deviation and spread but with about 2% higher velocities. So no senses providing details here.
What I found most interesting in this test was the results from the non-magnum primer load. Although this load produced 50 fps less velocity, the standard deviation and extreme spread improved greatly. I would like to have retested these results, but unfortunately I only put together 10 rounds of this loads. Just enough to chrono. once in each rifle.
I also fired the magnum primer loads at a 40 yard target. The 6.2 gr load produced a 2 inch 5 shot group. So for me this seems to be the sweet spot in both my rifles.
Going forward I plan to make more of the 6.2 gr. of Universal with non-magnum primers. When the weather improves I will redo the chrono test of this load and also test it for accuracy.
Paul