New .357 Single Shot

[Redthies]

That will work well I bet. Lower power optics are great on these sub 150 yard calibers. I run the Nikon M223 1-4x20 on my .30-30 Marlin. It’s on quick detach rings and I have a Skinner Ghost ring in the rear dovetail for those “unexpected” shots in dense timber where I usually hunt blacktail deer. My eyes are still fairly good, but anything over 50 yards and I’m reaching the stage of needing an optic to be accurate.

Looking forward to some target photos once you dial it in!

[zara_puppy]

I loaded up some rounds last night - 30 rounds at 15 grains of 2400 with 158 grain XTP’s and 20 rounds at 14.5 grains with the same bullet. Virgin Winchester brass and CCI 300 small pistol primers. Heavy crimp. Probably shoot them tomorrow or later this week if it’s too hot to hunt. I’ll post pics. One thing that got my attention - 15 grains of 2400 comes pretty darn close to the bottom of the 158 XTP. Not worried about it, but that’s got to be fairly hot.

[zara_puppy]

Soooo - took the newly scoped .357 to the range after work today. Using BigAl52’s formula - standard small pistol primers (CCI 300), 15 grains of 2400 and a 158 grain XTP. Got my favorite rest - rolled up carharts - and my neighbor who wanted to run some .40’s from his glock. Get everything set up, settle in behind the scope, breathe, squeeze the trigger. CLICK. Not good. Stay behind the scope holding on target for 30 seconds just in case. Check the round - light primer strike. Get another round, settle - CLICK. Another 30 seconds. Light primer strike. Mind you, the initial session with no scope had zero issues.

Check to be sure I didn’t crush the primers into the pockets - nope. Remembering trigger issues prior to “the fix” I’m thinking “OK - the hammer extension is too heavy”. Didn’t have a small enough hex to take it off to verify. OK. Look over the rifle - clearance is slim between the magnification ring and the focus ring. Well..... get out the fat wrench loosen up the rings a bit and tap the scope forward - maybe not quite an eighth of an inch. Tighten it down - get behind it, squeeze the trigger - BOOM!

Wahoo! OK - light is getting dim. Shoot another. BOOM! Ok. Adjust scope (take a swag - we’re at 25 yards. Two more booms. One more adjustment and hurry to pin a target at 50. Three shot group - like the group - point of aim still doesn’t equal POI. Adjust. Scurry (as much as this old man can scurry) with the target to 100 yards. Low light now....

Time for three rounds. Gotta take my time. First shot - like it (can’t see it, but I saw the end of the barrel move and the cross hairs were right). Second shot, saw the crosshairs low when it went boom. Dang. But I called it. Third shot - felt good. Put everything up, went to get the target. The two good ones were a touch over an inch apart a bit high and barely left. The low one was a bit under 3” lower. Considering the events of the hour we were there I’ll accept it. The cool part is I figured out the issue - and but for the called low shot I would have had a group under 2”.

Thanks to BigAl52 for a very timely post giving a good formula, and pics to show results. Perfect. Thanks to my neighbor for his patience. And thanks to anyone who actually read this whole thing.

Next time, less hurry (way less) and pics.

[JEBar]

congrats of trouble shooting (pun intended ) and figuring it out .... looking forward to following your efforts

[BigAl52]

Im assuming thats a typo for 240gr xtp bullet and you really meant a 158gr bullet. Hopefully next time you can take some pics

[Hatchdog]

I am seeing your scurrying around in my mind and I’m trying not to laugh. But, it would be laughing because I have been in that exact situation. Nice job on the problem solving.

[zara_puppy]

Im assuming thats a typo for 240gr xtp bullet and you really meant a 158gr bullet. Hopefully next time you can take some pics

You would be correct. I’m very used to loading .44 mags. Not so much with .357’s. Sorry for the gaff - and good catch.

[zara_puppy]

I am seeing your scurrying around in my mind and I’m trying not to laugh. But, it would be laughing because I have been in that exact situation. Nice job on the problem solving.

Go ahead and laugh. It was kind of funny - and no offense will be taken. But I know where it’s at and where it needs to be. Most importantly - I thoroughly believe it will draw blood soon.

Super pleased with the performance of the rifle. Pleased but not really surprised. It’s a Henry.

[daytime dave]

Great report and results. Congrats.

[BrokenolMarine]

Part of the joy of shooting is setting up the new guns. Good luck on finding your best load. Look forward to your next reports.

[zara_puppy]

First group of the day at 100 yards - 5X on the scope. I apparently over adjusted the scope when leaving the range in a hurry last time.

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Went over to the fifty yard range for a quick group (after clicking left a couple times - 2X on the scope...

06911C3E-D047-4622-A432-66227A442A43.jpeg (56.06 KiB) Viewed 1069 times

It’s a keeper. Just for fun, keeping the scope @ 2X I tried a couple shots “Ranch Roper Style”. I can assuredly confirm, with zero doubt, that I suck.

[BigAl52]

Which load are you shooting there zara

[zara_puppy]

That’s your formula, sir. 158 grain XTP over 15 grains of 2400. Virgin Winchester brass, CCI 300 small pistol primers. I don’t have a die specifically for crimping but with the Lee dies you can crimp pretty heavy using the bullet seating die.

Thanks for posting your recipes and pics (and again, your timing with that was perfect.

[BigAl52]

Ok just wondering because in your original posting about it you had also loaded some at 14.5 grains

[zara_puppy]

I did - and I shot some. They behaved similarly but just not quite as well. And their POI was a couple inches (estimated) lower. Since this is a hunting rig a bit of extra zip should be beneficial. I’ll try the 14.5’s in the GP100. Probably a bit hot in a revolver - but it is a Ruger.

[zara_puppy]

Had time to get three more loads down range this evening after work just to recheck the rounds and rifle. Hunting vacation starts at noon tomorrow. There was one change to the load - instead of Winchester virgin brass I used Hornady. When sizing the brass I thought it was a bit stiffer - maybe a thicker wall. So I suppose it's possible there's just a touch less volume in the Hornady as the rounds seemed a bit stiffer. And they hit a bit higher. So here's the target. The one to the left I knew it when I shot it or it might have hit inside that magical inch. I have the best of both worlds - .243 for longer shots from the tree line and the .357 for in the woods where shots are anywhere from 10 to 50 or 60 yards. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Note - the .243 would do the woods thing as well, but it's as good an excuse as I could muster to get another Henry. Next pics - deer down (fingers crossed)