View single post by Tsquare

Posted: Mon Jan 4th, 2021 09:16 pm

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Tsquare

Joined: Fri Nov 10th, 2017

Location: Suwanee, Georgia USA

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Today was a 357 Magnum sweetness day. I had an acquaintance give me a pound of IMR 4227 powder, about 2k in 38SPL/357MAG cases, 500 158gr JHP bullets, and about 700 158gr SWC bullets. I worked up some test bullets for 357MAG and the JHP. I found a sweet spot in the load that sends the bullet downrange at 1272 fps with a 2" pattern at 25 yards.

IMR 4227 is an old school powder that is not used much except for magnum loads. It is a fairly slow burn and it requires a magnum primer. It is also fairly bulky so it fills the case with a max load and standard bullet setback. It burns fairly clean and at .3 grains less than max load the recoil is not too bad - this is my load. What is a bit disappointing is that I am getting about 160fps less than the published results for a 158gr JHP with the amount of powder I used. That is the difference of a manufacturer using a 10" bolt action barrel and a Smith & Wesson K Model revolver with a 4" barrel.

I pressed out 357 Mag JHP ammo to use up the free powder. I have about 370 rounds. I am down to about 150 empty 357 mag cases. I will need to find another powder to press out the rest. That will be another adventure sometime in the future. I plan on loading up some hot 38SPL SWC in the 900-1000 fps range next with powder that I normally stock.

____________________
Tony
NE ATL
'04 XLT regular cab 3.slo stepside
Semi retirement