Prefer not to blow my face off, not even half of it.
Gun is a Handi Rifle, 357 mag, 16” barrel, need to measure twist tomorrow but published is 1:15.5
Using .357mag brass, small pistol primer and Vihta Vuori N110 powder. Bullet is a Speer 200gr TTSX-BT.
Vihta Vuori provides load data for a Speer 200g TMJ (max 12.8g of N110, start 12.2). Starting load delivers 1,180 FPS from a 7” barrel, I want to stay close to 1,000 FPS.
My chamber will allow me to load these out past 2.135” so I will have at least as much available volume in the case as the published load. Finished round is about the length of a 200gr 300BLK round and has about the same case capacity, just a bit more girth.
I believe that I can use the published data because I have not changed either bullet mass or available case volume, just the bullet profile and there is adequate room for the profile in the leade. Plan to start under the suggested starting load to stay subsonic. Anyone see a problem?
Now it gets tricky, stepping up to 220gr SP. Again I can load it long enough to maintain case capacity, but I have no data for this mass. Thinking drop back to 1.5g or 2.0g less than what I end up with for the 200g bullet and be prepared for a squib, work up from there.
Considered trimming some 357max brass back to 1.3” and using it instead of the 357mag brass because the web is more robust. This will change capacity, so I’d have to measure that and adjust, and it’s also significantly more expensive. I’d like to stay with the 357mag brass for now.
Am I missing anything? Have any ideas or concerns.
Gun is a Handi Rifle, 357 mag, 16” barrel, need to measure twist tomorrow but published is 1:15.5
Using .357mag brass, small pistol primer and Vihta Vuori N110 powder. Bullet is a Speer 200gr TTSX-BT.
Vihta Vuori provides load data for a Speer 200g TMJ (max 12.8g of N110, start 12.2). Starting load delivers 1,180 FPS from a 7” barrel, I want to stay close to 1,000 FPS.
My chamber will allow me to load these out past 2.135” so I will have at least as much available volume in the case as the published load. Finished round is about the length of a 200gr 300BLK round and has about the same case capacity, just a bit more girth.
I believe that I can use the published data because I have not changed either bullet mass or available case volume, just the bullet profile and there is adequate room for the profile in the leade. Plan to start under the suggested starting load to stay subsonic. Anyone see a problem?
Now it gets tricky, stepping up to 220gr SP. Again I can load it long enough to maintain case capacity, but I have no data for this mass. Thinking drop back to 1.5g or 2.0g less than what I end up with for the 200g bullet and be prepared for a squib, work up from there.
Considered trimming some 357max brass back to 1.3” and using it instead of the 357mag brass because the web is more robust. This will change capacity, so I’d have to measure that and adjust, and it’s also significantly more expensive. I’d like to stay with the 357mag brass for now.
Am I missing anything? Have any ideas or concerns.