photo © MDS – 2009
L to R, .38 special, .357 Magnum, .357 Maximum
This is the monster long round that is longer and badder than the .357 Magnum. Came out in early 80’s. The case length is 1.605″ and will only chamber in .38 caliber guns that are made for it. Ruger made a Blackhawk starting around 1983 for a couple of years in this caliber and then discontinued it. There are some contender barrels for this caliber and a sprinkling of others that were made in the past. You will see loads for bullets up to 255 grains. These heaviest bullets are for contender barrels only. I have read that this caliber is really for heavy bullets, and certainly a super hot load with a 110 to 125 grain jacketed bullet, is not what this caliber was intended for. The light bullets are not very stable. There have been reports of the hot loads gas cutting the top strap of the Ruger Blackhawk and because of the original specs on the revolver. I can not document this discussion. It’s presented FYI only. Use lead bullets with gas checks for hot loads. For mild plinking loads, use .38 special cases & .38 special loads and save the big cases for serious work. Of course, you can use .357 regular cases and loads in this big boy.
DIES: Since it’s the same caliber as .38 special and .357 mag, you can use even your .38 special dies (or normal .357 dies) to reload this round. (.357 mag dies are better) You just can’t full length resize the case (only what will fit in the resizing die), and adjust the primer decap pin. In the other dies, you just move them out until the bell, seat and crimp dies work as you would with the shorter cases.
(WC= WadCutter, SWC= Semi-WadCutter, HP= Hollow Point, RN= Round Nose), SP=Soft Point, (JHP= Jacketed Hollow Point and if GC indicated, means Gas Check at bottom of lead bullet)
Loads for .357 Maximum:
(Note: These are near maximum loads, you should use 10% less to start.)
(See note on Powders below or read all about various Powders.)
Bullets are .357″ for jacketed and .358″ for lead in diameter. Some loads use bullets of .358 for jacketed and .359 for lead. Due to different barrel lengths, type of bullet, seating depth, primer type and other factors, you may not get near the FPS charted. It is just a guide and the reason you should start under these charges and work up.
(Note H110 & W296 are the same as of 2008 as is HP-38 & W231)
(IMR 4227 is same as H-4227 if made in Australia)
125 grain JHP or JSP (Jacketed Hollow or Soft Point)
Blue Dot | 13.6 gr. | 1,665 FPS/td> |
Blue Dot | 14.9 gr. | 1,852 Max |
2400 | 18.6 gr. | 1,804 |
2400 | 20.4 gr. | 2,071 |
W-296 | 26.0 gr. | 2,219 |
W-296 | 28.0 gr. | 2,377 |
H-4227 | 25.0 gr. | 1,968 |
H-4227 | 27.0 gr. | 2,126 max |
H-110 | 27.5 gr. | 2,014 |
H-110 | 28.7 gr. | 2,163 |
158 grain LRN (GC suggested)
2400 | 14.0 gr. | 1,577 FPS |
H-4227 | 20.0 gr. | 1,702 |
Unique | 6.0 gr. | ~ ~ plinker |
Unique | 7.0 gr. | ~ ~ plinker |
158 grain JHP, XTP or JSP (Jacketed Hollow or Soft Point)
574421.0 gr.1,825 max
2400 | 16.4 gr. | 1,596 | |||
2400 | 17.8 gr. | 1,772 near max | |||
2400 | 18.2 gr. | 1,861 MAX | |||
2400 | 18.0 gr. | 1,443 in revolver 7.5″ Hi=1465, Lo=1423, ES=41.4 | |||
2400 | 18.0 gr. | 1,761 in Contender 14″ Hi=1801, Lo=1742, ES=58.7 | |||
Lil’Gun | 23.0 gr. | 1,722 max/td> | |||
Lil’Gun | 22.6 gr. | 1,624 in revolver 7.5″ Hi=1649, Lo=1595, ES=54.4 | |||
Lil’Gun | 22.6 gr. | 1,961 in Contender 14″ Hi=2035, Lo=1874, ES=160.4 | |||
W-296 | 21.5 gr. | 1,883 | W-296 | 23.4 gr. | 2,037 max |
5744 | 20.5 gr. | 1,345 in revolver 7.5″ Hi=1380, Lo=1322, ES=57.7 | |||
5744 | 20.5 gr. | 1,597 in Contender 14″ Hi=1632, Lo=1560, ES=72.0 | |||
H-4227 | 20.8 gr. | 1,592 near max | |||
H-4227 | 21.9 gr. | 1,712 Max | |||
H-110 & W296 | 22.0 gr. | 1,894 near max | |||
H-110 & W296 | 23.5 gr. | 2,048 Max | |||
Enforcer | 14.5 gr. | 1,531 | |||
Enforcer | 17.7 gr. | 1,751 max |
160 grain JSP (Jacketed Soft Point)
2400 | 15.6 gr. | 1,582 |
2400 | 17.3 gr. | 1,754 max |
H-4227 | 20.3 gr. | 1,685 |
H-4227 | 22.5 gr . | 1,814 max |
H-110 | 22.0 gr. | 1,643 |
H-110 | 24.0 gr. | 1,886 max |
170 grain JSP or FMJ
5744 | 20.5 gr. | 1,772 max |
2400 | 14.8 gr. | 1,587 |
2400 | 16.5 gr. | 1,652/td> |
H-110 | 20.5 gr. | 1,659 |
H-110 | 22.3 gr. | 1,892 |
H-4227 | 19.0 gr. | 1,638 |
H-4227 | 21.0 gr. | 1,748 max |
Enforcer | 62.0 gr. | 2,697 |
Enforcer | 16.6 gr. | 1,667 max |
180 grain JHP (Jacketed Hollow Point)
W-296 | 18.5 gr. | 1,567 |
W-296 | 19.0 gr. | 1,670 (max in 2006 manual)46,900 CUP |
2400 | 14.5 gr. | 1,437 (Old 1995 Speer book) |
2400 | 19.0 gr. | 1,442 |
H-110 | 18.5 gr. | 1,544 |
H-110 | 20.5 gr. | 1,692 max |
H-4227 | 18.0 gr. | 1,551 |
H-4227 | 20.0 gr. | 1,645 max |
5744 | 18.5 gr. | 1,440 |
5744 | 20.5 gr. | 1,765 max |
Enforcer | 13.6 gr. | 1,390 (Nosler Partition Bullet) |
Enforcer | 15.7 gr. | 1,571 max |
Enforcer | 13.4 gr. | 1,398 (Sierra jacketed FP) |
Enforcer | 15.5 gr. | 1,572 max |
187 grain LFP+GC (lead with gas check)
2400 | 17.0 gr. | 1,452 in revolver 7.5″ Hi=1483, Lo=1398, ES=85.4 |
2400 | 17.0 gr. | 1,702 in Contender 14″ Hi=1721, Lo=1683, ES=38.1 |
5744 | 17.8 gr. | 1,243 in revolver 7.5″ Hi=1266, Lo=1206, ES=59.7 |
5744 | 17.8 gr. | 1,961 in Contender 14″” Hi=2035, Lo=1874, ES=160.4 |
Lil’Gun | 20.5 gr. | 1,517 in revolver 7.5″ Hi=1546, Lo=1504, ES=42.0 |
Lil’Gun | 20.5 gr. | 1,901 in Contender 14″” Hi=1935, Lo=1862, ES=73.5 |
TrailBoss | 7.8 gr. | 881 in revolver 7.5″ Hi=893.7, Lo=861.1, ES=32.6 |
TrailBoss | 7.8 gr. | 1,002 in Contender 14″” Hi=1011, Lo=993.4, ES=18.3 |
200 grain Sierra RN
W-296 | 16.0 gr. | 1,213 start (Speer book 1995) |
W-296 | 19.9 gr. | 1,330 |
W-296 | 21.2 gr. | 1,350 (careful with these)(beyond max in some books) |
W-296 | 22.3 gr. | 1,400 max-max (careful-not verified) |
H-110 | 18.0 gr. | 1,411 |
H-110 | 20.0 gr. | 1,604 max |
H-4227 | 16.0 gr. | 1,280 |
H-4227 | 18.0 gr. | 1,440 max |
5744 | 18.0 gr. | 1,497 max |
Unique | 10.0 gr. | 1,150 |
Unique | 12.0 gr. | 1,402 max |
W-680 | 25.0 gr. | 1,688 |
RL-7 | 24.9 gr. | 1,308 |
2400 | 15.0 gr. | 1,495 near max |
210 grain RN GC (Gas Check Lead)
5744 | 17.0 gr. | 1,518 max |
W-296 | 18.0 gr. | 1,541 |
W-296 | 19.0 gr. | 1,602 max |
215 grain RN GC (Gas Check Lead)
W-296 | 19.0 gr. | 1,686 (different measurements) |
W-296 | 19.8 gr. | 1,432 max |
220 grain Speer FN SP
H-110 | 16.5 gr. | 1,332 max |
H-110 | 18.5 gr. | 1,538 max |
W-296 | 19.8 gr. | 1,432 max |
W-296 | 18.0 gr. | 1,497 max |
2400 | 13.0 gr. | 1,190 |
2400 | 15.0 gr. | 1,360 max |
IMR-4227 | 16.5 gr. | 1,251 |
IMR-4227 | 18.4 gr. | 1,421 max |
250* grain Hornady SP (Contender only)
W-296 | 17.5 gr. | 1,334 |
W-296 | 19.2 gr. | 1,462 max |
H-4227 | 18.0 gr. | 1,359 |
RL-7 | 24.9 gr. | 1,521 |
255* grain RN GC (Gas Check Lead)(Contender only)
W-296 | 20.0 gr. | 1,610 |
W-296 | 20.5 gr. | 1,647 max (Caution) |
RL-7 | 24.0 gr. | 1,582 max |
* Loads NOT tested or verified. Be VERY careful
Discussion: This caliber was meant for bullets in the 180 to 200 grain weight category. I would not use less than a 158 grain bullet. The really heavy (and long) ones are for contender barrels, because seated properly, will stick out too far for a revolver chamber. Some of the load info is from the 80’s and some more current. That’s why you will see some loads in conflict with others in the same bullet weight category.
I use Hodgdon’s “Lil’Gun” in my .460 and .500 S&W magnum pistols, and it should be well suited for the heavy bullets in this magnum round. I intend to do further testing with big bullets and Lil’Gun and will post on site when I have data. (7-3-09)
*
Bullseye, Unique and 2400 are products of Alliant (formerly Hercules) Powders.
H-4227, Universal, HS6, Lil’Gun are products of Hodgdon Powders.
IMR (formerly DuPont) Powder Company is now owned by Hodgdon (2009).
No. 2, No. 5, No. 7, #5744, #2230, and #2460 are products of Accurate Arms Company
WMR, W-296, 760, 748, 231, 296 and 540 are products of Winchester, Components Div. (also owned by Hodgdon 2009)
References: Powder companies Web sites of 2009
Accurate Arms Co. 1996 Reloading booklet – – Alliant Powder Co. Reloaders’ Guide (1995) – – Hodgdon’s Basic Reloaders Manual (1996)&(2006) – – Speer Reloading Manual, #12 – – Winchester Reloading Components Manual, 14th edition – – Lyman Piston & Revolver Reloading Handbook, 2nd edition. – – VihtaVuori Oy Company, reloading booklet (1995) – – Numerous magazine articles on reloading special calibers and personal loads where noted.
3 Responses
I love this site already it is very thoro and detailed with different grain bullets and powders thank you
I couldn’t see a barrel length skimming through this article, did I miss it? What was the barrel length?
Your list shows “Enforcer…62.0 gr…2,697”, but the case is said to only hold ~half that!?