.357 mag load

MidSouthShooter has some 200 grain lead bullets and I have a couple pounds of Ramshot Zip powder. Think it'll work? There is no load data I can find for a starting point.

ILC said:

There is no load data I can find for a starting point.

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Good luck and any data you get off any gun forum is a risk on you. It sounds like you are a re-loader so you know how it works. Take the the time and experiment at the low end until you get what you are looking for. Yes I realize it's time and or money. But remember that old saying, "better safe than sorry" and I don't care if someone here or any other place on the internet claims to be a decedent of Jesus.

There is plenty of reliable sources available for .357 magnum loads.

buckaroo said:

Take the the time and experiment at the low end until you get what you are looking for.

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I guess I'm trying to figure out what the low end would be.

The Lee manual lists the starting load for 187 lead bullets with Zip at 4.8gn and max load at 5.6gn at 34252 psi. Accur#2 at 5.6gn starting and 6.1gn at 34989 psi. For 200gn lead bullets it only lists Accur#2 at 4.6gn and 5.4gn at 34943 psi. I've loaded 190 grain bullets with up to 4.9gn of Zip and they worked fine.

So I figure there should be enough room in the case for the Zip with the longer 200 grain bullets if I start around 4.2gn. Any advice? I'd prefer not to blow up.

Thanks for the response.

I hear ya, I'm at a bigger risk than you, I'm loading 12 gauge and there is absolutely nothing available for what I'm doing. And we don't even have 20k pressures to play around with, one wrong component and we get spike towards kaboom.

I promise I won't sue anyone if I take your advice and blow up

See post #2 above and you better get right before you get left.

buckaroo said:

See post #2 above and you better get right before you get left.

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I don't get it...thanks anyway.

I'll start at 4.0gn to be safe. If I never post here again, you'll know what happened

ILC said:

I don't get it.
If I never post here again, you'll know what happened.

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If you ever do it might be to late.
Make your peace now son.

buckaroo said:

If you ever do it might be to late.
Make your peace now son.

View attachment 10895

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Thanks Dad!

Extrapolating from other data, 4.2 grains of Zip should be a very safe starting load. I would call Ramshot/Hodgdon and run it by their guys...they will tell you straight up if it is okay. Some reasons certain powder/bullet combos don't appear in loading manuals is that they simply develop lousy velocities, foul excessively, or group poorly.

noahmercy said:

Extrapolating from other data, 4.2 grains of Zip should be a very safe starting load. I would call Ramshot/Hodgdon and run it by their guys...they will tell you straight up if it is okay. Some reasons certain powder/bullet combos don't appear in loading manuals is that they simply develop lousy velocities, foul excessively, or group poorly.

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Thank you for the information. I'll call them and see what they think. Zip has been very dirty in the 190gn bullet loads, produces lots of smoke. And it might get close to 850fps at a max load if I'm lucky. But its what I got for now.

Again, if I blow up it's not your fault.

There are better powders for this application...probably six common powders that will work better.

GasGuzzler said:

There are better powders for this application...probably six common powders that will work better.

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Agreed, but I have a pound an a half of it and nothing else to use it for. Got it when powders were hard to find. Good chance I'll get a different kind before the 500 box of bullets are gone

I have long used Lyman 200 gr cast over 10.5 of 2400. Best .357 load going.

Go to Hodgons sight for reloading data.

You're set on Ramshot Zip because that's what you have? I'd find some other powder but that's just me.
Here's a link that has factory recommended loads for all these powders:
CFE Pistol
H110
HS-6
Lil'Gun
Longshot
TiteGroup
IMR 4227
Winchester 926
Winchester 572
AutoComp
https://shootersreference.com/reloadingdata/357-magnum/
I too can't find anything for using Zip for 357. Hodgons web site doesn't have anything.

Durango Dave said:

You're set on Ramshot Zip because that's what you have? I'd find some other powder but that's just me.
Here's a link that has factory recommended loads for all these powders:
CFE Pistol
H110
HS-6
Lil'Gun
Longshot
TiteGroup
IMR 4227
Winchester 926
Winchester 572
AutoComp
https://shootersreference.com/reloadingdata/357-magnum/
I too can't find anything for using Zip for 357. Hodgons web site doesn't have anything.

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Thanks for the information, that is a very helpful link.

Did you check .38 Special (and +P) loads? Remember you can load the .357 'down'. That's where I'd start looking.