how many loads per pound?

Help Support Ruger Forum:

Kyhunt

Single-Sixer
Joined
Jun 4, 2008
Messages
233
Location
IL
On average how many loads of .357 do you get from 1 pound of powder?
 

dg101win

Single-Sixer
Joined
May 27, 2005
Messages
111
Location
Kokomo,In. USA
Varies with how much you load in each round. 7 grains will get you 1,000 rounds per lb. 7000 grains per pound divided by 7 grains per load=1,000. Just divide 7,000 by how many grains you want to use.
 

revhigh

Hawkeye
Joined
Aug 31, 2005
Messages
5,590
Location
PA
Don't make powder choices based on cost per round OR loads per pound. Use an appropriate well-proven powder for the caliber you're loading, and if at all possible, ALWAYS use a powder/load that fills the case MORE THAN HALF WAY. Why ???? Because if you double charge a round by accident it will be spilling over and will be IMMEDIATELY OBVIOUS that it was a double charge. GUns really don't like double charged rounds, and neither will your hands and face. Don't try to make one powder 'work' for different calibers so you only will have to buy one can of powder. Generally, there will be one or two powders that are 'proven' performers for each caliber, and you 'may' be able to use one for a few calibers, but not always. You're saving tons of money reloading already ... don't carry that to the extreme by trying to get your costs down even more by using inappropriate powders with very low charge weights that only slightly fill the case.

REV
 

mattsbox99

Hunter
Joined
Jan 12, 2009
Messages
3,391
Location
Montana 'Merica
I've loaded very light charges (3.0-3.5 grains) of Clays and Red Dot in .357 Mag for years with no trouble whatsoever. As long as you stick to published loads you are just fine.
 
Joined
Sep 8, 2003
Messages
1,480
Location
So. Ca.
Couple places with loads per pound.
This is not great but good.
www.reloadbench.com go to site map and on the right bottom find "round per pound"
I had a time finding this site again, been a few years since I was there but I found it and it goe from .1gr. to 150gr.
www.stevespages.com/page8.htm hope it works. Oh! It works and click on table #3 bullseye. Wait for the bullseyes to load.

Eric
 

Lost Sheep

Single-Sixer
Joined
Feb 3, 2008
Messages
410
Location
Anchorage Alaska
After going through a pound of 2400 (my very first pound of powder, ever) in my .357 Dan Wesson (my very first gun, ever) I calculated the cost per shot and then searched out the most economical powder. Bullseye powder. It was the most energy-dense (by weight) powder I could find. I did a few pounds of that and then switched to Unique because a powder that energy-dense is just scarey! No big worry, I always have loaded mid-range to light, so was pretty safe. But a little tiny bit extra charge and you get higher pressures and more velocity and a tiny bit less gives lower velocities. Does not do much for accuracy.

When my friend bought his 500 Smith I suggested the least energy-dense powder (by volume) I could find (Trail Boss as it happens; it may not be the "fluffiest" powder out there, but getting the data to choose from was difficult and I had to pick from what was on the shelves).

For practice and familiarization, Trail Boss has been GREAT! 325 grain bullets at 800 fps feel like shooting 22 rimfire out of a gun that heavy. We do shoot heavier loads with other powder, each one appropriate for the bullet weight and velocity we are seeking. We do have one 700 grain bullet we will probably never fire, but we have put a number of 375, 400 and 500 grainers downrange at full power, each over an appropriate powder and charge. The method: Select a bullet. Determine a desired velocity. Go to the manual and find what powders give that velocity at near 75% to 80% of maximum charge (if there is such a powder) and use that one, or as near to it as we can find. If he does not have that powder in his shelf, he buys it. It's not like it's going to spoil in a month. Then, next time at the range, we chronograph it and see how it's performing.

There is another consideration than getting the case full enough to prevent a double charge. Powder position matters.

When you don't fill a case all the way up, the position of the powder in the case makes an appreciable difference. We found that we can vary the velocity of the bullets out of his 500 from 750 fps to 825 fps simply by varying how we hold the gun. Point it up and bring it to level before firing puts the powder at the rear of the cartridge and gives 825 fps. Point it down and bring it carefully to level before firing puts the powder at the front of the cartridge gives as low as 750 fps from the same batch of reloads. I forget if we were using magnum primers or standard, though.
 

tomiswho

Single-Sixer
Joined
Feb 2, 2008
Messages
323
Location
Georgia
I find your comments, Lost Sheep, interesting regarding the different velocities seen by how you "shake" the powder in the case.

I like Trail Boss too. I use it for range loads for my .454 - fills the case nicely - only thing I notice is the brass is staining pretty good... have you noticed that? I'm using 7.0 g Trail Boss estimated 900 fps.
 

Lost Sheep

Single-Sixer
Joined
Feb 3, 2008
Messages
410
Location
Anchorage Alaska
tomiswho":nhqca9xl said:
I find your comments, Lost Sheep, interesting regarding the different velocities seen by how you "shake" the powder in the case.

I like Trail Boss too. I use it for range loads for my .454 - fills the case nicely - only thing I notice is the brass is staining pretty good... have you noticed that? I'm using 7.0 g Trail Boss estimated 900 fps.
My friend regularly cleans his brass, so the staining is not so much a problem, but we have also noticed that is smells mildly unpleasant, too. It must be an acquired taste.

He is so much a cleaning proponent that he gave me a vibratory cleaner for Christmas and now I am shamed into polishing my brass, too. After 30+ years of just wiping them clean.

One of the things that make me look at Trail Boss was that it was not supposed to be "position sensitive". Maybe in as large a case as the 500, it is. Or my velocity variations is less than what other powders would have done!?!

In any event it has been satisfactory enough that he wants more. I have not tried it in my 454 Casull (Super Redhawk 7.5" and Freedom Arms 4 5/8"). What barrel length gives you your estimated 900 fps?

Lost Sheep
 

revhigh

Hawkeye
Joined
Aug 31, 2005
Messages
5,590
Location
PA
mattsbox99":8dtp5hu2 said:
I've loaded very light charges (3.0-3.5 grains) of Clays and Red Dot in .357 Mag for years with no trouble whatsoever. As long as you stick to published loads you are just fine.

And as long as you don't accidentally double charge a case ...
 

63November

Single-Sixer
Joined
Oct 20, 2003
Messages
249
Location
Alaska (63 North, 162 West)
As long as you load your cases in a loading block and visually inspect the whole block before bullet seating begins you'll never have problems with double or even slightly over charges. Additionally, inspecting the whole block of 50 will let you know if the powder or the measure are having problems with powder bridging. It's easy enough for one charge to fail to completely drop but then fall along with the next charge into the next case. That will cause an underloaded case as well as an overloaded case. Both situations can be dangerous. Loading block inspection allows one to avoid either situation. I tire of hearing the suggestion that quick, dense powders should be avoided. Undercharging can be just as dangerous as overcharging. There are ways to avoid both situations. And there is never an excuse not to use great care.
 
Top