Need LITE LOAD for Ruger LCR

[Deadeye]

My wife purchased a Ruger LCR due to having limited strenght in her arms and hands due to polio. I'm having a problem finding a commercial load that she will be able to handle the recoil. I purchased some Hornady Lite 90gr. Critical Defense but the blast and recoil is worse than the standard 158 Gr. I was thinking on reloading a Speer 148 gr. wadcutter to about 700 fps. Has anyone tried this load in the LCR?

 

[tsubaki]

My wife and daughter enjoy shooting 148gr DEWC's pushed with 3.0gr of Bullseye from their S&W 442.
They look pretty close to the LCR's size and weight.
Approximate velocity is 700fps.

 

[Deadeye]

My wife and daughter enjoy shooting 148gr DEWC's pushed with 3.0gr of Bullseye from their S&W 442.
They look pretty close to the LCR's size and weight.
Approximate velocity is 700fps.

Thanks Benny! Geo

 

[mike7mm08]

Try some TrailBoss powder. Very easy to work with. Take your bullet you plan on using. Figure out where the base of the bullet will be in the case once seated. Fill the case with powder to that level. Weigh that amount of powder. That is your max load. Now take that weight and multiple by 70 percent for your starting charge. Forget the numbers but I loaded up some loads for a friends wife and it turned the lcr into a creampuff to shoot. Now my technique for figuring loads may sound a little weird but it comes direct from IMR.

http://www.imrpowder.com/PDF/Trail-Boss-data.pdf

 

[Jimbo357mag]

I'm betting any light load behind a wadcutter or a semi-wadcutter would rip a big hole in any bad guy.

One of my favorite loads is 158gr LSWC with 3.0-4.0gr of W-231/HP-38. runs about 800fps.

http://data.hodgdon.com/cartridge_load.asp

 

[Deadeye]

I shot some Speer LHBWC and some Berry Plated DEWC today in the LCR. The Speer were pretty accurate with the Berry's not not far behind. I think the Berry's are running a little slow as they tore the paper rather then punch clean holes as the Speers did. I think I'll bump the charge on the Berry's up from 3.9 to 4.2gr. of W231 .

 

[Jimbo357mag]

I shot some Speer LHBWC and some Berry Plated DEWC today in the LCR. The Speer were pretty accurate with the Berry's not not far behind. I think the Berry's are running a little slow as they tore the paper rather then punch clean holes as the Speers did. I think I'll bump the charge on the Berry's up from 3.9 to 4.2gr. of W231 .

I think Barry's DEWC has kind of rounded edges doesn't it? That is not the best for self defense. I think a lead WC would be ok but a SWC or hollow point would be even better for self defense. Just some thoughts.

 

[Deadeye]

I shot some Speer LHBWC and some Berry Plated DEWC today in the LCR. The Speer were pretty accurate with the Berry's not not far behind. I think the Berry's are running a little slow as they tore the paper rather then punch clean holes as the Speers did. I think I'll bump the charge on the Berry's up from 3.9 to 4.2gr. of W231 .

I think Barry's DEWC has kind of rounded edges doesn't it? That is not the best for self defense. I think a lead WC would be ok but a SWC or hollow point would be even better for self defense. Just some thoughts.

The reason I have the Berry's is because that's all I could get at the time. I have 450 more to load and I plan to use it for target only.

 

[Rclark]

Trail Boss is a very good powder if you want 'light' loads as it doesn't 'dust' the bottom of your case:

If we are talking .357 cases, my tests show:

Out of a 6 1/2" barrel BH:

4.2g Trail Boss, 158g SWC, CCI-500, 720fps
5.0g Trail Boss, 158g SWC, CCI-500, 802fps

5.0g Trail Boss, 125g TC, CCI-500, 865fps. Same load out of 3" revolver 663fps

 

[Biggfoot44]

3.2gr of 231 and 158 RN or magma SWC gives +/- 700fps from 4in S&W . Aka about 50fps less than the traditional 158 standard load.

For defensive use would recomend a std pressure 110gr JHP factory load.