357 158g xtp and tightgroup?

[Ktarr72590]

Alright guys. I'm not super experienced with loading for pistols. I've loaded for my 357 before but was never too thrilled with the results. Years past I loaded up my 357 with the 158g xtp with 4227 and could only manage baseball sized groups at 30 yds. I kno that could've been just me but i bought some tight group recently to try. I've found min and max charge data one hogdons website but I'm looking for personal experiences with it. I'm shooting it thru a Virginia dragoon with a 7.5" barrel. Their website says 5.4 to 6.1 gr of powder.

 

[Rsadams]

I do a lot of pistol loads , the only problem I see is the case will be about half full, maybe.. If I can remember the fill on the .357 off the top of my head.... With that you can run into weird ignition and the powder being position sensitive... I haven't used Tite group on long cases myself...

After looking at the hornady manual it looks like they are using tite group in lead bullets but not in jacketed bullets... I prefer the case to be as full as I can get it and according to the book there's several powders that would do a better job of filling the case.. I am sure someone else has tryed it and will chime in....

Don't worry about loading for pistol , if you load for rifle , it will be fine... Just be sure and crimp your bullets... Alliant 2400 or Win 296 looks pretty versatile...

 

[riflewoman]

Titegroup is a bit fast for 357 Magnum. BTW, for most of my 357 loads they’re about at 38SPL +P level anyway. The load I’ve been using 6.7 HS6.

So, I’d load 5.4 5.6 and 5.8. One of those should be decent.

 

[K22]

I've been shooting the 357 magnum for over 40 years mostly out of S&W revolvers.

For 158 grain jacketed bullets in the 357, slower powders such as 2400 do better than fast powders. 2400 gives outstanding accuracy and terminal performance with 140 to 158 grain bullets. This combo gives the 357 it's maximum energy potential.

For 158 grain lead bullets, modest charges with fast powders such as 231 works very well. This combo is an excellent choice for target practice. Keep lead bullets in the 800 to 900 f/s range and leading shouldn't be a problem.

My favorite load for the 357 magnum is 7.0 grains of 231 with 125 grain Hornady XTP hollow point bullets. This combo give excellent accuracy, relatively mild recoil and adequate terminal performance.

 

[Rsadams]

I've been shooting the 357 magnum for over 40 years mostly out of S&W revolvers.

For 158 grain jacketed bullets in the 357, slower powders such as 2400 do better than fast powders. 2400 gives outstanding accuracy and terminal performance with 140 to 158 grain bullets. This combo gives the 357 it's maximum energy potential.

For 158 grain lead bullets, modest charges with fast powders such as 231 works very well. This combo is an excellent choice for target practice. Keep lead bullets in the 800 to 900 f/s range and leading shouldn't be a problem.

My favorite load for the 357 magnum is 7.0 grains of 231 with 125 grain Hornady XTP hollow point bullets. This combo give excellent accuracy, relatively mild recoil and adequate terminal performance.

7gr of 231 with that weight bullet should be moving along pretty good without wrist breaking recoil.... I like win231 and load alot of it in 9mm and .38spl both as practice rounds for my wife and myself... In the .38 I had to get away from S&B primers I use in 9mm because they just were not lighting off the small charge of 231 for anything... Switched to any other primers ( CCI Fed. Win. ) and the problem disappeared..

 

[ToddKS]

If you want to use Tightgroup then I would load it in 38 special cases. I have had decent results with that powder in 38 special.

 

[David]

I use a load pretty close to max of W 296 and a magnum primer with the 158gr XTP. That is my deer load and out of a 6" GP100, it will shoot 3 shot clover leafs at 50 yards off a rest. Oh, forgot to mention it also has a Burris 2-7 power pistol scope on it also.

Performance on deer on broadside shots have been excellent. Out to 50 yards I always get complete penetration and judging by the exit hole, the bullet is expanding nicely..

 

[Uncle Ed]

I have a Ruger Vaquero 357 and use Titegroup, 231 and Trail Boss with cast and plated bullets and light loads.

With the Hornady 158 grain XTP and the start load of 5.4 grains of Titegroup is 1135 fps at 32,600 psi.

And with plated and cast bullets the Titegroup loads can be reduced even more.

I also bought pin gauges to check the cylinder and barrel diameter. Sometimes the barrels can be restricted or reduced in diameter where the barrel screws into the frame. If it is reduced in diameter to get better accuracy you can fire lap the barrel.

NOTE, if you think baseball size groups are bad at 30 yards, you should see my basketball size groups at 25 yards.
The secret to smaller groups is to move closer to the target.