The Frontier Sixshooter Community Message Board - Favorite .357 Loads?

Favorite .357 Loads? (reply)

woody — Tue, 17 Mar 2026 01:58:24 +0000

I love The .357. Yes its load and muzzle blast can be bad. But I wear hearing protection when hunting so not bad at all.

My everyday load is 6.0 ge of Unique with a 158gr SWC/Keith. Mild to shoot and accurate in ever gun I’ve used it in. Will work on deer just fine. Dedicated Hunting loads I use a 158gr XTP with a max. load of 2400, 296 or AA#9. All have worked well for me.

My results… (reply)

Slow Hand — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 19:25:45 +0000

Sorry for the huge pics. I’m on my phone and don’t know how to resize them. Maybe Paul can shrink them down to a more manageable size!

My results… (reply)

Slow Hand — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 19:24:34 +0000

Bob, one of the first loads I tried in my new Blackhawk, and a few other guns was 5.0 of W231 over my Lee RNFP cast bullet tha runs about 165 with my alloy. I shot them in .38 and .357 cases with similar results. Shot in 6.5” NMBH, Outdoorsman and a 3” model 65.

I've never owned a 357... (reply)

Paul — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 16:26:33 +0000

but did load up a bunch to shoot through my brother in law's OM Blackhawk years ago. Never cared for the crack of full on magnum loads, found 45 Colt and 44 S&W more to my liking. I keep thinking of picking up a Colt Clone in 5.5" persuasion some day, to fit a Barranti holster I received in a drawing years ago. If so, I'd be looking at lower powered loads in magnum brass. A 180 gr projectile over an appropriate charge of powder to reach about 1,000 fps should prove an interesting load without infringing too much on one's auditory system.

Favorite .357 Loads? (reply)

Paul — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 16:22:26 +0000

Never tried loading them up in 357 brass, but did a bunch of 231 in 38 spl a while back. Don't have my data here, but it was around 4 gr of 231 under a 158 or so gr SWC, but in 38 spl brass.

Favorite .357 Loads? (reply)

Hoot — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 15:49:38 +0000

Forgot the 'loads of 357 brass' part. I'd lean heavily on using the .357 brass with a .38 Spl load. I'd be wary of fouling and crud building up in the chamber. I'm sure there are lots of options for duplicating the Spl.

Favorite .357 Loads? (reply)

BobM — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 14:58:48 +0000

Yeah I’m not planning on seriously competing either, just thinking about shooting for fun with my revolvers. I just want to avoid any issues shooting that much volume of 38 Special in the magnum cylinder

Favorite .357 Loads? (reply)

Hoot — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 12:24:01 +0000

I've used a bunch of Unique but I don't recall any 231 but I should think it would be fine. I no longer compete (if what you call what I did 'competing') but I am sure I used Unique when I did. I also had a bunch so I used it for many things.

Favorite .357 Loads? (reply)

BobM — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 11:10:17 +0000

Does anyone use 231 or Unique for 38 Special loads? Last year a friend got me back into IDPA but this season I want to shoot my Security Six and GP100. I have plenty of 357 brass and a fair amount of both powders

Favorite .357 Loads? (reply)

Bob Hatfield — Wed, 04 Mar 2026 22:00:44 +0000

Once upon a time I put on a shooting demonstration at the end of a muzzleloading match with my New Model Blackhawk using my favorite load of 14.5 grains of 2400 under a 158 XTP. I was shooting gongs at 100 yards offhand. Then moved to the 200-yard gongs and after a few shots I was hitting it several times out of a cylinder full. Then we moved to the 300-yard gong which was about 18 inches in diameter. I was lucky enough to have brown dirt to see the impacts so I could adjust accordingly and started hitting a shot or two out of the six with most of the others close enough to scare a person if I was shooting at them. All shooting was offhand.

Little did I know at the time there was a state policeman watching (off duty). He asked who I was and that he had never seen anyone shoot a revolver that good that far. I had good eyes still then. But that Blackhawk has always shot 14.5 grains of 2400 and that 158 XTP very well.

Favorite .357 Loads (reply)

JimT — Wed, 04 Mar 2026 20:15:46 +0000

173 gr. Keith SWC 14.5 gr. 2400 with Small Rifle Primer

160 gr. SAECO SWC same load as above

125 gr. Speer Gold Dot 21.0 gr. WC820

#358665 160 gr. cast FP 3.0 gr. Bullseye

Favorite .357 Loads? (reply)

Hoot — Wed, 04 Mar 2026 18:22:17 +0000

Like you, I don't care much for the .357....it can be too blasty! So, I haven't loaded any for a while. It's on my short list to change that as we picked up a Heritage/Rossi carbine that I am anxious to shoot. I think I settled on 168-180's chugging along at around 1000fps or near that. Probably used Unique but it could have been something else. I also had some Keith 170's and I remember them shooting well. I do know I used his bullet and load out of one of my 38/44 HD's and liked 'em. Got another reloader going at pistol leagues one night when he glanced at my box and opined, "2400! Ain't that a bit slow for a 38?" I smiled at him and told him he needed to get out more.

Favorite .357 Loads? (reply)

Gunner — Wed, 04 Mar 2026 17:46:04 +0000

Years ago I had a GP 100 and my favorite load was a max charge of H110 pushing a 125 JHP, impressive fire ball from a four inch barrel

Gunner

Favorite .357 Loads?

Slow Hand — Wed, 04 Mar 2026 15:31:36 +0000

I picked up a ratty older NMBH in .357 a few weeks back and hadve been having fun playing with it some. I have never been a big .357 fan but this one is growing on me! I have several .357 molds in the 158-215 gr range. I have mostly played with a
Nice bullet from an NEI mold that cases a nice SWC-GC bullet that is right at 180gr ready to load. I have tried some loads with Unique, 2400, H-100 and Lil Gun. I’m not necessarily looking for screaming loads but I’d like to keep velocity up a good bit because I’d really like to try it at slightly longer range. I can shoot 100 yards at my local
Range and out to 300 at the further away one.

Anyways, let me know your favorite.357 loads. I’d like to try what I can to see what I can do with this one!