I picked up a box of 200 grain truncated point cast bullets at a gun show a while back to try in my Model 28. I wanted about 950 fps from the 4" barrel for an easy-shooting load with good penetration. Started with 9.0 grains of 2400 and got a surprise. According to my old Lyman manual, I was expecting about 850 fps. Six rounds over my Chrony averaged 995 fps. Mild recoil, primers looked good, and the cases fell out of the chambers. I quit while I was ahead.

These bullets have a good 5/8" bearing surface, and the base is 1/2 inch deep in the case when seated. I'm figuring that to run the pressures up even with a mild charge.

Anyone else have experience with 2400 and heavy bullets in the .357?

for use in a .357 MAX barrel Contender. That load is nearly silent (a "ploop") from the rifle but gives 700 fps avg from a 4" .357 MAG revolver. That is the extent of my experience.

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Sincerely,

Hobie

.......as a kid growing up in the '60s I was convinced those would be a great round to carry in a Combat Masterpiece.

Otony

The 200 gr .38 Special lead round nose was known to the New York PD as the "Widow Maker".

Super? Not so much....

Best balanced .38/.357 bullet weight is 125-158 gr...

Byron

.

No doubt about the 125 grain in my mind. I was simply referencing the thoughts of a young teenager in the 1960s.

Frankly, I am of the "bigger is better" school of thought (in theory, not always practice). Nowadays my preference in revolvers is a .44 special. Bigger diameter, more weight, more better.....

Otony

My wife agrees....Byron

I have an NEI mold that drops a 195gr SWC-GC. I shoot it in my Rossi '92 over a near max charge of Lil Gun. I need to work ip a subsonic load because I'm working on getting that rifle threaded for my 9mm can!

I did shoot some of the heavy loads through my 4" Highway Patrolman and they weren't as bad as I thought they'd be. Wouldn't want to shoot a box of 50, but not too bad!

I've worked with the Lyman 358627 215 grain SWC a fair amount in the .357 Magnum. The best accuracy I got was with 9.0 grains of AA #7 (1000 fps). 8.0 grains of 2400 gave me a little over 800 fps and good accuracy (10.5 grains of 2400 was max and gave me 1085 fps).

Sounds like I am on the right track.

From .38 Special data at http://www.reloadammo.com/38loads.htm

200 grain LRN (Lead Round Nose)
Bullseye 3.0 gr. 760 FPS
Unique 3.6 gr. 780
2400 7.0 gr. 870
Universal 3.5 gr. ---
HP38 3.2 gr. 681
HS6 5.0 gr. 794

At 800+ fps that 200 grain bullet will do a hell of a more than just leave a bruise.