.357 magnum loads for Scandium 340PD

[Glockbuster]

I´m not an avid reloader--not by a long shot. That said I´ve done some reloading for 357 using 2400. It is the only powder available for Magnum here, so any suggestions with other powders i.e. H110 are out of context.

So, I´ve done 158 gr. jacketed soft points and hollow points with 12.5gr. 2400 for my M66 2.5" with great results. I´ve also done 125 gr. bullets with 16 gr. 2400 with great results on same gun.

I wanted to try a light load for the 340 PD and did 5 each with 158 gr. bullet and 12 gr. 2400, and 125 gr. bullet and 14 gr. 2400.

I have never gone down this low even though the Hornady newest manual OK´s even lower loads.

Can the more experienced guys here advice me on what to expect out of these loads? Do you consider them dangerously low ? I noticed some unburnt powder on the previous loads on the 2.5" M66 and I was wondering if a lower load would solve this problem. Oh and BTW, the primers used are CCI 550 small magnum.

Extra care has been taken on these cartridges, once fired nickel brass, very clean primer pocket and case, very well inserted primer, powder measurement carefully digitally weighed and visually inspected afterwards for uniformity, and good crimp.

[jmorris]

Can the more experienced guys here advice me on what to expect out of these loads?

Lots of flash, 2400 is slow for the short barrels.

[Zombie Steve]

You'll likely get a lot of unburnt powder. Probably best to move down to a mid burn rate powder like Unique.

[MSgt Dotson]

Just because you have a Magnum, does not mean you need wrist -busting loads in Magnum cases full of classic 'magnum' powders....certainly not in a 340PD, anyway.

231, Unique, and many other powders can provide decent .357 or .38 special loads...

[WiskyT]

You'll likely get a lot of unburnt powder. Probably best to move down to a mid burn rate powder like Unique.

And the unburnt powder can quickly collect under the extractor star. I've had this happen with other slow powders in light loads. One the powder gets under the extractor, even a few flakes of it, the gun can get hard to impossible to close. It's nothing a toothbrush can't fix, but not good if you have to reload in a gunfight.

Also, bullets pulling under recoil is very real. I have had 38+P bullets pull in my 442. This ties up the gun and can get you killed in a gunfight as well. The lighter the gun the more likely the problem. Unjacketed lead bullets pull out more easily than jacketed ones. In my case, a very hot 38 load with cast bullets in a gun a little heavier than yours, resulted in the bullets creeping out of the case in the unfired rounds in the cylinder.

The point of all this is, if you are going to work up a load that you will be carrying for defensive purposes, make sure you test it extensively in your gun.

2400 is a great powder for near maximum magnum loads. If that is what you can work with, great. If you want to back off a hundred feet per second or so to reduce recoil, I agree with others to use a medium burning powder like Unique or similar.

[Glockbuster]

I want to thank all for your inputs....unfortunately I don´t have access to Unique but yes to HP 38. I´m thinking I will go with 158 gr. hollow point bullets and 5 grains for light loads and very good crimp how does that sound ?