180 grain .357 loads

[Mr. 16 gauge]

I would like to know what powder and powder weight you are using and what specific bullet you are using. Also, are you shooting a snake?

Rapier;
The bullet is Hornady's XTP bullet; the powders were Hodgdon H110, IMR4227, and Blue dot. I don't have the exact charges in front of me, but they were approximately one grain below max from the data that I used. I did try 2400....the accuracy was unacceptable. The bullets were test fired into wet surgical sponges packed in plastic jugs; they penetrated well, but the bullets look almost pristine except for the rifling and some damage to the nose from where they ran into other bullets.

The gun isn't a "snake", but a Trooper Mk III made in the early 1980's, 6" barrel.

[Rapier]

You have the correct powder on one side, H-110. It is of course the same as 296 and is capable in the 357 of excellent velocity and excellent accuracy. But, it only shoots in two places, at its lowest and highest loading and it loves to be compressed into a solid mass, not just a little compresssion.

The XTP is, with a long barrel and a fast load, capable of getting some expansion. However time and time again on the net you will find refrence to no expansion. Due to its accuracy and tendancy to hold together the XTP is a favorite silhouette bullet.

Try this, change to the Rem RN 200gr jacketed bullet. It was designed for use in guns like the 35 remington and will expand at pistol velocities if you push it. The Trooper is a light handgun compared to others, like the Blackhawk, Dan Wesson, or Freedom Arms. It is similar to the snake but I do not believe it is as tough. The snake is a lot tougher than many would imagine. My chicken, pig and Turkey load in my snake is 12gr of H-110 which developed 1,160 fps out of an 8 inch barrel and the OAL is 1.583 or just under your cylinder length, with a hard crimp over the ogive. Oh, yes, use 205m rifle primers and brass/brass cases. A nickel case probably will not fit in the chambers due to the bulge from the bullet's base. My ram load is quite a bit more powerful and is what I use to hunt with in my Marlin 94C and my revolvers.
Ed

[Mr. 16 gauge]

Try this, change to the Rem RN 200gr jacketed bullet. It was designed for use in guns like the 35 remington and will expand at pistol velocities if you push it.

Thanks for the information, Rapier......but how do you get the .35 Remington bullet to sit low enough to allow cylinder rotation and still crimp effectively? Do you use a taper crimp die?
After all has been said, I'm thinking I might just go back and experiment with some 140 & 158 grain JHP & JSP bullets. I shot a ram with Speer's 146 grain SWCJHP bullet (no long made), and he took about 4 steps and folded....bullet passed through, and there was no tracking job needed. I'm thinking that that load would work on an average size whitetail as well.
Thanks to all for your input.

[Rapier]

A picture is worth a thousand words, so... Here is a picture of the 357 rounds I use in my Marlin 94C, that will also fit in some revolver cylinders. The crimp is over the ojive, however, I have long, over 20 years now, used a "Profile" crimp on my pistol cartridges that have a straight wall case. It reduces the need for a precise case length to achieve accuracy. If the OAL shown is too long, adjust the OAL to fit your cylinder allowing for any compression rebound. This is an advanced reloaders project and process.

The Profile crimp dies are a combination taper crimp and roll crimp and can be purchsed as a seperate die.

That little 38 Spl case deliveres 1,700 fps with that 180 Hornady in the 94 C. The same loading process can be done with the 357 case cut down to 38 spl length, but is unnecessary, unless you get into a spire point reload. These photos go with an artice I wrote about the 357 Carbines and loading for them, a few years back.
Ed