Reloading 0.357 magnum

[bunsen]

I would like some reloading advice please. I am reloading 0.357 magnum cartridges using Vihtavuori N340 powder 7.3-7.6 grains and 158 grain lead bullets. I am using a Winchester 94 rifle with open sights.
The problem i am having is that with the sights set at the lowest setting and shooting at 50 meters, the shots are 1.5-2.0" above the bull. Possible solutions? use a heavier bullet, but i have lots of 158 grain. Use less powder, but what is the safe lower limit?
Does the recoil cause muzzle flip, before the bullet leaves the barrel, resulting in higher POI, if so,would using more powder to increase muzzle velocity, making bullet leave barrel before effects of recoil, cure this? Last resort, (shoot at 100 meters) LoL
I would appreciate your advice.
Thanks,
Mike

[WelshShooter]

I shoot my Marlin 1894 at 25m using open sights at a PL15 target. I maintain a 6 o'clock hold, whereby my front post is at the bottom of the black (which is roughly 5" in diameter) with the effect of my shots landing in the bullseye (most of the time!). What target are you shooting at, and where do you set your point of aim?

I have replaced the front sight of my rifle with a Williams Firesight, and I use a Williams aperture sight on the rear with a nice level of adjustment. If you cannot use a repeatable point of aim, like above, you may want to look at replacing the front sight with a higher post, which will cause you to lower your rifle and bring your groups down a bit.

[Alpha1]

I agree I think its more likely your point of aim is incorrect or you need a new front sight. Use a rest to support the rifle use the same point of aim each time. Sight picture is important as is the correct trigger pull technique.

[FredB]

You need a lighter bullet, not heavier, to make it shoot lower---less recoil, less barrel flip. However, at the distance you are shooting at, it won't make a noticeable difference.
For more than thirty years, in revolvers and rifles, my standard 357 load was a 150 grn round nosed bullet over 5 grn of Unique.
Fred

[Hrun]

Kentucky windage..

https://en.m.wiktionary.org/wiki/Kentucky_windage

Works vertically as well, dont worry about the bull, find where you need to hit it, and repeat...

[DavidRees]

I am reloading 0.357 magnum cartridges using Vihtavuori N340 powder 7.3-7.6 grains and 158 grain lead bullets.

Mike,

Can I ask where you got that load data from? It looks quite high to me. Consulting the 13th (2014) edition of the Viht loading manual (available free online) the starting load for 158gr lead bullets with N340 is given as 4.5gr in .357Mag (804fps), rising to a maximum of 5.9gr (1050fps).

I'd recommend dropping your load quite a bit, and working in the range given by Vihtavuori, at least as a starting point. I'd also advise against going over the max. listed load -- there are significant risks, to the rifle, to you, and to others near you, in going over the limit.

Try 4.5gr of N340 with your 158gr lead bullets, and see how that shoots for you. Then vary it a bit from there. The "safe starting load" in such manuals can still be quite high, esp. for the distances we shoot our gallery rifles over (typically 25m to 50m), so you could even go down from 4.5gr N340 if you wanted to. I would recommend using a chronograph though, to make sure your velocity does not drop too far.

In my own experiments, with my Marlin 1894 in .357 (18in barrel), I found the most accurate load @25m with a GM 158gr LTC was 4.7gr of Viht N340, achieving a velocity of 890fps, with an S.D. of 16.9. I did try smaller loads, going down as far as 3.9gr, where the velocity was 729fps, but an S.D. of 31.4, and a largish group. The groups had opened up as I dropped down from 4.7gr, and there seemed little to be gained by going lower.

I hope this helps a little in guiding you to an accurate and safe load which goes through the centre of your targets!

David

2013 09 18 .357 Marlin 25yd GM 158gr LTC 4.7gr N340 Rem 1.5 Zero xT1.PDF

(176.8 KiB) Downloaded 226 times

2013 09 18 .357 Marlin 25yd GM 158gr LTC 3.9gr N340 Rem 1.5 Zero xT1.PDF

(159.29 KiB) Downloaded 224 times

[dromia]

Mike,

Can I ask where you got that load data from? It looks quite high to me. Consulting the 13th (2014) edition of the Viht loading manual (available free online) the starting load for 158gr lead bullets with N340 is given as 4.5gr in .357Mag (804fps), rising to a maximum of 5.9gr (1050fps).

Vihtavuori list those as cowboy action loads.

Their maximum for a 158 jacketed bullet is 7.7 gn N140 so a cast is with this range but the OP's load is still nudging the maximum.

Regardless I would reduce the load and work up from the cowboy load starting at 4.5 you don't need top velocity for punching paper even at 50 yrds and your rifle doesn't need the punishment.

Such a reduction will also alter the point of impact.

[Lever357]

I was loading .38 Special with 4.2 grains GM3 through my lever action and not really improving. Dropped to 3.7 grains and have seen a marked difference. Try reducing your powder charge.

[Oddbod]

I was loading .38 Special with 4.2 grains GM3 through my lever action and not really improving. Dropped to 3.7 grains and have seen a marked difference. Try reducing your powder charge.

I concur
I've mostly found that mid range loads shoot better than those at maximum when using cast bullets, though this is for a 6" barrel GP100 rather than a lever gun.

[Alpha1]

I have recently had a similar experience with my underlever. I tried all sorts of powders and bullet weights. Then went back to my original recipe and started to reduce my charge weights as opposed to increasing them my groups improved. Its still a work in progress but I am satisfied enough to start shooting in competitions again some thing I have not done for years I'm enjoying my underlever great fun.