Home Forums Reloading Handgun Reloading 357 mid-range-what CLEAN burn powder ?

Hey All...This has probably been answered before..I apologize for the clutter this may cause....am looking for a clean burning powder for 357...158-160gr cast SWC...
900 to 1110fps..just enough to let ya know you are shooting a 357....what say ye learned gentle folks..???
Thanks to all...
Pete

Steelhead mentioned 7 gr. Of Unique under the.158 gr. cast. With the Lee factory crimp die this load is accurate and clean burning. Does everything I need to do on the.farm and would not hesitate to use it for.self defence. I never chronoed the load but would guess 1000- 1100 fps.

The appropriate amount of CFEPistol or Alliant Power Pistol.

Dont over look Universal. Guessing that about 5 grains should get you around 1000 fps.

Longshot or Be86

Bb

What is all the concern about "clean" powder? Each shot pushes the previous shots crap out the barrel. I shoot Unique which many call dirty and get great results, accuracy, consistency, and uniformity in charge weight in everything from 38 special to 45 Colt. Much ado about nothing.

Agree, much ado about nothing. Considering the OP’s parameters to me it doesn’t even begin to feel 357, nothing more than a top end 38 Special. Any modern Special can push those velocities.

IME lead bullets and "clean burning" don't seem to go together other than gas checked bullets.

I use 4.5 grains of Bullseye with 125-grain cast, copper-plated and powder coated. I try to clean the revolvers every thousand or so rounds. I used an old Lyman 160 grain cast bullet mold. sized them .3585 - 360. LBT lube with 5 grains of Bullseye. Both loads worked fine, accurate, clean, again every thousand rounds even if the revolver does not need it I clean it every thousand rounds

Agreed, IMHO the residue of the lube is worse than that from the powder; though I will admit that I have rarely used Unique, preferring Universal, Power Pistol and several others.

I like HS-6 for moderate magnum loads, 357 and 44.

With a fairly heavy crimp from the Lee factory crimp die, Unique burns cleanly. I'm not trying to sell anybody on Unique, it's just the first powder I tried for cast. It is almost always available and usually priced right. Universal has been recommended to me before and will probably be the next powder I try. I think it would work in the 40 s& w.

Between Universal, W231,Unique, Bullseye, 2400,I have found Universal the cleanest burning. It is not in the barrel but all the residue in the action.Revolvers or semi's

Use coated bullets, it is a revelation

win 231/hp38---same stuff
clean.

“Clean burning” can mean different things to different people. Excluding bore fouling, some powders leave a lot of residue on the frame and cylinder - firing more rounds does NOT clean that up! Unique used to be bad about that in my revolvers, Universal and AA-5 were “cleaner”. Higher pressure often means less fouling, but Hodgdon lists an 1109 fps load with a 158-grain cast bullet at less than 24,000 cup....with W231. So no matter what powder the OP uses, pressures will be low, increasing the chances of a dirty frame/cylinder.



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In this role, I use Power Pistol for .38, .357, & .41.

This!^^^^And 12.5gr 2400/158 coated rnfp. That's a good load right there.