Trying to reload .357 subsonic...

[O2HeN2]

...for an SBRed Contender with a .357 Magnum barrel.

Any problem using .38 Special data for a larger-volume powder like 540 for instance (have a ton of the stuff) in a .357 case?

I've got some 158gr JHPs and my [old, since 540 is no longer produced] Winchester reloading manual lists 6.6gr of 540 for a max load in .38 special resulting in 800 fps. In the 10" barrel that'll be higher, but I figure 6.6 would be a good starting point (no, no desire to go up in charge, only down if necessary).

Thoughts?

O2

Ps. Would rather shoot .357 cases to avoid the bathtub ring in front of the shorter .38 special case...

[hunter2]

I have had great luck with TB and unique if you could find some of that.

[HK91]

Hello,

Winchester 540 and HS-6 were the same powder, like a lot of other Winchester and Hodgdon powder pairs are (example: W296 and H110).

I found the info below a while back because I had a bit less than a pound of HS-6 that I got from a buddy who moved and could not take the powder with him.

Hodgdon Powder Company
data.hodgdon.com
357 Magnum
Load Type: Pistol Powder: HS-6
Cartridge Information
Case: Winchester Barrel Length: 10"
Twist: 1:18.75" Trim Length: 1.285"
Primer: Winchester SPM

357 Magnum
Cartridge Load Data Starting Loads
Maximum Loads
Bullet Weight (Gr.) Powder Bullet Diam. C.O.L. Grs. Vel. (ft/s) Pressure Grs. Vel. (ft/s) Pressure
110 GR. HDY XTP HS-6 .357" 1.590" 10.3 1614 32,600 CUP 11.5 1776 42,300 CUP
125 GR. HDY XTP HS-6 .357" 1.590" 9.8 1493 34,400 CUP 10.9 1629 42,100 CUP
140 GR. HDY XTP HS-6 .357" 1.590" 9.5 1411 35,800 CUP 10.5 1539 43,000 CUP
140 GR. HDY FTX HS-6 .357" 1.600" 6.0 1046 22,500 PSI 7.7 1326 33,400 PSI
146 GR. SPR JHP HS-6 .357" 1.535" 8.5 1330 32,900 CUP 9.5 1461 41,800 CUP
158 GR. CAST LSWC HS-6 .358" 1.610" 6.0 990 12,900 CUP 7.0 1106 15,500 CUP
158 GR. HDY XTP HS-6 .357" 1.580" 8.0 1182 28,000 CUP 9.5 1375 41,900 CUP
170 GR. SIE JHC HS-6 .357" 1.580" 8.0 1181 30,900 CUP 9.2 1321 42,900 CUP

I ended up using 7 grains of HS-6 with a 140gr cast bullet in 357 cases for a pretty mild load in my revolvers and my Marlin 1894C, never bothered to chronograph them, but the load seemed like it was sub-sonic in the rifle.

HK91

[quiettime]

Maybe these loaded in .38 Spl cases and powdercoated without gas checks (always heard gas checks don't mix with cans)

[quiettime]

Ps. Would rather shoot .357 cases to avoid the bathtub ring in front of the shorter .38 special case...

Missed this the first time, but it's really not that hard to clean out with a chamber brush or just a .40 cal brush