357 Magnum

I believe every  good boy should own a 357 magnum and the one, this good boy owns is the Taurus Model 627, seven shot with the 4 inch ported barrel.  The other day I picked up a pound of Hodgdon's LIL' GUN powder to use in my 32 H&R magnum and my 22 K-Hornet. when I got it home, I noticed some impressive loads for 357 magnum printed on the side of the container. Using the data from Hodgdon, I decided to work up a 158 grain load for my Taurus. you know, for those occasion when I might have to stop a charging locomotive or bulldozer. I decided to give the Speer gold dot bullets try. As you will see below they performed poorly. I do believe that at the velocities I am getting the gold dots should have opened up. They did not at all. I wonder what velocity it dose take mr. speer ?

I HAVE BEEN RELOADING METALLIC CARTRIDGES FOR CENTERFIRE RIFLES AND PISTOLS FOR  OVER 24 YEARS. I HAVE BOOKSHELVES FULL OF RELOADING DATA. I HAVE A HIGHLY REFINED  PROCEDURE FOR WORKING UP, AND TESTING LOADS. IT  INVOLVING  SCIENTIFIC PROCESSES  AS WELL AS SOME SEAT OF THE PANTS, FEELING IN PIT OF YOUR STOMACH METHODS. DO NOT USE THE LOADING DATA AS STATED ON THIS SIGHT TO RELOAD FOR YOURSELF. YOUR RESULTS MAY VARY LIKE BLOWING YOUR FIREARM UP IN YOUR FACE. THIS COULD RESULT IN RIPPING YOUR BLOODY HEAD OFF AND KILLING YOU IN A LOUD AND GROTESQUE MANOR. I GIVE THIS DATA ON THE IDEA THAT IT MAY REVEAL UNDISCOVERED POTENTIAL IN A POWDER, A BULLET WEIGHT OR THE CALIBER ITSELF. YOU MUST THEN CONSULT CURRENT DATA FOR SAFE STARTING AND MAXIMUM LOADS.

These loads were tested in a Taurus Model 627. I used Federal Nickel brass which was full length resize. I loaded the ammo using my RCBS Reloaded Special  press. Test firing was done in an undisclosed location in the Albuquerque NM area. The elevation was 5300 feet per my GPS, the temperature was 65 and I had an egg, bacon and green chili breakfast burrito and a 44 oz. Diet Dr Pepper on the way out to our secret proving grounds. I used a PACT Model 1 chronograph set up 10 feet from the muzzle of the handgun.

158 Gr. Speer Gold Dot  

This load delivered a very consistent velocity. My mean average deviation (MAD) was 3 fps and my standard deviation (SD) was 3.5 fps. Accuracy seemed excellent as I was able to put most shots in a 1/2 foot in diameter circle at 25 yard without even trying.

Bullet Performance

I tested the performance of the Speer Gold dot by firing it into plastic milk jugs full of water. As you can see I could not get the hollow point to open up. The first test, I fired through 14 jugs and was unable to recover the bullet. I found this one after shooting through a 1"x4" pine board and then 11 milk jugs. As you can see it did not expand. I am not at all impressed with this bullet. If you are using it for home defense there is little chance it will stay in your home if fired. It will stop many feet and many walls away. Hopefully their will be no friendlies between here and there. I will try the Hornady 158 Gr. XTP next.

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