357 Magnum rifle loads - cast / coated with Green Dot

bobnob

Handloader
Nov 3, 2012
678
11
G’day Gents,
Been a while since I’ve posted but I’m in new territory now.

Just received a new Rossi Puma 357 Magnum with the 16” bbl.
Pistol powders are near impossible to get down here at the moment (have a guess where they are all going 🤣) so in desperation I busted into the vault of Dad’s old stuff.

Found three OLD cans of Hercules; Green Dot, Red Dot and Bullseye. I was hoping to use this stuff with 158 and 122 grain coated cast bullets. They are coated in something that I think is called Hi Tek coat or similar.

What say ye all?

The Green Dot is the only can that’s opened so I want to use it up first. Going to start with the 158 grainers.

Will this work ok for the purpose? Any hints or tips? What’s a reasonable velocity to aim for? Mainly for knocking over the odd goat or a small deer out to 75 metres or so, and a pig if I see one. First time for me loading any pistol cartridges even though it’s for a R92 carbine.

Thank you for reading.

Bob
 
My wife has an R92 with a somewhat longer barrel; a surprisingly nice rifle. I think you will like it quite a bit.

And, here is some contemporary data on Red Dot: https://www.alliantpowder.com/reloaders/Powder.aspx?powderid=4
And Bullseye: https://www.alliantpowder.com/reloaders/Powder.aspx?powderid=1
Thanks KW. Appreciate the links.

As it turns out you are right, I REALLY like it. I don’t shoot much with open sights but this is quite accurate (under 3 moa consistently out to 75y) and the fit and finish is just great for the price. Looks the part too.

I’ve been loading 6g of Green Dot under a 158g coated (HiTek coating I think it’s called) FP bullet and getting 1250fps or so. 7g under a 122g version of the coated bullet gave 1570fps.

Thanks again.
 
FWIW as an update.

Today I shot 4g of Green Dot under a 122g Hi Tek coated flat point - it printed groups at 50y that I didn’t think I could shoot with open sights. About half an inch for three shots, for three groups. And it was about 38 degrees centigrade so it wasn’t the nicest conditions.

Velocity was average of 975 fps.

Burns pretty sooty though.
 
Sometimes I'll take it out and just single load the rounds. Just for plinking. Just for fun. Fruit, cans, paper plates, eggs.
 
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