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Help with a CAS 357 load using Amer. Select


Nickel City Dude

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I need a little help with a new load for CAS.  I have been using Alliant Promo in my 357 brass with a 4.0 gr. load but I also use it in my Shotgun shells for Skeet and Trap and I am running low.  A friend of mine has an 8 Lb jug of Alliant American Select that he is willing to sell me.  I found a recipe in the Alliant book for a 125 gr. lead (Oregon Trails) bullet using 3.9 gr. of Amer Select.  My bullet is also 125 gr. lead but is a coated bullet.  With the Oregon Trails bullet the book says to start at 3.5 and a max of 3.9.  Has anyone used American Select in there 357 for a cowboy load?  It sounds like the 3.5 should work well and give me about an 800 fps speed but I am hoping someone that has used this can give me a little more info.

I called Alliant but they would not give me any info about a load that is not in there book and the bullet maker does not give loading data.

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17 minutes ago, Cypress Sun said:

Does it have to be a .357 case?

 

A 122gr over 3.1 of Am. Sel. in a .38 spl case is a good load. That's using a taper crimp, not a roll crimp.

 

Yes, I only have 357 cases because my rifle only likes 357 it sometimes has problems with 38's, so I  load 357 for both my pistols and rifles. 

 

17 minutes ago, Reverend P. Babcock Chase said:

Howdy NCD,

 

I can't help with .357, but I load my 125gr. .38's with 4.0 gr. AmerSel. Works fine. Goes bang. I have no velocity data. Sounds like you idea should work.

 

Rev. Chase

The 38 data is different then the 357.  I think it has something to do with the air space in the 357 having more oxygen.

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2 minutes ago, Nickel City Dude said:

 

Yes, I only have 357 cases because my rifle only likes 357 it sometimes has problems with 38's, so I  load 357 for both my pistols and rifles. 

 

The 38 data is different then the 357.  I think it has something to do with the air space in the 357 having more oxygen.

The 357 load data is because they are thinking you are loading 357’s.  Oxygen in the case doesn’t matter. The powder carries its own oxidizer...   just load up the 38 load in the 357 case...   we shoot light loads anyway, so you won’t blow out a case...   I do the the same thing with clays for one of my rifles.  It only likes 357 cases too. 

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30 minutes ago, Not Dead Ed said:

The 357 load data is because they are thinking you are loading 357’s.  Oxygen in the case doesn’t matter. The powder carries its own oxidizer...   just load up the 38 load in the 357 case...   we shoot light loads anyway, so you won’t blow out a case...   I do the the same thing with clays for one of my rifles.  It only likes 357 cases too. 

Oddly enough the 38 spl. powder charge is about .9gr. higher than the 357 powder charge.

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15 minutes ago, Nickel City Dude said:

Oddly enough the 38 spl. powder charge is about .9gr. higher than the 357 powder charge.

That might be because that was using a magnum pistol primer?  

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I have a copy of Alliant's 2004 edition of reloading data.  On page 45 there is load data for cowboy action.  For a 125 grain Laser Cast bullet in a .357 mag case the starting load is 3.3 grains for 764 fps with a max load of 3.9 grain for 856 fps.  Primer was not specified.  American Select is a suitable powder for CAS.  I would buy that 8-lb jug.  I load lots of it in 38 Special cases with good results.

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This is my favorite 38 spec powder and I've tried many. Been using for probably 20 years. 3 grains give or take as it is very forgiving and cleaner than most.  Yes, buy it. Good shootin'!

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19 hours ago, Preacherman said:

Been using for probably 20 years.

 

Probably more like 10 years.  I believe it was introduced in 2011.

 

good luck, GJ

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I picked up the powder today and paid him $200 for the 8 pound jug.  The price sticker on the jug said $121.  But in checking some of the internet dealers $200 was a bargon.  Add the hazmat & shipping charges and an 8 pound jug could reach over $250.  And that is assuming that it was available.  Along with the help I got from this board  for pistol loads I found several 12 gauge shotgun loads for American Select.  Thanks for the input on this issue.

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2 hours ago, Garrison Joe, SASS #60708 said:

 

Probably more like 10 years.  I believe it was introduced in 2011.

 

good luck, GJ

 

I've been using American Select for about 14 to 15 years so I tried to find out when it was introduced. I found an article from 2006 about American Select. It doesn't state when it was introduced but the article was written in 2006. Article below.

 

http://www.armbrust.acf2.org/selectlightn.htm

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2 hours ago, Nickel City Dude said:

I picked up the powder today and paid him $200 for the 8 pound jug.  The price sticker on the jug said $121.  But in checking some of the internet dealers $200 was a bargon.  Add the hazmat & shipping charges and an 8 pound jug could reach over $250.  And that is assuming that it was available.  Along with the help I got from this board  for pistol loads I found several 12 gauge shotgun loads for American Select.  Thanks for the input on this issue.

 

That price is a little high for Pre-shortage but is an outstanding price by today's standards.

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3.5 grains in a .38 or .357 case.

 

American Select = Red Dot.   I'll see if I can find the data where I compared/chrono'd them.  They're pretty much identical.

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2 hours ago, Stump Water said:

3.5 grains in a .38 or .357 case.

 

American Select = Red Dot.   I'll see if I can find the data where I compared/chrono'd them.  They're pretty much identical.

Thanks, I would like to see that.

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SW

I could not see the picture.

NCD

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54 minutes ago, Stump Water said:

Click on the file to download it.

clicked on it and my screen said unavailable

 

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SW

Thanks for the list but I shoot 357 for all my cowboy guns with a 125 gr. lead round nose flat point bullet . Do you have any statistics for 357/38?

NCD

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I started using a newly advertised "cleaner burning powder" in 1999, American Select.  I've been through a myriad of 1, 4, & 8, pounders in .45 Colt, .38 & .357.

 

I loaded 3.7/3.8 grains Am Select with 105, 125, & 158 grain lead bullets in .357 for thousands of rounds before switching to .38 spl.   For a "knock down" or long range, I used 4.2 - 4.5 in the same bullet weights.  After switching to .38 I dropped the load down to 3.3 - 3.5.  A couple years ago, I went up to 3.7/3.8 gr Am Select in the .38 with 105, 125, 158 bullet weights 

 

This past weekend I used 3.8g American Select in .38 with 125g lead for my rifle and 3.8g American select with 105g for my pistol.  On the second day I used the same load for a 122 no crimp groove bullet in the .38 pistol & rifle.  I used 20 rounds for long range pistol caliber (50 yards) using a 158g lead over 3.8g American Select.

 

The .357's & .38's were used in Colt 7.5" 2nd Gen, Ruger old & new model pistols, Uberti, & Myoku & Marlin 20 & 24 inch rifles.

 

When I was using .357's it was primarily in the pistols.  I distinctly remember not liking 3.5g AS load because of inaccuracy.  My pistols liked the "heavier" lite load often going to the high side around 4.0 gr.  

 

That's been my experience.  Your preference, your guns, your results could be much different.

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