140 gr. FTX with IMR Hi Skor 700x?

[85 Jimmy]

Has anyone here used this combo? Ever since the panic after sandy hook reloading supplies here has been scarce.
I have 700x that I load .45acp with and I'm trying to come up with a round to hunt with in my SBR ranch hand in .357. I've read that the 140gr FTX isn't enough to kill a deer, but in south Mississippi the deer are tiny, and if I run across a hog I'll shoot it in the ear.

Anyway, has anyone used this combo? I found this on hodgdon's website. Ideally I want H110, not just for .357 but other things I reload, I just can't find it, and don't want to pay the hazard shipping charges.

BULLET WEIGHT140 GR. HDY FTX
ManufacturerIMR
Powder700-X
Bullet Diameter.357"
C.O.L.1.600"
Starting Load
Grains3.5
Velocity (ft/s)849
Pressure19,800 PSI
Maximum Load
Grains5.2
Velocity (ft/s)1,205
Pressure31,900 PSI

[Archer]

IMO that MIGHT be a practice round.
MIGHT be a self defense load IF you didn't have a better hollow point handy.
(But it would not be the round I'd reach for first.)

Probably is NOT sufficient for a hunting load.

You MIGHT get a little more oomph out of the rifle than a handgun but not enough more.

You are basically looking at .38 SP ballistics.

Check your local regulations for energy requirements. I would honestly expect that if there are any that round would not make it.

[Archer]

BTW,
http://www.hornady.com/store/357-Mag-14 ... evolution/

Test Barrel (8 V") Velocity (fps) / Energy (ft-lbs)
Muzzle 50 100
1440/644 1274/504 1143/406

Rifle (18" Barrel) Velocity (fps) / Energy (ft-lbs)
Muzzle 50 100
1850/1064 1643/839 1458/660

You will note that Hornady loads those projectiles for a LOT more velocity in .357 and that they do not offer a load in .38 SP.

IMO you would probably be better off shooting Lead round nose .38s at the 700x velocities and I wouldn't recommend that on deer either.

[jdb]

Yeah, I got to say that it seems more like a home defense round to me Jimmy. The bullet is not the problem of course. It's the velocity. The bullet is as heavy or heavier a bullet than most those that most of the deer harvested will be killed with this year.

If you are only going to shoot 25 yards or less, I probably wouldn't have a big problem with a well placed shot. But we all know that's not likely what will happen. And out at range, the round just won't have much energy and so the bullet won't deform the way it's suppose to in order to do it's work. It will simply punch a pretty little 30 caliber hole going in and if you are close enough the same little hole going out.

Now if ya, as the guys suggest, get the velocities up to super sonic, THEN ya got something you can knock one down with. But at 700 fps, like Archer suggest, you'll get better deformation and energy transfer out of a pure lead round nose 38 special than a jacketed bullet at anything but VERY close, as in point blank range.

Not to mention, if you sight them in at 25 yards, they'd probably drop a foot and a half, two feet at 100. ;~)

[85 Jimmy]

So I really need to find some Hodgdon H110...
This is the load data with H110

BULLET WEIGHT140 GR. HDY XTP
ManufacturerHodgdon
PowderH110
Bullet Diameter.357"
C.O.L.1.590"
Starting Load
Grains17.1
Velocity (ft/s)1,597
Pressure28,400 CUP
Maximum Load
Grains19.0
Velocity (ft/s)1,762
Pressure40,900 CUP

I have plenty of other rifles to hunt with. From experience, my 30-06 is overkill for anything were I hunt and I'm sure my .308 would be the same way, with factory loads anyway.
I got some weird looks last season when I was hunting with my suppressed SBR AR in 300blk. I could always just get some semi jacketed hollow points to hunt with the ranch hand. I just figured I'd get less looks with a lever gun in the woods over an "evil black rifle"...

[Archer]

To some extent I'd say go with the EEEE-vile black rifle just because.

I've got a buddy who uses a couple AR-10s as his goto deer rifles.

[Kiwi-Hunter]

Hi jimmy
I am still playing with this 140 FTX using Alliant 2400, the seating has changed the pressure on the primers
Also haven't been shooting this rifle for a few weeks now.
Still need to reload down was 15gn max 14gn still too much.
But did shoot a sheep with it at 14.5 it took the wheels straight out from under it
still eating that one
KH

[85 Jimmy]

To some extent I'd say go with the EEEE-vile black rifle just because.

I've got a buddy who uses a couple AR-10s as his goto deer rifles.

I have a .308 ar but at just under 11 lbs, I'd rather carry a 6 lb rifle. I also hunt in heavy woods/brush, so shorter rifles are nice.

[Archer]

Yeah my bud's AR-10T is a heavy son of a gun.
He's got the Carbine version as well.
Both of those are .308 but he's also got a .243 and a .338 Federal.

My scoped M1A Loaded is also a bit of a beast as is the CZ-550 Varmint.
The standard M1A is much nicer to tote around and that's still heavy compared to my scoped Savage .243.