Using 28.0 grains of Accurate Arms 1680 topped off with a Hornady 180 grain Single Shot Pistol Bullet, and ignited by a CCI 450 small rifle primer, I was able to achieve the following groups at 200 yards. 1.35” – 3.25” – 2.35” for an average of 2.32” when measured center to center with dial calipers for 3-shot groups. The velocity for this load exceeded my initial expectations. I felt like I had arrived – The Eagle Has Landed – Let’s go hunting!
A later range session was focused completely on zero setting to achieve the optimum point blank range. I concluded that a 165 yard zero was ideal for my loading. The following was from actual bench rest shooting at laser marked ranges and I feel it gives me the most latitude for hunting situations to 200 yards.
100 yards +3.6”
165 yards 0.0
200 yards -3.6”
According to the Hornady Handloading Manual, with the load mentioned above, at 200 yards the 180 grain bullet is still traveling at 1606 fps and maintaining over 1000 foot pounds of energy. Hmmmm, 180 grains at 1600 fps, sounds a lot like the muzzle velocity of a long barreled .44 magnum revolver. Also, due to the thinner jacket, Hornady lists the optimum velocity range for reliable terminal performance with this bullet to be 1600-2400 fps. In my humble opinion, it just does not get better than this when you consider the restrictions of cartridge limitations imposed by the State of Indiana. What the .357 Maximum combined with the Hornady 180 gr. SSP bullet can offer, when chambered in an accurate rifle, is moderate recoil and sufficient power to cleanly harvest whitetail deer out to 200 yards.
Actual 200 yard targets from 28.0 grain AA1680 / Hornady 180 gr. Single Shot Pistol Bullet load
Note: Targets reduced in size, grid patterns are on 1 inch centers
