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View Full Version : Anyone load .357Sig?



SwissyJim
8 December 2015, 18:56
Got a new toy, and am looking at options for more ammo. Never seen bulk ammo for .357Sig here, ever. Lots of HD stuff tho.

Just curious if anyone does

Joelski
8 December 2015, 19:22
Based on its accuracy, I'm surprised there's not more PDW application of this caliber. I do think I recently read where Quarter Circle 10 is doing barrels for it now, though.

alamo5000
8 December 2015, 19:29
I don't load that round but brassman sells the brass for $45 including shipping for 500 rounds.

SwissyJim
8 December 2015, 19:47
Based on its accuracy, I'm surprised there's not more PDW application of this caliber. I do think I recently read where Quarter Circle 10 is doing barrels for it now, though.
Innnnnnteresting. That could be one hell of a fun gun. Something worth investigating at least.


I don't load that round but brassman sells the brass for $45 including shipping for 500 rounds.
I'll check it out.. I've seen 1K for $65 but not sure if that's prepped or not.
ETA: They have decent deals... probably gonna grab some brass from them, thanks

I am curious on the round... after shooting a friends Glock22 with a 357Sig barrel on it, I was impressed enough I bought a Sig P229 in 357Sig.

Screwdriver
30 December 2015, 20:23
I have a 357 sig barrel for my 229 and its great!! I have always loaded my own with hornady 124gr 9mm projectiles over accurate #9. I bought a bunch of blems from midway a while back and have yet to use them all. i would like to try berry's in the future.

SwissyJim
30 December 2015, 22:39
I just got my brass.. 2k worth. Same with RMR 124gr jacketed hollow points. They came recommended from Sigtalk, and wer echeaper than the other recommended bullet, the Montana Gold. Although I found out that the Speer brass has a smaller flash hole that my hand deprimer would not work with. Luckily the guy that makes the thing sells a pin just for the 357Sig. Side note - Speer says to NOT enlarge the hole. Since I deprime before I clean with SS media, this was important. So this weekend it'll be a growler of beer, the new deprimer pin and 2k of brass work while I get caught up on the walking dead and into the badlands. With luck, I'll be able to get to testing out some loads, but I cannot find AA#9 anywhere in town so my first will most likely be with HS6.

I got my caliber exchange kit and love the 357... dumped all my 40S&W stuff already! Also got a 239 in 357Sig as well.

cjd3
30 December 2015, 23:31
Sorry Jim, wish I could hey you either the 9, but I've only got 1 can on 9, but is for my .357. Got it from my friend. If I find some I'll grab it.

SwissyJim
31 December 2015, 16:30
Thanks, I've looked all over at the usual places. I may expand out to the valley and see what I can find. Plus the local distributed you can call direct is out for the holidays so once he gets back maybe I'll get lucky. I still refuse to go to Alaska Ammo, and my luck is he has lots. If you do see any, I'm good for it.

Deadwing
31 December 2015, 20:37
357 Sig is an awesome cartridge. My first handgun was a Glock 31 (full size 357 Sig). I used to be able to get Winchester 124gr ball for $12/box of 50 back in the day. Now if i can find it for $22/box i've found a deal, if i can find it at all. And i can never find it in bulk. So, i don't shoot it as much as i used to. I still buy 357 Sig barrels for all my 40 S&W guns though. :P My latest is an HK USP Compact. Shitloads of fun to shoot with the 357 barrel in it. [:D] Now that i'm getting into reloading, i'm going to hopefully get to shoot 357 Sig more.

SwissyJim
5 January 2016, 18:54
aaaaaaand feast or famine! I just scored an 8# tub of AA#9!!! let the reloading commence!!!

Dstrbdmedic167
5 January 2016, 19:12
Nice!

SwissyJim
5 January 2016, 19:31
haha, that outta give me a few loads, huh? Lets see... 7000 grains to a pound, so 8# would be 56,000 grains. At roughly 12 grains a load for 357Sig, that gives me 4, 666.666 loaded rounds! That'll last me a year or two [BD] Provided I don't find another use for it...

Dstrbdmedic167
5 January 2016, 19:37
Yea you'll have a few rounds for sure. Knowing you I'm sure you'll find another use for it. I usually do

SwissyJim
18 January 2016, 18:54
Ahhh, love the smell of burnt powder at the range!
Got a nice 357Sig load...
124 Gr. Rocky Mountain Reloading Jacketed Hollow Point
COL 1.150
12.6 gr Accurate Powder #9
Avg FPS 1343

Accurate Powder shows a starting point of 11.7 and a max of 13.0 with a slightly shorter COL (1.140). Chambered fine, stripped next round perfectly, and got a lockback on empty. Accuracy was a half dollar sized goup (maybe tad smaller) at roughly 10 yards. I bet a better shooter would get better results.

Deadwing
18 January 2016, 20:32
What are you using for dies?

SwissyJim
18 January 2016, 21:32
Well, I started off with Lee dies, but less than 200 in with sizing, I started getting scratches on the brass. So I cleaned, buffed, and no go. Looked with a lupe and saw a couple of small gouges. No idea how - everything was cleaned before sizing. So I sent them off but a few days ago I had lunch with a friend/former co-worker and our chat turned to guns (as usual!) and when I mentioned 357Sig he winced... seems he looked into it, but it's a little bit of a pain to load and he decided it wasn't worth it. So for the price of lunch, I got his Dillon carbide dies! These loads I tested today were made with them. Even being carbide, they still need to be lubed, according to an email I got from Dillon, asking about just that very question.

setback is a big issue with the 357Sig - there is a small neck to retain the bullet with tension. Even just a tiny bit too much crimp, and you lose tension and you can push the bullet back into the case with very little pressure. I probably blew thru 50 bullets making dummy loads getting everything set just right. It's amazing how 1/10 or a turn on a crimp can make it go from only 5 pounds of pressure to push in the bullet, to almost 40 pounds. I found that an extreme minimal expanded neck, with a solid chamfer job, with juuuuuuust enough crimp to remove the expansion was the ticket. But it took 50 or so dummy loads to get it right.

Deadwing
19 January 2016, 19:36
Nice score on the Dillon dies! I've read that 357Sig can be a bit finicky to reload. It won't stop me from trying. But since i'm a reloading newbie, i think i'll get proficient with something easier to load first. Thanks for the info, Jim.

SwissyJim
19 January 2016, 20:00
No worries. When you get to that point, let me know. I certainly learned a lot and have some good info to pass along that will help you. This week I'm going to load a couple hundred up and jst verify everything and at that point I'll be dialed in provided nothing happen [:D]

SwissyJim
21 January 2016, 20:30
368

Deadwing
22 January 2016, 20:49
That'll bring a smile to your face!