Making your own 357 sig brass...practical?

benny5 · March 23, 2002, 08:42 PM

I have very limited exposure to handloading and almost have all equipment for a complete setup (just missing the tumbler). I intend on getting a SIG 226 in 357 sig soon and a SIG 220 with a 400 COR-BON conversion and have noticed that ammo is not cheap! Just wondering if any experienced handloaders here would see problems in necking down bulk 40 and 45 brass to cut the expense of these pricy loads. Anyone here ever tried it?
Thanks in advance, benny5.

dick w. holliday · March 23, 2002, 09:40 PM

i read somewhere that the brass in the neck is too thick after forming and would require reaming which would probably make it impracticable to do----but again this is second or third hand---but if it were me i'd try it or bust. As much as i've picked up at the local indoor range i wouldn't be surprized if i don't get one someday.........Dick

sricciardelli · March 23, 2002, 09:57 PM

When you can buy Remington or Winchester factory ammo for $10 to $11 a box of 50, or Winchester brass for $11 to $12 a bag of 100, why even bother?

Joe Portale · March 23, 2002, 10:40 PM

Benny5,

You will probably hear contridictions to this, but here is the real skinny.

1. When you resize a 40 to 357Sig, your case will be about 1/16 short at the neck. The real bug-a-boo when reloading 357Sig is the small amout of surface that the neck has to hang on to the bullet. Shortening this an additional 1/16" will only make things worse.

2. There is a difference between the web designs of the .40 and 357S case. The Siggie is beefer and is designed to handle the higher pressures. I am not saying that the modified 40 case will guarantee a KB. But, if you are like me and enjoy shooting a real fire breathing powerhouse screamer every now and then, you could be asking for problems.

The cost of 357Sig brass has come way down. It is plentiful and not all that expensive. You can find people selling tons of the stuff on any number of auction web pages that offers reloading stuff (try www.auctionarms.com) You can always do like I do when introducing a new caliber to the collection, buy factory and keep the brass until you have enough to start reloading.

Happy shooting.

C.R.Sam · March 23, 2002, 11:04 PM

Last I checked, Starline had .357 Sig brass, new, for $102.00/1000, shipped. .400 Cor-Bon for $108.00/1000, shipped.

Sam

ryucasta · March 24, 2002, 12:38 AM

Check out this website
100 500 1000
357 SIG - RANGE BRASS $5.00 $24.00 $44.00

http://www.scharch.com/special.htm

benny5 · March 24, 2002, 03:30 PM

Thanks for all the info guys. I guess I'll stop being such a cheapo and just buy the brass.
Take care all, benny5.

rkmstr · March 24, 2002, 10:10 PM

Midway has once fired speer at 24.95 1000. Be adivsed in won't chamber in KKM barrels and seems to have undersized flash hole, but works OK in my stock Glocks.

Dave P · March 25, 2002, 08:05 AM

I have used the midway cases in my 226, they work fine. $13 for 500, I think.

If you find a neck crimp die (lee factory crimper type) let us know!

rkmstr · March 25, 2002, 11:51 AM

Dave P

Several of us have contacted Lee and others and there will never be a "factory" crimper for the 357sig. The bottle neck is just to short to make one that will work, they have tried. I cannlure rainer 124gr with the corbin tool and taper crimp to prevent setback. Shot thousands of these with no problems, takes a little longer to reload but no KB's because of setback.

March 23, 2002, 08:42 PM	#1
benny5 Junior Member Join Date: March 15, 2002 Location: Hillsboro, OR Posts: 14	Making your own 357 sig brass...practical? I have very limited exposure to handloading and almost have all equipment for a complete setup (just missing the tumbler). I intend on getting a SIG 226 in 357 sig soon and a SIG 220 with a 400 COR-BON conversion and have noticed that ammo is not cheap! Just wondering if any experienced handloaders here would see problems in necking down bulk 40 and 45 brass to cut the expense of these pricy loads. Anyone here ever tried it? Thanks in advance, benny5.

March 23, 2002, 09:57 PM	#3
sricciardelli Senior Member Join Date: August 13, 2001 Location: Montana Posts: 489	When you can buy Remington or Winchester factory ammo for $10 to $11 a box of 50, or Winchester brass for $11 to $12 a bag of 100, why even bother? __________________ http://stevespages.com/page8.htm

March 23, 2002, 10:40 PM	#4
Joe Portale Senior Member Join Date: June 8, 1999 Location: Tucson, Arizona Territory Posts: 715	Benny5, You will probably hear contridictions to this, but here is the real skinny. 1. When you resize a 40 to 357Sig, your case will be about 1/16 short at the neck. The real bug-a-boo when reloading 357Sig is the small amout of surface that the neck has to hang on to the bullet. Shortening this an additional 1/16" will only make things worse. 2. There is a difference between the web designs of the .40 and 357S case. The Siggie is beefer and is designed to handle the higher pressures. I am not saying that the modified 40 case will guarantee a KB. But, if you are like me and enjoy shooting a real fire breathing powerhouse screamer every now and then, you could be asking for problems. The cost of 357Sig brass has come way down. It is plentiful and not all that expensive. You can find people selling tons of the stuff on any number of auction web pages that offers reloading stuff (try www.auctionarms.com) You can always do like I do when introducing a new caliber to the collection, buy factory and keep the brass until you have enough to start reloading. Happy shooting. __________________ Joe Portale Tucson, Arizona Territory "Even now in heaven there are angles carrying savage weapons". - St Paul

March 24, 2002, 12:38 AM	#6
ryucasta Senior Member Join Date: February 4, 2002 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 431	Check out this website 100 500 1000 357 SIG - RANGE BRASS $5.00 $24.00 $44.00 http://www.scharch.com/special.htm __________________ Cheers, Raul Scarface/Tony Montana Says: Send me here. Send me there. This. That. Nothing you can do to me Harry, Castro didn’t do --- nothing...

March 25, 2002, 08:05 AM	#9
Dave P Senior Member Join Date: August 16, 1999 Location: North Florida Posts: 1,346	Midway I have used the midway cases in my 226, they work fine. $13 for 500, I think. If you find a neck crimp die (lee factory crimper type) let us know!

March 23, 2002, 09:40 PM	#2
dick w. holliday Senior Member Join Date: January 13, 2001 Location: NC Posts: 589	i read somewhere that the brass in the neck is too thick after forming and would require reaming which would probably make it impracticable to do----but again this is second or third hand---but if it were me i'd try it or bust. As much as i've picked up at the local indoor range i wouldn't be surprized if i don't get one someday.........Dick

March 23, 2002, 11:04 PM	#5
C.R.Sam Senior Member Join Date: October 29, 1999 Location: Dewey, AZ Posts: 12,858	Last I checked, Starline had .357 Sig brass, new, for $102.00/1000, shipped. .400 Cor-Bon for $108.00/1000, shipped. Sam

March 24, 2002, 03:30 PM	#7
benny5 Junior Member Join Date: March 15, 2002 Location: Hillsboro, OR Posts: 14	Thanks for all the info guys. I guess I'll stop being such a cheapo and just buy the brass. Take care all, benny5.

March 24, 2002, 10:10 PM	#8
rkmstr Member Join Date: August 19, 2000 Location: Middlebury, IN, USA Posts: 50	Midway has once fired speer at 24.95 1000. Be adivsed in won't chamber in KKM barrels and seems to have undersized flash hole, but works OK in my stock Glocks.

March 25, 2002, 11:51 AM	#10
rkmstr Member Join Date: August 19, 2000 Location: Middlebury, IN, USA Posts: 50	Dave P Several of us have contacted Lee and others and there will never be a "factory" crimper for the 357sig. The bottle neck is just to short to make one that will work, they have tried. I cannlure rainer 124gr with the corbin tool and taper crimp to prevent setback. Shot thousands of these with no problems, takes a little longer to reload but no KB's because of setback.