.357 Mag OAL question

Bill in NM · February 12, 2000, 03:22 PM

I've been reloading for several calibers for about a year now, and am doing pretty well. But I just ran into a snag. I'm working on my first loadings for the .357 mag. The bullets I'm using are Loredo brand 158gr SWCs. If I seat the bullet to the very top edge of the crimp groove, my round OAL is still 1.608, where max OAL is listed at 1.590. Actual sized case length is 1.280, well within specs. Loaded rounds do fit in the pistol with no problem, but I'm very leary of them.
HELP!
Bill

**Mal H** · February 12, 2000, 03:47 PM

Frankly Bill, I wouldn't sweat it. If you crimp in the groove and they fit in the chambers with room to spare, they should be fine. It's not that unusual to go a little beyond the stated max OAL, and 2/100ths is about as little as it gets. You might question the rounds if they are shorter than they should be, because you might be lessening the case capacity.

For example, it's impossible to load the heavy bullets in .44 Magnums (300 gr. +) without going over the stated max OAL.

Nukem · February 12, 2000, 06:07 PM

Mal is right, don't sweat it as long as the cylinder turns freely. Out=more case capacity, in=less. This will *usually* equate to more capacity=lower pressures, less=higher.
There are plenty of situations where OAL it critical, i.e. making sure a round will feed in a magazine fed gun and some rifle loads where pushing the bullet onto the lands will cause a dangerous pressure rise are a few that come to mind.

February 12, 2000, 03:22 PM	#1
Bill in NM Member Join Date: January 21, 2000 Posts: 95	I've been reloading for several calibers for about a year now, and am doing pretty well. But I just ran into a snag. I'm working on my first loadings for the .357 mag. The bullets I'm using are Loredo brand 158gr SWCs. If I seat the bullet to the very top edge of the crimp groove, my round OAL is still 1.608, where max OAL is listed at 1.590. Actual sized case length is 1.280, well within specs. Loaded rounds do fit in the pistol with no problem, but I'm very leary of them. HELP! Bill

February 12, 2000, 03:47 PM	#2
Mal H Staff Join Date: March 20, 1999 Location: Somewhere in the woods of Northern Virginia Posts: 16,949	Frankly Bill, I wouldn't sweat it. If you crimp in the groove and they fit in the chambers with room to spare, they should be fine. It's not that unusual to go a little beyond the stated max OAL, and 2/100ths is about as little as it gets. You might question the rounds if they are shorter than they should be, because you might be lessening the case capacity. For example, it's impossible to load the heavy bullets in .44 Magnums (300 gr. +) without going over the stated max OAL.

February 12, 2000, 06:07 PM	#3
Nukem Senior Member Join Date: January 29, 2000 Posts: 709	Mal is right, don't sweat it as long as the cylinder turns freely. Out=more case capacity, in=less. This will usually equate to more capacity=lower pressures, less=higher. There are plenty of situations where OAL it critical, i.e. making sure a round will feed in a magazine fed gun and some rifle loads where pushing the bullet onto the lands will cause a dangerous pressure rise are a few that come to mind.