.357 OAL Questions

HappySig · March 23, 2010, 08:16 PM

this is my first posting here, although I have read many many of the posts and am grateful for the knowledge that can be shared here. Although I'm rather new at reloading, hopefully sometime I can help contribute to the forum.

this is my dilemma: when I first started reloading, I bought the setup from a friend of mine and it included everything that I needed, even some powder, so I went to a gun show and I bought 1000 Sierra 158 grain JSP bullets, and I also purchased a Sierra are reloading manual, so everything was fine and I reloaded the rounds without too many problems. Now I am out of those projectiles and I purchased 1000 Magnus 158 grain RN swaged lead bullets, so My questions are:do I have to use a different powder just because the bullets are lead? or will my usual load of 11.6 grains of blue dot be safe? and my reloading manual says the OAL with all Sierra bullets for the .357 is 1.585, so with these new bullets are they the same OAL? any help would be greatly appreciated and I thank everyone in advance for their time

SL1 · March 23, 2010, 09:01 PM

Swaged lead bullets are usually made with soft lead. If you push them too fast with pressure that is too high for the lead's hardness, they will probably lead your barrel pretty badly. I did not check it, but that Blue Dot load seems like it would be to hot for swaged lead bullets.

With respect to the COL to use with the Magnus bullets: don't they have a crimp groove that would set the COL?

SL1

Jim243 · March 23, 2010, 09:06 PM

Do not know the bullet mfg. but generally if you keep them under 1,200 fps there should not be any problems (that means you need to lower the amount of powder (maybe)) Start at the "Starting load" and work your way up by 0.2 grains at a time. Watching for pressure signs.

Jim

gspman · March 23, 2010, 09:10 PM

Hello happysig.I used a old reloading manual for a blue dot load right after i bought a ruger gp100.I loaded 11grns of bluedot under 158gr win hp. loaded 10 and threw 8 away.that load is extremely hot.Learned lesson to search current info and multiple sources,before start loading cartridges.See alot of questions on overall length of cartridges.When loading jacketed bullets most have a cannalure,so if crimped in that, length should be fine.Cast bullets have a crimp groove that will establish correct length. Longer is safer,dont want shorter because compresses powder space and pressure rises.Alliant calls for 10.2grns max bluedot with 158grn jacketed bullet.Went shooting yesterday made ragged 1.25 groups with 5shots of14grns 2400 158grn hornady xtp consistently.I find 2400 to shoot my heavy 357 loads most accurately.Hope that helps.Look at 38spl data and load in 357 cases.I LIke trailboss powder in light loads that those cast bullets you have should be loaded at.hope that helps. gspman

Randy 1911 · March 23, 2010, 09:52 PM

Double Post. Sorry

Randy 1911 · March 23, 2010, 09:57 PM

you need to look in your reloading manual for the proper data for the bullet you are loading. Lead is generally loaded to a lighter load level than jacketed. In my loading book it list this adat with Blue Dot. With a 158 gr LRN it shows 8.2 to start and 10.9 as a max.

As far as OAL, just load then so that you crimp in the crimp groove. You will be fine that way. I never measure OAL on any bullet that has a crimp groove.

joneb · March 23, 2010, 09:59 PM

Quote:

that Blue Dot load seems like it would be to hot for swaged lead bullets.

I agree. I would use Bullseye or AA#5.
I found 10.2-10.4gr of Blue Dot worked well with 158gr jacketed bullets but I gave up on BD for .357 Mag. I prefer AA#9 and 2400 for my shorter barreled .357's

HappySig · March 26, 2010, 07:31 PM

thanks everyone for your replies, SL1, you are correct, it does have a crimp groove, so that is where I will set my die, and I did start at my starting load, which was specified in my loading manual which is 11.6 grains of blue dot, I never felt the need to load them any hotter as I am a beginner. I just wonder why there is so many variations on the amount of powder to load if it is the same powder and the same type of bullet, my Sierra manual says that with a 158 gr JSP bullet I can go up to 12.8 grains of blue dot, which, after reading the information that you guys have provided me, seems absolutely insane

I wish my reloading manual covered lead bullets, but unfortunately it only covers Sierra bullets, so it looks like I'm going to be in the market for a new manual, but in the meantime, I think I will take Randy 1911 advice and start at 8.2. I sure would like them to work because I have a whole pound of the blue dot, and I don't really like to keep too much excess powder on hand. Thanks again everyone for your time and patience, it's greatly appreciated. One last request, does anybody have any suggestions for a reloading manual that covers many different types of projectiles? With no end in sight to the ammunition shortage, I would like to try to be as versatile as I can in my reloading, putting safety first of course.

MKK · March 28, 2010, 10:10 AM

Here is a link to the Alliant reloading guide for 2005.

http://www.idpaitalia.it/documenti/manuale_alliant.pdf

HappySig · March 28, 2010, 10:41 AM

thanks mkk, will try is asap!!

Fishslayer · March 28, 2010, 04:21 PM

And here is a link to Alliant's website.

http://www.alliantpowder.com/

palabman · March 29, 2010, 11:09 PM

You may also want to pick up the Lyman reloading manual (49th ed. I think). It has load data for many common lead bullets.

March 23, 2010, 08:16 PM	#1
HappySig Member Join Date: March 16, 2010 Location: Las Vegas Posts: 51	.357 OAL Questions this is my first posting here, although I have read many many of the posts and am grateful for the knowledge that can be shared here. Although I'm rather new at reloading, hopefully sometime I can help contribute to the forum. this is my dilemma: when I first started reloading, I bought the setup from a friend of mine and it included everything that I needed, even some powder, so I went to a gun show and I bought 1000 Sierra 158 grain JSP bullets, and I also purchased a Sierra are reloading manual, so everything was fine and I reloaded the rounds without too many problems. Now I am out of those projectiles and I purchased 1000 Magnus 158 grain RN swaged lead bullets, so My questions are:do I have to use a different powder just because the bullets are lead? or will my usual load of 11.6 grains of blue dot be safe? and my reloading manual says the OAL with all Sierra bullets for the .357 is 1.585, so with these new bullets are they the same OAL? any help would be greatly appreciated and I thank everyone in advance for their time

March 23, 2010, 09:10 PM	#4
gspman Member Join Date: February 23, 2010 Location: Spokane Wash Posts: 59	Hello happysig.I used a old reloading manual for a blue dot load right after i bought a ruger gp100.I loaded 11grns of bluedot under 158gr win hp. loaded 10 and threw 8 away.that load is extremely hot.Learned lesson to search current info and multiple sources,before start loading cartridges.See alot of questions on overall length of cartridges.When loading jacketed bullets most have a cannalure,so if crimped in that, length should be fine.Cast bullets have a crimp groove that will establish correct length. Longer is safer,dont want shorter because compresses powder space and pressure rises.Alliant calls for 10.2grns max bluedot with 158grn jacketed bullet.Went shooting yesterday made ragged 1.25 groups with 5shots of14grns 2400 158grn hornady xtp consistently.I find 2400 to shoot my heavy 357 loads most accurately.Hope that helps.Look at 38spl data and load in 357 cases.I LIke trailboss powder in light loads that those cast bullets you have should be loaded at.hope that helps. gspman Last edited by gspman; March 23, 2010 at 09:18 PM.

March 23, 2010, 09:57 PM	#6
Randy 1911 Senior Member Join Date: May 7, 2009 Location: Western Arkansas Posts: 273	you need to look in your reloading manual for the proper data for the bullet you are loading. Lead is generally loaded to a lighter load level than jacketed. In my loading book it list this adat with Blue Dot. With a 158 gr LRN it shows 8.2 to start and 10.9 as a max. As far as OAL, just load then so that you crimp in the crimp groove. You will be fine that way. I never measure OAL on any bullet that has a crimp groove. __________________ Been Reloading 27 Years NRA Member Member Old Fort Gun Club www.ofgc.org

March 26, 2010, 07:31 PM	#8
HappySig Member Join Date: March 16, 2010 Location: Las Vegas Posts: 51	thank you for the help thanks everyone for your replies, SL1, you are correct, it does have a crimp groove, so that is where I will set my die, and I did start at my starting load, which was specified in my loading manual which is 11.6 grains of blue dot, I never felt the need to load them any hotter as I am a beginner. I just wonder why there is so many variations on the amount of powder to load if it is the same powder and the same type of bullet, my Sierra manual says that with a 158 gr JSP bullet I can go up to 12.8 grains of blue dot, which, after reading the information that you guys have provided me, seems absolutely insaneI wish my reloading manual covered lead bullets, but unfortunately it only covers Sierra bullets, so it looks like I'm going to be in the market for a new manual, but in the meantime, I think I will take Randy 1911 advice and start at 8.2. I sure would like them to work because I have a whole pound of the blue dot, and I don't really like to keep too much excess powder on hand. Thanks again everyone for your time and patience, it's greatly appreciated. One last request, does anybody have any suggestions for a reloading manual that covers many different types of projectiles? With no end in sight to the ammunition shortage, I would like to try to be as versatile as I can in my reloading, putting safety first of course.

March 28, 2010, 10:41 AM	#10
HappySig Member Join Date: March 16, 2010 Location: Las Vegas Posts: 51	thank you thanks mkk, will try is asap!!

March 23, 2010, 09:01 PM	#2
SL1 Senior Member Join Date: November 8, 2007 Posts: 2,001	Swaged lead bullets are usually made with soft lead. If you push them too fast with pressure that is too high for the lead's hardness, they will probably lead your barrel pretty badly. I did not check it, but that Blue Dot load seems like it would be to hot for swaged lead bullets. With respect to the COL to use with the Magnus bullets: don't they have a crimp groove that would set the COL? SL1

March 23, 2010, 09:06 PM	#3
Jim243 Senior Member Join Date: January 5, 2009 Location: Just off Route 66 Posts: 5,067	Do not know the bullet mfg. but generally if you keep them under 1,200 fps there should not be any problems (that means you need to lower the amount of powder (maybe)) Start at the "Starting load" and work your way up by 0.2 grains at a time. Watching for pressure signs. Jim

March 23, 2010, 09:52 PM	#5
Randy 1911 Senior Member Join Date: May 7, 2009 Location: Western Arkansas Posts: 273	Double Post. Sorry __________________ Been Reloading 27 Years NRA Member Member Old Fort Gun Club www.ofgc.org Last edited by Randy 1911; March 23, 2010 at 09:59 PM.

March 28, 2010, 10:10 AM	#9
MKK Member Join Date: October 4, 2009 Location: heartland Posts: 75	Here is a link to the Alliant reloading guide for 2005. http://www.idpaitalia.it/documenti/manuale_alliant.pdf __________________ They misunderestimated me. George W Bush

March 28, 2010, 04:21 PM	#11
Fishslayer Senior Member Join Date: January 1, 2010 Location: San Diego, PRK Posts: 182	And here is a link to Alliant's website. http://www.alliantpowder.com/ __________________ He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion."

March 29, 2010, 11:09 PM	#12
palabman Member Join Date: January 24, 2010 Location: SW PA Posts: 80	You may also want to pick up the Lyman reloading manual (49th ed. I think). It has load data for many common lead bullets.