357/38spl Resizing Question ?

MakarovFan · January 9, 2008, 08:19 PM

Have been reloading on and off. I use RCBS carbide combination, 3 die set with a single stage press. Anybody resize the 357 mag full length?
I know they supply the washer to make up the difference in case length which is the way I do it. Sometimes some of the cases have a problem going into the cylinder. I thought it might be my gun but the also happens in a friends gun also. Mic the cases and some are .001 diameter difference.
I seems it happens more with the brass cases more than nickle ones. Some of the brass is some we have saved from store purchase and some from range pickup. Run all in the tumbler before starting to reload.
Thanks for any info.

joneb · January 9, 2008, 09:59 PM

I use the same dies, only use the washer for case mouth flaring and bullet seat/crimp, Do Not use the washer for sizing/decapping.
Go Maks

SIGSHR · January 9, 2008, 10:16 PM

I always resized full length. Since the only .38 Specials I shot were WCs, I
found having a dedicated seating die for each caliber saved a lot of work.

amamnn · January 10, 2008, 12:12 AM

Ditto the above from SIG

MakarovFan · January 10, 2008, 08:43 AM

Thanks for the info guys. Much appreciated. I will now resize 357 mag full length.
I like the idea about seperate seating dies so you don't have reset for each caliper. I will to start checking the boards for an extra set of carbide dies.

zxcvbob · January 10, 2008, 09:14 AM

I found an aluminum spacer inside an old disk drive that I took apart that is *exactly* the right size and thickness to use as a shim under a .38 Special seating/crimp die to do .357 Magnums without readjusting the die. (I got lucky. I was gonna try to make a shim by filing down a washer.)

BTW, you don't need whole new die sets. Just the seating and crimp dies. The .38 sizing die can be used as is, and the flaring die is very quick and easy to adjust. So look for a used set of non-carbide dies.

Bob

January 9, 2008, 08:19 PM	#1
MakarovFan Member Join Date: June 21, 2006 Location: Eastern Ohio Posts: 94	357/38spl Resizing Question ? Have been reloading on and off. I use RCBS carbide combination, 3 die set with a single stage press. Anybody resize the 357 mag full length? I know they supply the washer to make up the difference in case length which is the way I do it. Sometimes some of the cases have a problem going into the cylinder. I thought it might be my gun but the also happens in a friends gun also. Mic the cases and some are .001 diameter difference. I seems it happens more with the brass cases more than nickle ones. Some of the brass is some we have saved from store purchase and some from range pickup. Run all in the tumbler before starting to reload. Thanks for any info.

January 10, 2008, 12:12 AM	#4
amamnn Senior Member Join Date: May 13, 2006 Location: WA, the left armpit of the USA Posts: 1,323	Ditto the above from SIG __________________ "If the enemy is in range, so are you." - Infantry Journal

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search

January 9, 2008, 09:59 PM	#2
joneb Senior Member Join Date: December 10, 2005 Location: Central , OR Posts: 1,888	I use the same dies, only use the washer for case mouth flaring and bullet seat/crimp, Do Not use the washer for sizing/decapping. Go Maks

January 9, 2008, 10:16 PM	#3
SIGSHR Senior Member Join Date: September 13, 2005 Posts: 4,700	I always resized full length. Since the only .38 Specials I shot were WCs, I found having a dedicated seating die for each caliber saved a lot of work.

January 10, 2008, 08:43 AM	#5
MakarovFan Member Join Date: June 21, 2006 Location: Eastern Ohio Posts: 94	Thanks for the info guys. Much appreciated. I will now resize 357 mag full length. I like the idea about seperate seating dies so you don't have reset for each caliper. I will to start checking the boards for an extra set of carbide dies.

January 10, 2008, 09:14 AM	#6
zxcvbob Senior Member Join Date: December 20, 2007 Location: S.E. Minnesota Posts: 4,720	I found an aluminum spacer inside an old disk drive that I took apart that is exactly the right size and thickness to use as a shim under a .38 Special seating/crimp die to do .357 Magnums without readjusting the die. (I got lucky. I was gonna try to make a shim by filing down a washer.) BTW, you don't need whole new die sets. Just the seating and crimp dies. The .38 sizing die can be used as is, and the flaring die is very quick and easy to adjust. So look for a used set of non-carbide dies. Bob