Using Other Than 0.355" Diameter Bullets for 357 SIG Re
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1,088 Posts
all I have seen is this website
pete357sig think he may have steyr M357 or used to
http://www.handguninfo.com/Archive/www. ... bullet.htm
really wish he would of used jacketed instead of plated bullets.
might try contacting him
pete357sig think he may have steyr M357 or used to
http://www.handguninfo.com/Archive/www. ... bullet.htm
really wish he would of used jacketed instead of plated bullets.
might try contacting him
Joined
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105 Posts
A bullet that I was surprised would work in the 357 Sig is the Remington 9 mm 124 gr JHP since the ogive seemed too far back. Midway had it on sale for little less than 5 cents a round per 1k not including shipping.
I do have to load to max OAL of 1.140" (would vary +/- 0.002). No problem with setback so far after about 350 rounds fired. I've pushed on the case with the bullet against the top of my wood bench until my thumb hurt with no change in OAL. It is a little tight in the mags for the +3 sigma OAL.
Of course this load data comes with the usual disclaimers for hand loads. Use at your own risk, start low and work up to it etc.
8.5 grains of VV N350
Speer case once fired from Midway
Winchester small pistol primer
Sized with Lee die using Hornday Oneshot lube.
No expansion/belling on the neck after sizing but lightly chamfered the ID to help start bullet.
Crimp with Lee factory crimp die. Not sure if the crimp is adding much.
Chrono'd at 15 feet out of M357 15 samples (ft/sec)
7.97 SD
1335 Min
1364 Max
1347.6 Avg
1346 Median
Also loaded 357 Sig 125 Grain Speer Gold Dot with same load except 1.135 OAL
11.5 SD
1315 Min
1349 Max
1329.1 Avg
1326.5 Median
Of course this bullet works great for 357 Sig since it was designed for it.
Same load as GOLD Dot load above except using Rainier 9mm 124 grain FMJ Flat Point gives
12.8 SD
1293 Min
1341 Max
1317.9 Avg
1320.5 Median
The flat point style works well for the 357 sig since it has the long straight cylinder. The Rainier 124gr FMJ and HP does not work for 357 Sig.
Same load except using Berry's 9mm 124 grain HP gives
52.3
1137
1350
1287.1
1291
The Berry's bullet looked really good for 357 sig since it has a long straight cylinder and worked okay with 8.0 grains of N350 for about 1261 ft/sec. But for some reason, this 8.5 grain load would not group well and there were oblong holes at 15 feet. May have just pushed a little too hard for this plated bullet. So I'll keep these for the 9mm.
I have found that over crimping can actually hurt bullet retention for the plated bullets. I think the lead doesn't spring back as much as the brass after the crimp. Not expanding the neck gives the best retention but sometimes will shave the plating off the plated bullets. No problems with shaving the bullet with the Remington JHP or the Speer GD with the case neck chamfered.
Unfortunately the 9mm Remington Golden Saber doesn't work for 357 Sig due to the "power band" at the base of the bullet.
I do have to load to max OAL of 1.140" (would vary +/- 0.002). No problem with setback so far after about 350 rounds fired. I've pushed on the case with the bullet against the top of my wood bench until my thumb hurt with no change in OAL. It is a little tight in the mags for the +3 sigma OAL.
Of course this load data comes with the usual disclaimers for hand loads. Use at your own risk, start low and work up to it etc.
8.5 grains of VV N350
Speer case once fired from Midway
Winchester small pistol primer
Sized with Lee die using Hornday Oneshot lube.
No expansion/belling on the neck after sizing but lightly chamfered the ID to help start bullet.
Crimp with Lee factory crimp die. Not sure if the crimp is adding much.
Chrono'd at 15 feet out of M357 15 samples (ft/sec)
7.97 SD
1335 Min
1364 Max
1347.6 Avg
1346 Median
Also loaded 357 Sig 125 Grain Speer Gold Dot with same load except 1.135 OAL
11.5 SD
1315 Min
1349 Max
1329.1 Avg
1326.5 Median
Of course this bullet works great for 357 Sig since it was designed for it.
Same load as GOLD Dot load above except using Rainier 9mm 124 grain FMJ Flat Point gives
12.8 SD
1293 Min
1341 Max
1317.9 Avg
1320.5 Median
The flat point style works well for the 357 sig since it has the long straight cylinder. The Rainier 124gr FMJ and HP does not work for 357 Sig.
Same load except using Berry's 9mm 124 grain HP gives
52.3
1137
1350
1287.1
1291
The Berry's bullet looked really good for 357 sig since it has a long straight cylinder and worked okay with 8.0 grains of N350 for about 1261 ft/sec. But for some reason, this 8.5 grain load would not group well and there were oblong holes at 15 feet. May have just pushed a little too hard for this plated bullet. So I'll keep these for the 9mm.
I have found that over crimping can actually hurt bullet retention for the plated bullets. I think the lead doesn't spring back as much as the brass after the crimp. Not expanding the neck gives the best retention but sometimes will shave the plating off the plated bullets. No problems with shaving the bullet with the Remington JHP or the Speer GD with the case neck chamfered.
Unfortunately the 9mm Remington Golden Saber doesn't work for 357 Sig due to the "power band" at the base of the bullet.
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1,664 Posts
Thanx, Uncle_Walty 
Now that's what I'm talkin' bout. The 357 SIG cartridge has posed a bit of a challenge for me having so little experience loading bottleneck pistol cartridges. Straight walled bullets are by far more forgiving to reload. It is my experience that bullet shapes for 9MM aren't nearly as critical as they are for the 357 SIG. Just because the bullet is 0.355" dia doesn't mean that it will always work for the SIG. I've had more problems with crimping the Hornady bullets that I pretty much don't even bother to buy them for my 357 SIG reloading. When I get to a good "spot" on the bullet for crimping, its outside the 1.40" suggested COL. Since I've started using 38 Cal Speer bullets, I find that in most cases the cannelure is useable if you go to 1.145-1.150" COL. I'm very aware of the 0.357" dia vs the 0.355" dia and start a bit under the reccommended starting points of powder charge charts to get a feel for the pressure before I go to higher performance levels. In most cases though, the pressures are negligibly different between the 0.355", 0.356" and 0.357". More on this another time. I do have some loads that you may be interested in viewing, but I would prefer not to post that information overtly on the forum. PM me if you would like to discuss this in private. But, thank you very much for taking the time to post so elaborately. I have logged your info and will go through it in greater detail. Hava great weekend. Anyone else?
Wulf
Now that's what I'm talkin' bout. The 357 SIG cartridge has posed a bit of a challenge for me having so little experience loading bottleneck pistol cartridges. Straight walled bullets are by far more forgiving to reload. It is my experience that bullet shapes for 9MM aren't nearly as critical as they are for the 357 SIG. Just because the bullet is 0.355" dia doesn't mean that it will always work for the SIG. I've had more problems with crimping the Hornady bullets that I pretty much don't even bother to buy them for my 357 SIG reloading. When I get to a good "spot" on the bullet for crimping, its outside the 1.40" suggested COL. Since I've started using 38 Cal Speer bullets, I find that in most cases the cannelure is useable if you go to 1.145-1.150" COL. I'm very aware of the 0.357" dia vs the 0.355" dia and start a bit under the reccommended starting points of powder charge charts to get a feel for the pressure before I go to higher performance levels. In most cases though, the pressures are negligibly different between the 0.355", 0.356" and 0.357". More on this another time. I do have some loads that you may be interested in viewing, but I would prefer not to post that information overtly on the forum. PM me if you would like to discuss this in private. But, thank you very much for taking the time to post so elaborately. I have logged your info and will go through it in greater detail. Hava great weekend. Anyone else?
Wulf
Joined
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1,088 Posts
taper crimp can cut into plated bullets for other cartridges they suggest removing belling. no idea what you do for 357sig.
few sites with load data for 357sig
http://www.handloads.com
http://www.reloadammo.com/
http://www.realguns.com/loads/357sig.htm
one thing I see a lack of is winchester powders. WSF would be interesting but nothing spectacular.
http://www.realguns.com/Commentary/comar65.htm
http://www.realguns.com/Commentary/comar66.htm
http://www.realguns.com/archives/001.htm
few sites with load data for 357sig
http://www.handloads.com
http://www.reloadammo.com/
http://www.realguns.com/loads/357sig.htm
one thing I see a lack of is winchester powders. WSF would be interesting but nothing spectacular.
http://www.realguns.com/Commentary/comar65.htm
http://www.realguns.com/Commentary/comar66.htm
http://www.realguns.com/archives/001.htm
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