.357 Sig Reloading Blues

[Squaregrouper]

For those who have never loaded this, it is a very unforgiving round to load. The round headspaces on the case mouth. Combine that with precise neck bumping and a very short bottleneck for tension, everything has to be perfectly set for successful handloading.
Prior to getting my XL650, I reloaded on a Lee ABLP. I despise that priming system, so I would prime everything by hand. Thus, I had a hefty stash of .40 sized and primed .357 Sig brass. (It is the norm to size .357 Sig brass twice- through a .40 carbide die, then a .357 Sig die) On the press, my decapping pin has always been removed from my .357 Sig die because the brass was already primed.
I tuned the Dillon to load perfect .357 Sig rounds and loaded to my heart's content.
Fast forward to today... I ran out of primed brass and was down to decapped and .40 sized brass. Well, the Dillon priming system is much better than Lee's so I decided to prime on the press. The thing is, I ran across a few pieces that still had spent primers. Out of caution I installed the decapping pin to catch any brass that still had spent primers.
Welp, my dumb ass didn't confirm I reseated the sizing die tightly. About 150rds later, I noticed the die was loose and I wasn't getting proper shoulder bump. Most of the rounds failed my Lyman case gauge and over half failed the plunk test.
.

 

[4g64loser]

Oh that is going to suck. I am sorry for you.

I used to reload 357sig but since I'm down to 1 gun chambered for it, I don't bother. I was doing it on my single stage. Never got a Dillon set up for it.

The 650 rocks 9mm and 45.

 

[brianns]

I use an RL550B. I’ve always used brass that started as .357sig brass.

I’m not 100% on the process yet. I’ve done plated lead, fmj and coated lead. My polymer80 sometimes hangs up on loading the first round and the projectile pushes into the case by the feed ramp. I don’t think I had any issues in my P229 though. I think I just check with a case guage though and calipers for OAL.

 

[FN509Fan]

I use an RL550B. I’ve always used brass that started as .357sig brass.

SAAMI Spec min of 0.855" for 357 SIG, 0.850" for 40 S&W but the cases are often much shorter, even down to 0.839” so they are way too short to be used for SIG rounds. I think the OP is alluding to resizing/decapping his 357 SIG brass in a 40 S&W resize/decapping die.

 

[brianns]

SAAMI Spec min of 0.855" for 357 SIG, 0.850" for 40 S&W but the cases are often much shorter, even down to 0.839” so they are way too short to be used for SIG rounds. I think the OP is alluding to resizing/decapping his 357 SIG brass in a 40 S&W resize/decapping die.

I use Starline and Remington mostly. I’ll double check the lengths some more. I just run it through the .357sig resizing die and decap at same time.

 

[Squaregrouper]

SAAMI Spec min of 0.855" for 357 SIG, 0.850" for 40 S&W but the cases are often much shorter, even down to 0.839” so they are way too short to be used for SIG rounds. I think the OP is alluding to resizing/decapping his 357 SIG brass in a 40 S&W resize/decapping die.

OP here...
Yes, I only use .357 Sig brass that I decap and resize on a .40/10mm carbide die. I then resize a second time on a .357 Sig die (shoulder sizing). Many of us have found this to be better than one step sizing on a .357 Sig die due to the uber tight tolerances.

 

[Squaregrouper]

I use an RL550B. I’ve always used brass that started as .357sig brass.

I’m not 100% on the process yet. I’ve done plated lead, fmj and coated lead. My polymer80 sometimes hangs up on loading the first round and the projectile pushes into the case by the feed ramp. I don’t think I had any issues in my P229 though. I think I just check with a case guage though and calipers for OAL.

The Lee factory crimp die is your friend for this round. Get one, you won't be disappointed.

 

[dbledoc]

I am planning on starting to reload these myself. Does a 40 bulge buster work as well as a 40 sizing die?

 

[brianns]

The Lee factory crimp die is your friend for this round. Get one, you won't be disappointed.

Do you think it's better than the Dillon taper crimp?

 

[Squaregrouper]

Do you think it's better than the Dillon taper crimp?

I never used one. The Lee FCD gets nice and snug and works on the case mouth itself.

 

[brianns]

I never used one. The Lee FCD gets nice and snug and works on the case mouth itself.

I was just asking because I know folks may use different dies at each station. I have the Dillon 3 die carbide set on mine. I saw my non-resized brass is over .855" in length. So that's probably good. Still not much room for case to bullet grip.

 

[FN509Fan]

OP here...
Yes, I only use .357 Sig brass that I decap and resize on a .40/10mm carbide die. I then resize a second time on a .357 Sig die (shoulder sizing). Many of us have found this to be better than one step sizing on a .357 Sig die due to the uber tight tolerances.

I like to deprime and resize before cleaning my cases to clean some of the crud out of the primer pocket. I load on a SDB, I have the, or one of the first .357 SIG die sets from Dillon and use a RCBS single stage to deprime/resize (as well as load 45 Colt and Auto Rim.) Lots of trial and error in those early days before the internet.

 

[atblis]

The LEE fcd is a collet crimp. It isn’t sensitive to variations to case length as it’s actuated by the die contacting the shell holder. It operates very differently than a taper crimp.

 

[85MikeTPI]

I process all my cleaned 357sig in two steps on a Lee Classic (4 position turret)

1) 40sw carbide sizer die, no lube
2) 357sig sizer die and decap, no lube
3) Lee neck flare

Brass is then bagged and tagged (sometimes primed) for when needed

The second turret has

1) bullet seating
2) Lee FCD

Powder drop is a standard standalone RCBS. I’ve done close to 10k using this method, feeding my 12 pistols and PCCs chambered in 357sig.. Never needed to consider converting my 650XL over

 

[atblis]

Many people have great success setting up 357 Sig to headspace off the shoulder. You can do this using your barrel and slide as a gauge and bumping until you have a desired amount of clearance between the case head and slide face. I've read, but haven't yet surveyed mine, that many chambers are too along to contact the case mouth anyways. It's on my list of things to do with an endoscope.

 

[Squaregrouper]

I am planning on starting to reload these myself. Does a 40 bulge buster work as well as a 40 sizing die?

If you are getting resistance running brass through the bulge buster I think it would work.
The purpose of .40 carbide before .357 Sig is twofold: no lube required and much smoother operation on a progressive press because the .357 Sig die is only working the neck of the brass.

 

[smdub]

Man, that sucks. If you only have to push the neck back a little to fix those rounds, can you do it on a loaded round? I'm thinking it would try to (outer) neck size too which wouldn't be possible w/ a bullet already in there.

 

[Squaregrouper]

Man, that sucks. If you only have to push the neck back a little to fix those rounds, can you do it on a loaded round? I'm thinking it would try to (outer) neck size too which wouldn't be possible w/ a bullet already in there.

So my official/formal count is 122rds that failed the Lyman gauge. I am considering pulling the .357 Sig die's decapping pin and resizing the live rounds. It appears the loose die prevented the shoulder from being properly pushed back. Does the brain trust have any objections to me trying this?

 

[brianns]

So my official/formal count is 122rds that failed the Lyman gauge. I am considering pulling the .357 Sig die's decapping pin and resizing the live rounds. It appears the loose die prevented the shoulder from being properly pushed back. Does the brain trust have any objections to me trying this?

I am against resizing a live round because materials that ‘give’ might impact your volume and maybe elongate the case.

I’d take off the projectile, save the powder, and resize even with primer on it. But I’m Leary of a full loaded cartridge getting resized.

 

[smdub]

Will one drop into the sizing die up to the shoulder? I have a hunch the neck won't go back in and then it would be a moot point.

You probably aren't using a compacted load. I would think its safe enough to push the shoulder back a couple thousandths w/ powder in there. That is if the neck physically fits into the die...