180 grain bullets too long...

[Stinger]

I recently ordered a 100ct box of remington 180 grain 357 mag bullets. After setting up my dies and making a dummy round, The bullet is seating too long with the cannelure in the correct position.

The only way to get it to max length is to push the cannelure into the case (several TENTHS of an inch). ***!?!

Can anyone provide some insight?

Thanks,

Stinger

 

[444]

"The bullet is seating too long with the cannelure in the correct position."

Too long for what ?
The gun, or a number you got out of a handloading manual ?

 

[Stinger]

It is seated longer than the max oal of 1.590

1.664 is the oal with the cannelure in the correct postion.

1.630 is the oal with the cannelure pushed into the case.

Gun is Ruger GP100

The longer oal will fit in the cylinder, but it doesn't leave much margin for error (like none).

Regards,

Stinger

 

[Smokey Joe]

Oal

First of all, congrats on trying to do it right and go by the book. This is one instance at least, where the book number is a guideline, not an absolute.

As I understand it, the SAAMI OAL of a cartridge is so's it works in the shortest-chambered of firearms in which it might be chambered. In yr revolver, the criterion is, Does the cartridge allow my cylinder to turn without any hesitation.

So, go ahead and seat the bullets so you can crimp on the cannelure. If the cartridge turns freely in your revo, the OAL is OK in your revo. YOUR revo. Somebody else will have to check before using.

Start your load at the low end and work up gradually, checking for signs of overpressure. If you're crimping the bullets in the case there should be no problem with bullets backing out under recoil and jamming your cylinder.

You may have noted that for the same cartridge and different bullets, the OAL stated in the loading manual is different.

 

[Travis Two]

The bullets you purchased may have been designed for a longer than normal O.A.L. for use in single shot pistols like the Contender. or is it possible that you got some .35 caliber Rifle bullets that are used in say like the .35 Whelen?

 

[mtnbkr]

I used to use those bullets frequently in my GP100. They are long bullets. The best way I found was to trim my brass slightly shorter. Of course, you'll have to work up loads from scratch, but it works out fine in the end. I drove them to 1200fps from my 4" GP100.

35 caliber Rifle bullets that are used in say like the .35 Whelen?

Those are pistol bullets for sure. They're just too dang long.

Chris

 

[BluesBear]

I used to have the same problem with Sierra 160gr FMJ. They made for really long cartridges. There was no room for error nor creep. But with a good heavy crimp they seemed to stay put.

 

[boo586]

That is why i like these bullets so much. THe bullet isn't much longer than the 180 grain Hornady XTP's, but the location of the cannelure is a lot different.

THe 180 grain Hornady XTP's (that I have) have two cannelures. The one closest to the nose of the bullet is for seating in 357 magnum revolvers and the lower cannelure is for seating the bullet if you use them out of a contender or encore single shot. THe nice thing about seating the Hornady bullet in the lower cannelure is that it allows you to stuff more powder behind the bullet becasue there is less bullet in the case.

If one were to sit a 180 grain XTP Hornady bullet on a table next to the 180 grain Remington bullet one will notice that the cannelure on the Remington bullet is somewhere between the two cannelures on the Hornady bullet. This means that Remington bullet has less heal in the case than the Hornady allowing more powder to be put in the case and still allow the cartridges to work in a revolver.

I believe that Remington designed the 180 grain SJHP specifically to allow the maximum amount of powder to be used behind the bullet so they could get the highest muzzle velocity they could for the cartridge to be used in the most popular 357 magnum hunting revolvers.

My $0.02

Boo586

 

[jacobtowne]

Back in the old days, 20 years ago, when my eyes were still young and I shot long range handgun silhouette, there were no 180 grain jacketed handgun bullets. The heaviest was the Sierra 170 grain FMJ RN silhouette bullet, and it did not knock the rams down all the time.
So, the sanctioning body, IHMSA, came up with a load using WW296 powder and a 180 grain spire point .358 diameter rifle bullet. We seated the bullet atop the powder to yield a proper OAL. There was no crimp, nor could there be, since there was a space between the case mouth and the side of the bullet.
Very accurate round out of my Blackhawk, and no bullet movement in the case whatsoever.
JT