Ole Joe Clark
Member
A guy brought me some shells that he couldn't get in his wife's pistol. Turned out the shells he thought were .38 specials, were .38 S&W, which are about .005 larger in diameter.
.357 Magnum reloads too big?
- Thread starter devils4ever
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buck460XVR
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I gotta agree also. Maybe it's the picture, but those reloads just look wrong. I've never seen a jacketed bullet that bulged like that above the crimp, nor one that had a cannelure that deep.
I don't know if I'd even bother to pull them as the bullets look deformed already, the powder is unknown and I have a ton of .357 cases. 40 used .357 cases of unknown origin or quality are not worth a lot to me.
gonoles_1980
Member
I agree with the others, based on the quality of the crimp, I wouldn't trust any of the bullets. I would be embarrassed if my rounds looked like the ones in the middle. Missed the crimp groove, may have missed on scale settings. An eyeball inspection shows those are bad, which implies zero quality control by the bullet maker.
Pull them, maybe you can salvage the cases, and maybe the bullets, but they were probably messed up by the bad crimp.
Pull them, maybe you can salvage the cases, and maybe the bullets, but they were probably messed up by the bad crimp.
devils4ever
Member
Thanks all. I'll pull them and see what can be saved. Hopefully the cases and/or bullets will be usable. Otherwise, they're heading for the garbage.
ArchAngelCD
Member.
I think you made a good choice. It seems every one in this thread agrees too. Let us know if anything is salvageable.
HankB
Member
If something is done "professionally" it just means someone is getting paid for their work - even if it's shoddy. This includes most "professionally reloaded" ammo - the only stuff in that category I'd consider using is Black Hills.
I don't buy or use gun show reloads, and I don't shoot reloads from people I don't know. (And darn few from people I do know!) I also have reservations about some of the smaller commercial manufacturers of "new" ammo and I won't shoot milsurp or commercial ammo that comes from a country where I wouldn't drink the water.
You made the right decision to disassemble/discard this questionable .357 ammo.
I don't buy or use gun show reloads, and I don't shoot reloads from people I don't know. (And darn few from people I do know!) I also have reservations about some of the smaller commercial manufacturers of "new" ammo and I won't shoot milsurp or commercial ammo that comes from a country where I wouldn't drink the water.
You made the right decision to disassemble/discard this questionable .357 ammo.
If the pulled bullets are damaged, you may consider setting them aside and offering them to a fellow reloader to melt down and re-cast, rather than tossing them in the trash heap. I'm sure there's someone local who would take you up on that, without incurring postal fees to ship them away.
Reefinmike
Member
The picture isn't very clear but it looks like the cannelure is above the case mouth? If so you can easily pull the rounds on your press by using a pair of pliers or wire cutters to lightly hold the bullet in the crimp groove and pull on press using a piece of pvc slipped over the press ram.
Agree 100%...
Barrelgal
Member
There's no way I'd ever just toss good brass.
So, there's several different ways my hubby taught me to handle this. You can pull the bullets, fertilize the yard with the powder, then just fire the primers, resize and load back up with your desired load.
Or, pull bullets, dump powder in yard, or the flower garden, if it was me anyway. Then decap them, put the primers in a cap full of motor oil to deactivate the compound, let soak over night, then bury them or dispose of in the trash. I bury mine, I live in a rural community though.
Or, after disposing of the powder you can load the brass with hot glue projectiles and shoot them at rodents or a cardboard box. I find this a fun way to use up the primers.
As for the projectiles, if they're good, not deformed or in some way ruined during pulling, shouldn't be if using a bullet puller, I would use them, no reason to toss good bullets and, or brass.
Barrelgal
So, there's several different ways my hubby taught me to handle this. You can pull the bullets, fertilize the yard with the powder, then just fire the primers, resize and load back up with your desired load.
Or, pull bullets, dump powder in yard, or the flower garden, if it was me anyway. Then decap them, put the primers in a cap full of motor oil to deactivate the compound, let soak over night, then bury them or dispose of in the trash. I bury mine, I live in a rural community though.
Or, after disposing of the powder you can load the brass with hot glue projectiles and shoot them at rodents or a cardboard box. I find this a fun way to use up the primers.
As for the projectiles, if they're good, not deformed or in some way ruined during pulling, shouldn't be if using a bullet puller, I would use them, no reason to toss good bullets and, or brass.
Barrelgal
buck460XVR
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I generally don't toss good or bad brass of any type. Heck, I even save my .22LR cases, spent primers and brass I don't have calibers to reload for. They get tossed into a bucket and sold for scrap.
That said, 40 empty .357 cases aren't worth enough for scrap to justify the effort for me to pull the bullets if they are damaged. It's one of those "what's my time worth?". Other may have more free time and feel differently.
If I pull "unknown" loads, I'll disassemble the cartridge rolleyes and toss the powder. I will remove the decapping stem from my sizing die and resize. No need to toss the primers. Then stuff with my loads. If the bullets are lead, they go into the scrap lead pot and if jacketed they get "clipped" and go into the pot (cut through the jacket with dikes). Occasionally, I'll inspect/measure jacketed bullets to check for damage during reloading, but I like using "known good" components. I have in the past deprimed brass with live primers and I have no problem doing that, I just won't toss any primers...
rolleyes and toss the powder. I will remove the decapping stem from my sizing die and resize. No need to toss the primers. Then stuff with my loads. If the bullets are lead, they go into the scrap lead pot and if jacketed they get "clipped" and go into the pot (cut through the jacket with dikes). Occasionally, I'll inspect/measure jacketed bullets to check for damage during reloading, but I like using "known good" components. I have in the past deprimed brass with live primers and I have no problem doing that, I just won't toss any primers...devils4ever
Member
I was able to safely pull the bullets using the RCBS Collet Bullet Puller. Some were in very tight. I can't imagine doing this with the impact hammer. I figure for the cost of the puller, I could mostly recoup the cost by reusing the brass, primers, and bullets.
The bullets look to be in very good condition with only extremely slight marks from the collet. I will definitely reuse the bullets. The brass and primers seem fine as well so these will be reused.
The box was hand marked 6.5 gr Unique. I measured a few of the charges with my balance and they were right on. Of course, I don't know what the powder is so I'll toss it in the garden.
So, I was able to resize the brass after removing the decapping pin to leave the primers in. Then, I was able to expand the case mouths with no issues. So, I think I should be okay from here. Thanks to all who responded for their input and recommendations.
The bullets look to be in very good condition with only extremely slight marks from the collet. I will definitely reuse the bullets. The brass and primers seem fine as well so these will be reused.
The box was hand marked 6.5 gr Unique. I measured a few of the charges with my balance and they were right on. Of course, I don't know what the powder is so I'll toss it in the garden.
So, I was able to resize the brass after removing the decapping pin to leave the primers in. Then, I was able to expand the case mouths with no issues. So, I think I should be okay from here. Thanks to all who responded for their input and recommendations.
ArchAngelCD
Member.
It sounds like everything worked out for you and you at least got some components out of the deal.
I was loading 18 rounds tonight and encountered the same problem. Fully loaded 3 rounds and promptly did the plop test with my S&W 19. Two out of 3 would not fully enter the chamber. Pulled the bullets. Tried the plop test on the other 15 prepared cases and found the same problem. I had incorrectly belled the cases. Re-sizing and correctly belling the cases cured the problem. After reading this thread I have to admit that my cylinder also has carbon rings that come from shooting 38's most of the time. I scrub the hell out of them with a bronze brush, but they won't budge. Maybe the carbon and the slightly larger belled case mouths are both contributing to the problem.??
Catpop
Member
I had problems with my 357 and it turned out to be my blackhawk has to be held to 1.610 oal or same problem. I was using 158 lswc missouri and found to be able to crimp in very minimum groove, I had to trim to recommended trim length and keep there. A little pita bit I like missouri bullets.
devils4ever
Member
I just finished reloading these and they slide in and out easily in my revolver. So, I think that was the problem. Thanks all!!!
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