357sig case mouth vs bullet ogive

[vaalpens]

I have been reloading 357sig for about 7 months now, and it is definitely my most enjoyable caliber to load based on the attention to detail, the money you safe, and the fun shooting it.

Everybody loading 357sig probably know that it is a challenge to find the correct bullet to load, and once you found the correct bullet, then you still have to make sure your COL is precise so the mouth is below the ogive. I sort by case length so it is easier to manage that the case mouth stays below the ogive, but some handloaders load mixed length cases and either compensate for it by adjusting the COL, or do not. Since the ogive is normally very close to the mouth if you are loading to a COL of 1.135", and depending on the bullet you use, I was always trying to find a way to easily determine if the mouth is below the ogive or not.

One of my favorite sites I visit for 357sig load tips is realguns.com. Today I found an interesting article where this issue is addressed. I think it is an old article, but looks like he added some additional information, especially where he uses another sized case to verify if the ogive is below the mouth or not. Here is a link to the article and I hope it can help somebody looking for a solution. I know it helped me some. http://www.realguns.com/articles/714.htm

 

[vaalpens]

So I decided to use my nifty new gadget to measure my 357sig loads and determine if the ogive was above the mouth of the case or not. I measured 3 bullets of my reloads and one factory bullet. The results were interesting and I think it helps me decide which bullets are a better fit for loading in 357sig.

Berry's 124gr HBFPTP:
This bullet was loaded with a COL of 1.135" and a case length of .860".
The test showed that .05" of the trunk was showing, indicating that the ogive was above the case mouth and the bullet is well suited for 357sig.

MG 125gr 357sig JHP:
This bullet was loaded with a COL of 1.135" and a case length of .861".
The test showed that .06" of the trunk was showing, indicating that the ogive was above the case mouth and the bullet is very well suited for 357sig.

RMR 124gr Hardcore March Plated Flat Nose:
This bullet was loaded with a COL of 1.140" with mix case lengths.
The test showed that maybe .005" of the trunk was showing, indicating that the ogive was probably just above the case mouth. This bullet is suited for 357sig, but I will probably use .860" or shorter cases, and maybe even increasing the COL and go above SAAMI max COL of 1.140".

Fiocchi 124gr FP factory loads:
The COL for the bullet I tested was 1.131" and the length of the case about .862".
There was none of the trunk showing with the test and could feel case on case when I turned the case I was using. These are factory bullets and I know they work, but I am a bit concerned about possible setback. It could be that the mouth of the case is at the edge of the trunk, but it just seems they are cutting it very close.

I am glad I found this little gadget since it was difficult to always know exactly where the shoulder between the trunk and ogive is. This will help me ensure that I don't create loads with the ogive below the case mouth.

 

[Rodentman]

I use MTG bullets made for the 357 sig and am more concerned with setback than I should be, since I never had any issues with my reloads. But I haven't loaded any 357 sig in awhile. Maybe this will get me going and I'll get back into it. Thanks for the post and link.

 

[vaalpens]

I use MTG bullets made for the 357 sig and am more concerned with setback than I should be, since I never had any issues with my reloads. But I haven't loaded any 357 sig in awhile. Maybe this will get me going and I'll get back into it. Thanks for the post and link.

Thanks for the feedback. I was wondering if nobody was loading 357sig anymore, or my grammar was so bad that nobody understood what the heck I was rambling about.

I am always concerned about setback and try to do these little things to put my mind at ease:
-Make sure ogive is not below case mouth
-Test a dummy bullet once in a while for setback to make sure my process is still sound
-Sort brass by size so that I can be more precise when using my expanding die. Just trying to keep the flaring to a minimum and consistent.

 

[Rodentman]

Yes I agree to keep that flaring to a minimum. I tried no flare and ruined some brass. I always flare at minimum but especially with the 357 sig.

There are some very expert people here who load that round. I have 1 year reloading experience 40 years in a row. Not the same as 40 years experience! But I've had very few issues.