Any .357 Sig loaders out there??

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billybob44

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Posted this up in my local forum in regard to loading for the .357 Sig;

Tried it out a few years ago with mostly success. There is quite a few additional things to do/watch for with this caliber due to it's unique design..Most of you reloaders know that the average 9MM projectile will not work well with this caliber.

To ME..the explosive results are worth it..Bill
 
Honestly I haven't found the 357S to be any more difficult to load than any other handgun round.

I use Dillon carbide dies, zero lube and a RNFP or JHP bullet over slower powders.
 
What is the main attraction of this round? I’ve always kind of gave firearms a wide berth whenever I saw 357 sig, and to be honest I don’t know why. I feel like I’ve done a huge injustice to this round, if it wasn’t a proven cartridge or popular I guess I wouldn’t see it at all. So what makes this round tick? Where does it shine where others do not.

Sorry for the Off topic question, but input from the hand rollers would be nice.
 
CKweigand said:
What is the main attraction of this round? I’ve always kind of gave firearms a wide berth whenever I saw 357 sig, and to be honest I don’t know why. I feel like I’ve done a huge injustice to this round, if it wasn’t a proven cartridge or popular I guess I wouldn’t see it at all. So what makes this round tick? Where does it shine where others do not.

Sorry for the Off topic question, but input from the hand rollers would be nice.
Click to expand...

Biggest pluses in my book:

1. It's a 9mm +P++ with SAAMI Specs. I get 125s going 1400+ FPS out of a 3.66" barrel (HK) without signs of excessive pressure.
2. Comes very close to duplicating the vaunted 357MAG 125 grain load out of a 4" revolver barrel while doing it with an easier handgun to control, and with higher capacity. This load apparently had a good reputation in SD shootings.
3. Enhance reliability due to shoving a .355" bullet into a .40 hole (although my .40s feed fine also)
4. To me it recoils less than a stout .40 load, really isn't much harder to control than a +P 124 load.
5. Gets you noticed on the range, the blast is "noticeable" especially if you're shooting through or around cover.

Drawbacks:

It seems to be a magnet for guys that want to compare it to either 9mm +P+ loads or the lighter .40 loads and question "why"?. It also costs more for factory ammo, buuuuut reloads are only a couple cents more than 9mm in most cases.
 
I may need to try this caliber out. I have an M&P40 that the only thing I would have to buy is a barrel, and dies, and I would be in business. I have probably a couple hundred pieces of brass that I have collected from range pickup, and some of the RMR 124 MPR projectiles to get started with.
 
It's a pretty cool round and isn't difficult to load for, just a few little tricks to make it easier.
Case filling powders, chamfer case mouths, sizing in 2 steps, there are some old theads discussing it here.
 
Thanks for the input guys=GREAT STUFF..
Yeah, over my years of reloading I have/do load from .380 Auto through .45 Colt, and most common in between on short guns. .22 Hornet through 45-70 Springfield, and a lot in between on long guns. This (the Sig) is one that has an unique interest for me.
As said upthread, a .355 projectile going into a .40 caliber chamber mouth. Another fairly uncommon (for a handgun round) is that this round headspaces on the shoulder rather than the case mouth or rim.
For me, the main difference, as far as difficulty goes, is getting a good neck tension on the bullet due to the short neck. I found that I could NOT use my favorite style of projectile-my Powder coated painted bullet..This projectile, with it's SLICK coating will not hold in the case neck for me
My system for loading this brass:
1. After clean+de-cap, run all through my Redding Gr-X pass through die (As in all .40 S&W and 10MM cases)
2. Run all through a Dillon Carbide 40/10MM die.
3. Run all through a RCBS Steel .357 Sig size die.
And then load as usual on my Dillon 550.
As in loading bottle neck rifle brass, the most attention is to getting the shoulder pushed back JUST enough to fit my case gage and my barrels properly.
.
I did come across a GREAT price on bulk (2 K) buy on the 125gr. Speer Gold Dot projectile that was designed with the long bearing surface for this caliber, so I am good to go..

I actually came across this caliber by chance on a purchase of a .357 Sig Lone Wolf barrel for my .40 S&W Glock 22. I have since also purchased barrels for my G-23 and G-27 for the Sig caliber..HA.HA.. I don't even own a pistol that has ".357 Sig" stamped on it's slide..For me, the Sig rounds run just fine through all of my mags that are marked for the .40 S&W.

Thanks again for all of the input (and keep it up) on using this caliber, and if you want to add a HOT 9MM load to your .40 S&W frame, just buy yourself a .357 Sig barrel...Bill.
 
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Good info there, @billybob44 . The biggest problem I have heard about 357sig is related to neck tension.

Most of the information I have read states that the 357sig headspaces off the case mouth. I guess it doesn't really matter as long as it properly fits your chamber.

From Wikipedia:
According to the official C.I.P. (Commission Internationale Permanente Pour L'Epreuve Des Armes A Feu Portatives) 2008 revised documents, the .357 SIG headspaces on the case mouth (H2).[5] Some US sources are conflict with this standard.[6] However, the cartridge and chamber drawing in the ANSI/SAAMI American National Standards also clearly shows the cartridge headspacing on the cartridge mouth.[7] Likewise, US reloading supplier Lyman has published that the .357 SIG headspaces on the case mouth.
Click to expand...
 
My first center fire handgun was a Glock 24 with a 6 inch barrel. I purchased a Lone Wolf 357 Sig barrrel for it and loaded for it a couple years. I did have neck tension problems that worried me. I ordered a neck sizing die I still have but traded the gun before I even used it.

I like the idea behind the cartridge even though I will probably never own another one, but you never know. I didn't have a chronograph at the time but would like to know what velocity I was getting from the 6 inch barrel and AA#9. It sure felt stout.
 
I really like the power and reliability of the .357 Sig cartridge and, for my usage, have decided it makes more sense to carry it than the .45 ACP I’ve carried for decades. I’ve gone from carrying 1911’s to carrying a P229 and P239 in .357 Sig. It’s a flat shooting, hard hitting round that, due to it’s bottleneck case, is very jam resistant.

This round is no harder to reload than any other cartridge if you simply use a bit of common sense.I don’t use two different sizing dies like some do to avoid using sizing lube. Instead, I lube my cases, use Hornady steel dies and wipe the lube off afterward although with Imperial Sizing Wax, there isn’t much lube to wipe off.

I’ve ever had a problem with bullet setback because I don’t flare the case mouth. Instead, I put a light chamfer inside the mouth. This chamfer is sufficient to prevent any scraping or galling when seating the bullet and preserves the neck tension.

My favorite powders for .357 Sig are AA#9, Bullseye and Power Pistol in that order.

I’ve had good results with all types of 9MM bullets including plated bullets for practice and plinking but I would suggest using bonded bullets for hunting and self defense as most cup and core bullets will not stay together upon impact.
 
Since the .357 Sig headspaces on the shoulder, does it use a taper or roll crimp? I assume a taper crimp since most .355" bullets don't have a cannelure.
 
Toprudder said:
I may need to try this caliber out. I have an M&P40 that the only thing I would have to buy is a barrel, and dies, and I would be in business. I have probably a couple hundred pieces of brass that I have collected from range pickup, and some of the RMR 124 MPR projectiles to get started with.
Click to expand...

The RMR MPR and RMR truncated cone flat point match winner bullets work great in 357sig. I just use Lee dies and have no issues loading 357sig.
 
Bottom Gun said:
My favorite powders for .357 Sig are AA#9, Bullseye and Power Pistol in that order.
Click to expand...
My round count per powder is as follow:
BE86 1422
Unique 810
Longshot 579
CFE Pistol 439
Power Pistol 223
Bullseye 131

I definitely load BE-86 the most. With JHP type bullet BE-86 shines for me.
Unique became a favorite especially with the RMR match winner FP bullet. I load the Unique to below 1300fps and is a great practise/drill round.
Longshot is more of a niche powder when I want to chase some velocity. I like it but will never be a high volume load for me.
CFE Pistol and Power Pistol has the same feel and I still need to find a niche for them. I like them both but normally just keep at least a box of 50 around for that different feel.
Bullseye I tried but never found something I liked.
 
Chuck R. said:
Biggest pluses in my book:

1. It's a 9mm +P++ with SAAMI Specs. I get 125s going 1400+ FPS out of a 3.66" barrel (HK) without signs of excessive pressure.
2. Comes very close to duplicating the vaunted 357MAG 125 grain load out of a 4" revolver barrel while doing it with an easier handgun to control, and with higher capacity. This load apparently had a good reputation in SD shootings.
3. Enhance reliability due to shoving a .355" bullet into a .40 hole (although my .40s feed fine also)
4. To me it recoils less than a stout .40 load, really isn't much harder to control than a +P 124 load.
5. Gets you noticed on the range, the blast is "noticeable" especially if you're shooting through or around cover.

Drawbacks:

It seems to be a magnet for guys that want to compare it to either 9mm +P+ loads or the lighter .40 loads and question "why"?. It also costs more for factory ammo, buuuuut reloads are only a couple cents more than 9mm in most cases.
Click to expand...

It also performs very well through barriers like windshields where as other cal. ricochet off the sloped windshield glass. Va. State police use the 357 Sig round. One more thing, when you shoot it , it produces a good size flame out the muzzle so if you do miss your target ya got a chance of burning it to death, LOL
Personally I like the round and have no issues loading it. I use 12gr. AA#9 124 gr Rainier/FP . I load them on my Dillon 550B.
 
I loaded some 125 gr Lehigh Defense solid copper bullets with Bullseye that shoot well. I get my best accuracy from AA#9 but wasn’t able to use it with the Lehigh bullets due to the bullet length.

I plan to try BE86 when I use up my current supply of Bullseye. I want to try it because Alliant says it has a flash suppressant.
 
I run all my brass thru a Redding G-Rx(40 S&W) die ... mine is the steel version as I purchased before they came out with the carbide version ... I put a couple hundred in a gallon zip lock bag and spray some One Shot spray lube(I am now trying a lanolin/HEET mix)... roll the brass around good ... run thru the G-Rx... then I use the RCBS steel 357 sizer die ...

I use my Glock 31 barrel as the case gauge( that is the real test ... if it fits it ships)...

I then seat my bullets( mostly Hornady 125 grain XTP) using the RCBS seater with out flaring ...

The powder I have used the most is AA#9 ... It gives me 1400+ fps with the XTP....
Long Shot is the powder that I am currently working with ... It gives about the same velocity as #9...
Other powders I have used .... Power Pistol, HS-6(W540), AA#7, AA#5, Bluedot, Unique and 800x ...probably a few more that I can't recall right now ....

800x could be my favorite IF it would meter a little better than cornflakes !!!

BE-86 is on my radar as is Enforcer/AA4100....
 
JimKirk said:
I run all my brass thru a Redding G-Rx(40 S&W) die ... mine is the steel version as I purchased before they came out with the carbide version ... I put a couple hundred in a gallon zip lock bag and spray some One Shot spray lube(I am now trying a lanolin/HEET mix)... roll the brass around good ... run thru the G-Rx... then I use the RCBS steel 357 sizer die ...
Click to expand...

Listen to what JimKirk has to say. He has a lot of experience in 357sig and has helped me a lot when I started.
My process is a bit different, but work for me:
Deprime
Wash cases
All my cases go through a Lee debulger (40s&w FCD with internal removed) I use a little Unique case lube during this process.
I prefer sizing with a 40s&w sizer (Lee) first, and then using the 357sig sizer (Lee). I use a little Unique case lube during the 357sig resizing.
Wash cases (remove lube)
Tumble

I have switched between resizing only with 357sig dies or using both, but it seems I get a bit better neck tension when using both. That is just my preference.

JimKirk said:
I use my Glock 31 barrel as the case gauge( that is the real test ... if it fits it ships)...
Click to expand...

That is the ticket.
Also make sure to test for setback and cycling through the gun before doing any volume loading.
 
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