New Help with COL of 158g Berry RN

[REL1203]

I need some help guys, so my cheap 357Mag plinking load for my GP100 has been 6.8g W231 under a 158g Berry FP at 1.58" COL, but I ran out of them about a month ago. During the PV 10% off J4 sale, i ordered some bullets, but they were out of the FP, so I ordered their 158 RNDS thinking they would be close to as good if not just as good. Well, the only data I could find on RN in that weight was a COL of 1.59", really didnt seem much longer than the FP I am used to at 1.58", but i started to load at that, and after finishing 2, it just didnt look right to me. Here are some pics. The FP in the pic is my go to loaded one at 1.58" for comparison's sake.... Anyone have any better COL or any advice? Both the cases are 1.28" as normal.




so is it me, or does it seem like its just to short? seems like the edge of the case goes past where the bullet starts curving and looks off. Should I save these bullets and use them in 38special loads instead?

 

[Twiki357]

I'm sure that some people will disagree with me because of pressure variences, but I've never paid much attention to OAL's on rimmed ammo. But those round nose bullets DO look like they are seated to deep resulting in too much crimp. I would go for a longer OAL and make sure the crimp is on the max bullet diameter, not on the start of the round nose.

 

[Walkalong]

That will work just fine. That is a nice light roll crimp where the bullet is rounded. Looks real good. I would have loaded them a little longer and use a light taper crimp, because that is generally how I load plated bullets in .38 Spl/Mag, but the way you have done it is just as good.

As always, start low and work up.

 

[REL1203]

What length would you take them to Walkalong, 1.6", 1.65"?

 

[Walkalong]

O.A.L. is not critical usually, although sometimes playing with O.A.L. can improve accuracy quite a bit. Use them like you have them now, or load them a little longer so you can give a light taper crimp on the full diameter part of the bullet. Try some of each and see if one shoots better. As far as pressure goes, I think you are fine either way with that charge in .357 brass.

 

[REL1203]

I loaded some up longer today, 1.66" and shot them, they shot pretty damn well and looked much better, maybe a little short still, but it was right at the end of where the fattest part of the bullet still was and seemed to work pretty well. I still like the FPs much better, and will be ordering the FPs from now on, but these seem to work well enough.

Thanks