I have a newGlock in 357 Sig coming to me early this week and I need to reload for it so that I don't go broke. My first question concerns dies and the fact that thisa bottle neck cartridge. I read somewhere that if you do this in two steps, Body/Neck sizing you can avoid using lube. I guess the theory is you use a 40 S&W die to size and deprime first then either a 9mm or 357 sig die to size the neck. Does anyone do this and does it work well? If I buy nickeled cases can I avoid using lube? If I must lube is there anything that works well and does not leave the cases sticky?
?? Reloading the 357 Sig
- Thread starter CZ223
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An interesting cartrige for sure. I've loaded about 3000 of them now but I think you'll get several opinions. There are basically two options.
#1 Buy and use some Dillon Carbide .357 Sig dies. You don't have to lube but I've heard that some people still use Hornady One Shot. They are expensive dies but those who have them seem to like them.
#2. Buy steel dies. Mine are Lee and I havent found that I'm required to lube, but HOS does make things work smoother. The other option for steel dies requires an extra step in that you can size them through a 40S&W die first and them put them through the SIG dies without any lubing and it goes through like glass.
When it comes to seating bullets and setback, there are also a couple of schools of thought.
#1 Don't bell the case at all and allow the case neck tension to hold the bullet. While it suprises me, those who do that say they have no setback issue. I'm not sure I'll trust it that far, but understand that it works for them.
#2 Get a Lee FCD specifically for the SIG which is a collet type operation. I still don't flare the case neck but do set this die enough just to feel a very slight bump at the bottom of the stroke. With everything I've got, I can't move the bullet backwards into the case.
Lastly, some will tell you to use SIG cases only - that has not been my experience. Since I don't load at the top of scale, I use resized 40 cases and it has always worked fine. If I want to load some top end stuff, I'd probably buy a box of SIG and save those cases for that as I understand they are a little longer and therefore slightly more case capacity. I've never shot anything but Berry's 124 grain, but I find the accuracy acceptable, but not great.
#1 Buy and use some Dillon Carbide .357 Sig dies. You don't have to lube but I've heard that some people still use Hornady One Shot. They are expensive dies but those who have them seem to like them.
#2. Buy steel dies. Mine are Lee and I havent found that I'm required to lube, but HOS does make things work smoother. The other option for steel dies requires an extra step in that you can size them through a 40S&W die first and them put them through the SIG dies without any lubing and it goes through like glass.
When it comes to seating bullets and setback, there are also a couple of schools of thought.
#1 Don't bell the case at all and allow the case neck tension to hold the bullet. While it suprises me, those who do that say they have no setback issue. I'm not sure I'll trust it that far, but understand that it works for them.
#2 Get a Lee FCD specifically for the SIG which is a collet type operation. I still don't flare the case neck but do set this die enough just to feel a very slight bump at the bottom of the stroke. With everything I've got, I can't move the bullet backwards into the case.
Lastly, some will tell you to use SIG cases only - that has not been my experience. Since I don't load at the top of scale, I use resized 40 cases and it has always worked fine. If I want to load some top end stuff, I'd probably buy a box of SIG and save those cases for that as I understand they are a little longer and therefore slightly more case capacity. I've never shot anything but Berry's 124 grain, but I find the accuracy acceptable, but not great.
snuffy
Member
My procedure
My set-up is on a dillon 650, using Hornady steel dies. I use RCBS case slick spray lube, squirt some onto the cases while tossing them around in a plastic bowl. I only use cases bearing the 357 sig headstamp. Why make an already too short neck shorter? And there's some that say the sig has heavier web/head than 40 S&W cases. I also add the lee FCD in station #5.
I've settled on power pistol for the powder, and Hornady HAP 125 grain bullets. I tried blu-dot, it works but I had only enough to test one loading, while I had a full pound of PP. You have to be carefull about bullet selection. While it IS a 9mm in that it uses .355 diameter bullets, not all 9mm bulets will work. Because it was originally made to fit 40 S&W magazines, it HAS to be loaded fairly short. That coupled with the ogive of some if not most 9mm bullets, means the end of the neck winds up out over the sloping ogive of the round nose 9mm bullets. Since the neck is so short you WILL experience bullet set back from hitting the feed ramp and possibly recoil while in the mag.
Use of a trauncated cone style bullet like some round nose flat point and the XTP type bullet negates that concern. The Hornady HAP,(hornady action pistol), is basically a XTP HP made without the sciveing step to insure expansion.
I run the shells through the dillon, then tumble for ten minutes in bare corncob to remove the lube. The case slick COULD be left on them, it doesn't make them sticky. I doubt it would hurt anything if left on the shells. Also it WILL NOT affect the powder/primers, completley inert.
My set-up is on a dillon 650, using Hornady steel dies. I use RCBS case slick spray lube, squirt some onto the cases while tossing them around in a plastic bowl. I only use cases bearing the 357 sig headstamp. Why make an already too short neck shorter? And there's some that say the sig has heavier web/head than 40 S&W cases. I also add the lee FCD in station #5.
I've settled on power pistol for the powder, and Hornady HAP 125 grain bullets. I tried blu-dot, it works but I had only enough to test one loading, while I had a full pound of PP. You have to be carefull about bullet selection. While it IS a 9mm in that it uses .355 diameter bullets, not all 9mm bulets will work. Because it was originally made to fit 40 S&W magazines, it HAS to be loaded fairly short. That coupled with the ogive of some if not most 9mm bullets, means the end of the neck winds up out over the sloping ogive of the round nose 9mm bullets. Since the neck is so short you WILL experience bullet set back from hitting the feed ramp and possibly recoil while in the mag.
Use of a trauncated cone style bullet like some round nose flat point and the XTP type bullet negates that concern. The Hornady HAP,(hornady action pistol), is basically a XTP HP made without the sciveing step to insure expansion.
I run the shells through the dillon, then tumble for ten minutes in bare corncob to remove the lube. The case slick COULD be left on them, it doesn't make them sticky. I doubt it would hurt anything if left on the shells. Also it WILL NOT affect the powder/primers, completley inert.
threefeathers
member
I use the RCBS Pro 2000.
I put the brass neck up in a tray and lightly spray with Hornady lube.
Then I put into the ready tray and load as normal.
I do bell the neck very lightly and use Montana Gold 357 Sig bullets with a bevel bottom.
I use 7.5 grains of Unique whic almost fills the case. I look into the case before I seat the bullet.
I crimp with the Redding Taper Crimp.
I've fired in excess of 2,000 rounds and my load chrono's at 1200 fps.
I put the brass neck up in a tray and lightly spray with Hornady lube.
Then I put into the ready tray and load as normal.
I do bell the neck very lightly and use Montana Gold 357 Sig bullets with a bevel bottom.
I use 7.5 grains of Unique whic almost fills the case. I look into the case before I seat the bullet.
I crimp with the Redding Taper Crimp.
I've fired in excess of 2,000 rounds and my load chrono's at 1200 fps.
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