VihtaVuori N350 for 357 Sig

[Qball16]

Does anyone here load VV N350 for 357 Sig? Seems like a good match. I've read plenty of posts about bullet setback to think that I want to have a full case for this round. So far I've been using 800x with fine results but with a recent order from Powder Valley I figured I'd maximize my benefits and order some of the harder to find VV powders and got 4lbs of N350, some N105 for rippin' .45 Colt loads and a jug of N140 for .308 rifle loads. I guess my love of Finnish brass made me curious about their powders. My manuals say low 8gr of the VVN350 for 357 Sig but Quickload is predicting safe pressures beyond 9 grains where I would have a full case. I'm a safe reloader and would do the work up. I'm just looking for some feedback from users who have filled a 357 sig case to see if I can reduce the chances of bullet setback with this powder as I do with the 800x.

Disclaimer: I have never spent as much time trying to get any bullet to set back in its case as I have with the 357 Sig, just based on the info out there of this happening. Perhaps I'm over thinking it. I have, however, been able to push bullets back into the case with strong thumb pressure on rounds that I have crimped. Bullets are Barry's 124gr for 357 Sig.

So, just looking for some opinions from those with experience. I'm also open to opinions that the bullet setback issue is relevant or not in real world experience. I load them more like rifle rounds in general. I still use the progressive but I tumble fired brass then lube, deprime and resize in one step and then tumble in walnut again to remove the lube. After that I prime, flare and charge, seat and crimp. It's not the most efficient pistol round to load for certain, with two separate runs through the press. Am I making this more complicated than necessary?

 

[JimKirk]

I normally will measure a sample of a batch that I have reloaded... I keep a list in order with the measurements.... I load the ammo rack the ammo full force...keeping the cartridges in the correct order.... I then remeasure to check for bullet setback ... I am not a shooter who places and removes ammo in and out of the gun ... I have several mags and my carry ammo stays in that one mag... I drop the first round in the chamber and close the action... Then place the mag in the gun ... That way I do not have any problems with the same ammo having setback.

So far out of several thousands of reloads... I have found not real issue with bullet set back.... I guess I got lucky and got a die(RCBS) that resizes enough for me to not run into the problems others have had.,..

I will point out that the neck is so short that almost any type crimp is going to ruin the neck tension you do have.... So I don't flare at all and I taper crimp just enough to make sure the brass is straight ,.. I will say that I shoot the Hornady XTP 124 gr probably 80% the time... With a few Sierra and other brands making up the other 20%.…..

I have no experience with the Vv powders in the SIG...

 

[Qball16]

Thanks Jim. What powder do you use? Is it a case filler?

 

[Fine Figure of a Man]

I've used Blue Dot and AA 9 with SNS coated 125gr flat point bullets. I don't flare either but I do chamfer the inside of the case mouth. I also size with a 40 sw die first then the 357 die so I don't have to lube.

 

[JimKirk]

Longshot, AA#9, 800X .... all will give a case full to help hold the bullet . ... Blue Dot will too .... I only had a small amount ...so I have not shot more than a few loads of it ...

800X would be tops if it metered worth a hoot ... clean ... really good velocity ....

Right now Longshot is the one I am using mostly ....

 

[vaalpens]

I have not used any VV N350, or any powder that fills the case. Since I don't rely on a filled case to prevent setback, part of my reloading process is to evaluate each new bullet for setback, and then decide if it will be used in 357sig, or only in 9mm.

I'm not sure if you indicated that you see some setback using the Berry's 124gr bullet. The Berry's 124gr Hollow Base FP thick plating bullet is one of the plated bullets I have tested successfully and did not see any setback. I expand the case mouth and use the Lee FCD for crimping. You will need to verify your load process if you see any setback with the Berry's bullet.

 

[Qball16]

Early on in reloading this cartridge, I was able to get them to set back a little by exerting what I would call heavy body weight against my thumb on the side of my workbench. But like I said, I don't really have a benchmark for what other rounds are like because this is the only one where I've read about this problem. I use case filling loads as a backup safety and make sure that a bit of setback won't cause excessive pressures using Quickload.
With proper crimp using the Lee FCD, I'm able to get rounds that don't set back. And yes, the bullets are the hollow base FP's designated for the 357 Sig. I've never had a problem in real world experience, I just like the idea of a case filling charge with this round. I only use these loads for range rounds so they don't get chambered multiple times anyway. It takes some adjustment to get the crimp just right. I may go to the two carbide sizing die method to avoid having to lube the cases.

 

[JimKirk]

Qball ... my dies are steel ... but I use the Redding G-Rx (which is also steel) .... this IS the one use I have for Hornady One Shot case lube .... i spray a shot or two in a gallon zip lock bag ... dump a couple handfuls of brass in and shake it around (remember the shake n bake commercial) ... dump them out on a tray or in a shoe box top .... push the brass up through the G-Rx die and then through the 357 SIG die with out adding lube ... chunk them in the tumbler for a 20 min run and load them up .... my sizing die and expander leave to neck fairly tight ... I don't flair because you done upset a good part of the neck tension .... I don't crimp but a very light touch to straighten the edge of the brass back in line (not to hold the bullet ( if you crimp there goes the rest of the neck tension .... at .865 case length = .015" ... if you trim to minimum .860 " you now have 0.10 " to hold the bullet .... not a lot of room for error for neck tension .... and then think some folks try using .40 S&W brass and wind up with almost zero neck to hold the bullet .... I load in stages and try to do as many cases at the time to save time ...