Quote:
Originally Posted by Titegroups
Looks like you have plenty of brass to start with. Just make sure your brass has only one hole in the bottom for the primer and is brass, not aluminum. Check it for splits or buldges. I wouldn't worry about the factory hot rounds but if you feel uncomfortable with them it's your choice. You may want to consider loading your rounds a bit lighter than full .357 power and use lead bullets for practice ammo. Save considerable $ over jacketed bullets. Every manufactures brass is a little different, as you reload you will develop a preference. A load I like to use is a .357 case, standard small pistol primer, 125g lead bullet, 5.0g of titegroup powder. about 1000fps in a 6" barrel. Good inexpensive, accurate practice round. As you load be absolutely sure to never double charge a round with powder. Buy some loading manuals and do a lot of reading before you start.
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I appreciate the input, I'm staying away from lead because I like practicing with loads similar to what I will be hunting with or using for defense. I noticed that G.F.L. cases are .002" thicker than Remington and Federal cases which gives me a warm fuzzy feeling as I develop loads. I have Sierra and Hornady's reloading books, as well as a .357 Mag reloading book from Cabella's. So far I've only loaded Hornady HP-XTP bullets, I have 600 reloads done. Between bullets, powder, cases and primers, 1000 cartridges will cost me ~ $350, less as I reuse cases. I'm tempted to pick up an N-frame revolver for developing +158gr bullet loads, but right now I'm quite satisfied with how loud a 140gr/158gr bullet is at the range. Once I buy a chronometer, I'll be able to measure my results. The range I fire at is only 70ft long and I haven't noticed any deviations in accuracy, I'm holding 1.5" groups at 50 ft, and longer distances and lets just say that I'm not the dead-eye I once was as a young jarhead.