For what it's worth:
Most my shooting/plinking is at nothing that really matters with 357 brass. 38spl's, ya target loads, 357's not so much. I use the 44mag for a couple decades now for long shots so the 357's get used for close range (25yds & in) at mostly reactive targets like bowling pins/plates/steel/dueling trees/etc.
Bought a new s&w 686 and started doing load development @ 50ft. Most of my 357 shooting is done @ 50ft anymore. 38spl's no problems, not a hand/cherry picked target by any means. A 50ft 38spl load developed to shoot shotgun shells @ 50ft. (6-shot groups)
Went on to testing 357 loads, just looking for some plinking loads. Didn't matter what I loaded/tried. Kept getting groups like these @ 50ft.
Finely sat down and took a hard look at my brass. Some was ok others not so much. Some of the nickle plated brass showed more brass then nickle. It came down to neck tension and with a lot of the brass, lack there of. Tossed 3/4's of the brass and ordered 2,000 new starline cases and the groups shrank.
I've never been picky with range brass/plinking loads. But when it comes down to trying to load high grade match ammo for pistols/revolvers, I pay more attention to the brass. I load on a single stare press and want the same feel when seating the primers, expanding the cases, seating the bullets, crimping the cases.
By doing this it helps take the fliers out of play, smaller groups is secondary.
Just another opinion
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