.350 Legend reloading not fun

[Oil Field Trash]

Just finished prepping a 20rd box of Winchester white box Target and Practice ammo. What a pain in the ***! Decapping was difficult. Real difficult! Had to use a pin punch and hammer as the universal decapping die wouldn't do it.
Won't be reloading in the future for this round. Way too much effort.
I'm curious if any one else has experienced this.

 

[venomballistics]

I haven't had that issue with it.
It's been no worse than lake city 5.56.
where this cartridge has been busting my chops is loading with cast lead.
It runs in a velocity range that would maximize a cast lead slug, even some very promising loads have been developed. but the pressures can get erratic, and I have no idea how or why i'll get a hot one every 15 to 20 rounds.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

What a pain in the ***! Decapping was difficult. Real difficult! Had to use a pin punch and hammer as the universal decapping die wouldn't do it.

Sealed primers are often a pain! I question the sizing/decapping die adjustment.

Ivan

 

[6string]

So, you’re giving up on a cartridge because one small 20 piece batch of brass from one manufacturer required an extra step?

Is this your first attempt at reloading?
If so, there’s plenty of helpful resources to learn about the various pitfalls and solutions that we all face with this game from time to time.
For starters, why not try some different brass?

 

[venomballistics]

Sealed primers are often a pain! I question the sizing/decapping die adjustment.

Ivan

quite likely. This part of the process was trouble free. the only issue is the WWB stuff has crimped in primers like much of the 5.56 out there. WWB is among the most cost effective sources for brass though. Pocket swaging or reaming will be part of loading this one.

 

[DWalt]

Reaming of primer pockets needs to be done only once per case.

 

[rwsmith]

So will the.......

Reaming of primer pockets needs to be done only once per case.

the sealed primers. The second time reloading should be a snap.

 

[Alk8944]

O.F.T.

What universal decapping die are you using? I'll bet it is the Lee that has the decapping stem retained in a collet. If not tightened sufficiently the stem can slip in the collet. Simply tighten the collet and you shouldn't have any more problems. You shouldn't be having problems with RCBS or Redding dies!

Second suggestion is spend a little more for your ammunition and get some without crimped primer pockets! There are several on-line sources for other brands than the WWB. There is absolutely no reason for primers to be crimped except in military calibers where the specification requires it! Before buying a primer pocket swage or reamer, unless you already have either, I would chuck those crimped cases and by other brands! I can't understand why anyone would say that sealed primers can be a problem. The sealant is simply lacquer and is just on the surface. The primers are not sealed with anything like Loc-Tite I have only been reloading since 1962, what do I know.

venomballistics: What cast bullets are you having problems with? Bullets designed for .38/.357 revolvers? If you are casting then use a harder alloy, 16-22 Brinell should be plenty hard, especially if you are using a good bullet lube. I use Saeco Green in all my cast bullets, handgun and rifle, and have no leading issues. I recommend you buy a mold for a rifle bullet in the 250+ grain weight range. Finding such bullets from commercial casters is probably not possible. You should be able to drive a cast bullet from the 350 Legend from 1800 to 2200+ FPS without any problems. There are many sources for casting molds, I would recommend looking at Accurate Molds they have excellent variety. This is a link to their web site: Custom Bullet Molds | Accurate Molds

 

[Yendor357]

I think in the future, any round that may end up in an AR will have a some sort of sealed in primer because ARs have the bad habit of dislodging primers in the ammo it fires.

Crimped in primers is something every reloaded has to deal with sooner or later. If nothing else, stock up on decamping pins.

 

[venomballistics]

venomballistics: What cast bullets are you having problems with? Bullets designed for .38/.357 revolvers? If you are casting then use a harder alloy, 16-22 Brinell should be plenty hard, especially if you are using a good bullet lube. I use Saeco Green in all my cast bullets, handgun and rifle, and have no leading issues. I recommend you buy a mold for a rifle bullet in the 250+ grain weight range. Finding such bullets from commercial casters is probably not possible. You should be able to drive a cast bullet from the 350 Legend from 1800 to 2200+ FPS without any problems. There are many sources for casting molds, I would recommend looking at Accurate Molds they have excellent variety. This is a link to their web site: Custom Bullet Molds | Accurate Molds

I have tried 3 molds so far. the 9MM lyman devistator. essentially the 147 grain in 124 grain flying ashtray form.
Powder coated as has been my SOP for quite some time.
This one will not feed in the AR pattern rifle used.
Lee 200 grain 38 RNFP, a gas check design, sized to 356.
Feeds most of the time, nose section can hang on the lands, preventing the cartridge from going into battery and a certain percentage of bulged case heads. Remarkably accurate, making it a real tease.
Contestant number 3 is the lee 9MM 147 truncated cone.
This, working on the theory that the 200 was engaging the rifling, causing a pressure spike. excellent feeding, still pressure spikes, and falls well short of the 200G accuracy.
The 200 would check all the boxes if it would just run reliably.
Power and profile add up to a confident game getter and fun range load.

checked out the link, There are a few possible candidates in there I'll try.

 

[peh_7]

Get rid of the Winchester brass. I had seating problems and other inconsistencies with the most common brand available. Am now using Starline brass and have had no problems.

 

[mtgianni]

I have tried 3 molds so far. the 9MM lyman devistator. essentially the 147 grain in 124 grain flying ashtray form.
Powder coated as has been my SOP for quite some time.
This one will not feed in the AR pattern rifle used.
Lee 200 grain 38 RNFP, a gas check design, sized to 356.
Feeds most of the time, nose section can hang on the lands, preventing the cartridge from going into battery and a certain percentage of bulged case heads. Remarkably accurate, making it a real tease.
Contestant number 3 is the lee 9MM 147 truncated cone.
This, working on the theory that the 200 was engaging the rifling, causing a pressure spike. excellent feeding, still pressure spikes, and falls well short of the 200G accuracy.
The 200 would check all the boxes if it would just run reliably.
Power and profile add up to a confident game getter and fun range load.

checked out the link, There are a few possible candidates in there I'll try.

A long time caster I know has decided his 350 legend can't handle anything much longer than 145 gr. It has a short throat and for eastern whitetails it seems to be enough bullet.

 

[Old Corp]

I've actually enjoyed loading .350L for a few years now. My Ruger American Ranch shoots most loads into far too small a group for a 'budget rifle'.
I found that Starline brass was better than about any out there.
I DID have to obtain a dedicated primer seating tool, the bench-mounted RCBS. Those are some tight primer pockets - RCBS Rock Chucker press did not exert enough leverage on the 'upswing' to get primers fully seated.

For crimping - I just bump the loaded case into an old Dillon 9mm taper crimp die - works great.

 

[Oil Field Trash]

To clarify, I load about 2 dozen rifle calibers. I have had only one customer who shoots this caliber. I'm not interested in investing in the dies, case guage and whatever else for this volume. I will reconsider if the volume goes up. Starline is great brass and if I go this direction in the future, they'll be the souce. And by the way, it's my prerogative to decide on what on spend my money and time on.

 

[venomballistics]

A long time caster I know has decided his 350 legend can't handle anything much longer than 145 gr. It has a short throat and for eastern whitetails it seems to be enough bullet.

largely true of our usual designs. Along with this cartridge came a radical secant ogive bullet design to keep the nose section off the rifling when chambered. If engagement can be avoided, the 200 is amazing. It loads out to similar length as some of the premium factory loadings, such as the Hornady offerings.
The link offered by Alk has a very promising candidate in the 195ish range. I might have to lighten up my wallet soon