This morning I changed over from loading .38 special to loading for .357 Mag. Had no problems loading about 200 rounds of .38Spl. All had a good chamber fit. Using the same dies (Dillon) on a Lee press I sized all the .357 brass and checked them in my S&W .357, each chambered without problem (50) cases. I'm loading 158gr lead cast wadcutters over 16gr of H4227 with Federal small pistol mag primers. After loading 15 rounds I started to check chamber fit with each round, about 50% failed to seat, leaving the case sticking out of the chamber for a tight fit when closing the cylinder. Some purtruded enough to prevent closing. Demiled the offending rounds and resized them and checked for fit. Dropped the powder load to 14gr in order to seat the bullet on top of the powder with compression. Bullet is seated at crimp ring. Ended up with the same none chamber fit problem. NEED HELP!! figuring this out. AOL is 1.60" I have the rounds seated at max, I think!
Reloading .357 Mag Problems
- Thread starter delta-419
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nightshade2x
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Dropped the powder load to 14gr in order to seat the bullet on top of the powder with compression.WHAT?
Why would you drop your powder load by 2 grains? What are you using for loading data? Have you used this data before? That wouldn't affect chambering.
14 grains is a compressed load but 16 wasn't?
Did you try seating factory loads or sized, not expanded cases? Maybe there is .38 Spl. carbon rings preventing seating.
Regardless be careful something sounds awful strange with your powder loading.
Have fun and be safe.
Nightshade2x
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A couple things come to mind here.
1) Have you been firing .38s in your .357 revolver? If so, there may be carbon buildup that keeps rounds from chambering fully.
2) Check that the bullet is fully crimped.
3) With a caliper or micrometer measure the loaded cartridge at the mouth to see if it is oversize.
1) Have you been firing .38s in your .357 revolver? If so, there may be carbon buildup that keeps rounds from chambering fully.
2) Check that the bullet is fully crimped.
3) With a caliper or micrometer measure the loaded cartridge at the mouth to see if it is oversize.
snake charmer
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I had the same problem in a Colt, seemed my cast bullets we're sized to.363 instead of .358. I bought 2000 that were not sized, I had to resize them then they worked fine.
OP
My bad! I ment to say that the 16gr of H4227 was close to the top of the case and a reduction of two grains gave more room in the case. In any case it did not matter. I'm using the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook page 271. with a starting load of 11.8 gr and a max of 17.0. I weigh each charge. I also miked the case mouth and just in front of the casehead. No difference that I can tell. The bullet enters the chamber ok but stopps sfort about a 1/16" from clearing the recoil shield. It is strange that some fit perfectly and others do not. The 16gr load was not compressed but was close. I will clean the cylinder chambers to eliminate that carbon as I have put a number of .38 spls thru it and will also check these rounds in one of my other .357s.
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An easy way to clean the cylinders is to take a empty 357 cartridge and flare (bell) it just enough where it is hard to push it into the cylinders(it should not be able to go right in. Take a small piece of wood or the plastic end of screwdriver and tap it into each chamber. You will/may have to tap the ejection rod also. This will act like a scraper and clean the walls. Not to worry it will not hurt anything (brass VS steel) Then use a oversize brush and solvent and done!.
OP
Got back to my loading bench and tried your suggestion that it was carbon buildup in the chamber and it WAS!!! Problem solved, all of my reloads fit with ease. That was an easy fix. I pulled out one of my M28s and every round fit perfectly. Now for the chore of cleaning up my converted 38/44. Will definately try the flared brass case. Thanks guys for coming to my rescue.
THIS.......
Ursoboostd
Member
Nice! I'll have to keep this in mind as I load/shoot 38 and 357. -Wade-
EricInAZ
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I've got a handful of old .357 brass that's stretched beyond further use. I put it into the trimmer & just square up the case lip, flare it, then tap it in then back out of each chamber & it cleans down to bare metal. Used to use an old .40 cal bronze brush, but the flared case works better.
kbm6893
Member
I chuck a nylon brush into my cordless drill, dip the brush in Hoppes, and run it through each chamber for like 5 seconds. Chamber is like a mirror. Nylon won't hurt the stainless steel.
