357 mag reload problems
- Thread starter Snyder30
- Start date
Snyder - sounds like you may simply need to adjust your dies.
1-Make certain the sizing die and the expander die touch the shell holder.
2- After that set the expander portion of the die so that is just bells the mouth enough so the base of the bullet sits on the top of the case [the bell is put there so the bullet doesn't peel or scrape as it is seated].
3-For the crimp/bullet seat, I put a factory round in the shell plate, raise the ram, then screw the bullet seat/crimp [with the bullet seat raised as high as it will go] until the crimp makes contact with the case [you will feel it]. At that point, lock the die down then lower the seating stem until it hits the bullet. Lower the ram and remove the factor round. -
Your dies should now be set to produce rounds that will fit in any 357. If all this is done correctly and you still experience issues, you are no doubt following the Hickok45 cleaning program - which is to never use brushes. Following this program will, no doubt, leave build-up in the cylinders, which may prevent rounds from entering and being removed.
1-Make certain the sizing die and the expander die touch the shell holder.
2- After that set the expander portion of the die so that is just bells the mouth enough so the base of the bullet sits on the top of the case [the bell is put there so the bullet doesn't peel or scrape as it is seated].
3-For the crimp/bullet seat, I put a factory round in the shell plate, raise the ram, then screw the bullet seat/crimp [with the bullet seat raised as high as it will go] until the crimp makes contact with the case [you will feel it]. At that point, lock the die down then lower the seating stem until it hits the bullet. Lower the ram and remove the factor round. -
Your dies should now be set to produce rounds that will fit in any 357. If all this is done correctly and you still experience issues, you are no doubt following the Hickok45 cleaning program - which is to never use brushes. Following this program will, no doubt, leave build-up in the cylinders, which may prevent rounds from entering and being removed.
If you are crimping, and its not in the cannelure /crimp groove of the bullet, the case can bulge, which might be why your rounds don't chamber correctly.
Bullets made for revolvers have cannelures or crimp grooves and are intended to be seated so the case mouth can be crimped into the groove.
They can be seated to any depth, but if you do, you lose the benefit of the crimp groove, and can create other issues.
Revolver recoil acts like a kinetic bullet puller, the direction is reversed, but the effect is the same. A revolver recoils "away" from the bullet, and without a crimp case neck tension is seldom enough to keep the bullets in the cases.
With many guns and loads a crimp is virtually a necessity. Done right, its a good thing, done wrong, its a source of multiple possible problems.
Emerson Biggies
New member
I had the same problem. Some, and only some of my rounds would not go all the way in. Turns out some were belled more than others. Probably due to my mixed brass. The final fix was to get a Lee factory crimp die.
When you raise the case of a problem brass into the crimper you can feel it "take out" the residual bell that is causing problems. The trip down offers no resistance. That tells you the problem is gone.Then the plop test passes with flying colors.
When you raise the case of a problem brass into the crimper you can feel it "take out" the residual bell that is causing problems. The trip down offers no resistance. That tells you the problem is gone.Then the plop test passes with flying colors.
RGRacing trying to start a firestorm with his first post
.Welcome to TFL.
I too like the Lee FCD. Every pistol round I produce goes through a FCD. The actual crimp part may or may not be engaged - depending on what I'm producing (outside the scope of this thread).
But in our OP's case, I believe something is going on where putting a FCD to his ammo may be counterproductive. He's got an issue other than a simple slightly bulged case that a FCD can iron out. This one runs deeper and requires finding the root cause.
Remember , too much crimp and/or not crimping in the crimp groove or cannelure will cause the case to bulge slightly and hinder chambering.
When reloading revolver rounds with cast lead bullets with a crimp groove or jacketed bullets with a crimp cannelure , ignore OAL dimensions....seat to and crimp into the crimp groove or cannelure...that's why it's there, trying to crimp above or below wont work....the case will bulge.
OAL dimensions are more useful in loading for semi-auto's on bullets that have no crimp groove or cannelure. That's when you use a taper crimp instead of a roll crimp.
Sorry all this sounds like a "who's on first" routine but there is a bit of learning curve to this reloading thing. Keep asking questions , it'll get easier.
Gary
When reloading revolver rounds with cast lead bullets with a crimp groove or jacketed bullets with a crimp cannelure , ignore OAL dimensions....seat to and crimp into the crimp groove or cannelure...that's why it's there, trying to crimp above or below wont work....the case will bulge.
OAL dimensions are more useful in loading for semi-auto's on bullets that have no crimp groove or cannelure. That's when you use a taper crimp instead of a roll crimp.
Sorry all this sounds like a "who's on first" routine but there is a bit of learning curve to this reloading thing. Keep asking questions , it'll get easier.
Gary
Average Joe
New member
Get yourself a case gauge, Lyman makes a nice one that has 6 calibers in it.
603Country
New member
Snyder30, I had exactly the same problem you now have. I asked the same question on a forum and got alllll the same responses that you did - clean this and do that. Didn’t help much. Finally I ordered a Lee Factory Crimp Die and my problem is solved. Use your seating die to just seat the bullet to the proper COAL and not crimp. Then with the FCD, set the roll crimp as light or heavy as you want. Directions are very clear and very simple. Problem solved.
When you use the FCD on loaded 357 ammo, you will be able to feel the ones that would have been difficult to insert into the cylinder. It’s that obvious.
When you use the FCD on loaded 357 ammo, you will be able to feel the ones that would have been difficult to insert into the cylinder. It’s that obvious.
I spent my formative years as a handloader well before the Lee crimp die was invented. Don't have one. Don't need one.
People say it fixes all kinds of problems. I say, "that's great! Now, did you figure out what you did wrong in the first place, and fix it?"
Most can't/ won't say, they just say the LEE die fixed their problem.
Its great to have a die that can fix "goofs", but you really ought to figure out what was wrong to begin with. Fix that, and your problems go away.
People say it fixes all kinds of problems. I say, "that's great! Now, did you figure out what you did wrong in the first place, and fix it?"
Most can't/ won't say, they just say the LEE die fixed their problem.
Its great to have a die that can fix "goofs", but you really ought to figure out what was wrong to begin with. Fix that, and your problems go away.
NoSecondBest
New member
Going on fifty years of reloading. Never owned a Lee crimp die. They aren't magic. If you know what you're doing, you can go a lifetime without one...really.
603Country
New member
Yes, you can go a lifetime without a Factory Crimp Die, and I did without one for 37 years. I had zero problems with loading 9mm, and zero problems with 38Special. Only with 357 did I run into a minor problem with occasional difficulty feeding a round into the cylinder. Forum folk suggested I clean the 6 cylinder bores. I did that and it did help a bit, but didn’t eliminate the problem. I even trimmed some 357 brass to length. Still had the occasional problem. The FCD solved that occasional problem. I can, using the FCD, ‘feel’ that with the problem rounds, the problem is at the case mouth.
All those years of loading 38 and 357 were with one set of the old 38/357 dies. It could well be that when I set up for 357 seating and crimping, I wasn’t getting it exactly right. But if so, why did I have a problem with just 1 out of 20 rounds. So finally (recently) I bought a separate die set for 357, and there’s a very good chance that would solve the problem by having dedicated Dies set up for 357 only. But, I ask you, what is wrong with having a 4 die set where you can seat the bullet with the seating Die and then use the FCD to apply the crimp? Just the amount of crimp you want. With the FCD, varying the amount of crimp is easy and infinitely variable. Yes, I do have to run each round through that one extra die, but that’s acceptable to me when now each round has a smooth effortless ‘plunk’ when I drop it into the cylinder.
So you FCD haters just keep on toughing it out and doing it your way. I just wish I had bought one of these dies years ago.
All those years of loading 38 and 357 were with one set of the old 38/357 dies. It could well be that when I set up for 357 seating and crimping, I wasn’t getting it exactly right. But if so, why did I have a problem with just 1 out of 20 rounds. So finally (recently) I bought a separate die set for 357, and there’s a very good chance that would solve the problem by having dedicated Dies set up for 357 only. But, I ask you, what is wrong with having a 4 die set where you can seat the bullet with the seating Die and then use the FCD to apply the crimp? Just the amount of crimp you want. With the FCD, varying the amount of crimp is easy and infinitely variable. Yes, I do have to run each round through that one extra die, but that’s acceptable to me when now each round has a smooth effortless ‘plunk’ when I drop it into the cylinder.
So you FCD haters just keep on toughing it out and doing it your way. I just wish I had bought one of these dies years ago.
Fixed my problem. I'm assuming I was expanding the case mouth to much. I just but a lite bevel on the casing added powder and seated the bullet. Also seated the bullets to the crimp grove. Shot very nicely at 30 yds. Thank all of you again for all the help in solving my 357 mag reloading problem.
.Exactly. As a retired machinist, I have layout dye sitting on the shelf. Any chambering problems as described and I would have painted the crimp area with dye (and let dry) and tried to chamber the rounds again. The layout dye would have been disturbed/rubbed-off where the cartridge was making contact inside the cylinder indicating what was not right. It is better to correct the problem rather than iron it out with a Lee die.
ATTABOY !
Good work , I was hoping it was a simple die adjustment...You Did Good !
Load Safe,
Gary