Winclean .357 - inconsistent bullet seating

Kayser

New member
Picked up a box of 125 gr. Winclean. After inspecting the box I found that there was some really inconsistent seatings on the bullets. There were many where the ribbing on the bullets was just about 100% covered, and plenty where it was visible just fine.

Given that this is such a high pressure cartrige, how concerned should I be with overpressure?
 
I just checked two boxes I have on hand. There is a visible difference, but not enough to cause pressure concerns - this is strictly my own opinion. It appears that the soft noses may have contributed to the difference in seating depth - possibly the seating plug was for a different bullet nose shape, as the edges on some of the bullet noses are just slightly more rounded than others, and these are not seated as deeply as those with sharp-eged noses. The maximum difference ( as near as I am able to measure) is close to 1/64", but enough to make the cannelure more visible.
The Winclean ammo is intended for indoor range use - it has a "clean" primer, which doesn't emit lead, barium or strontium particles. It also has less flash intensity than a standard primer, and the flash hole in the primer pocket is enlarged to help compensate for this (makes the empty brass very "iffy" for reloading, as it may increase pressures with standard primers).
SAAMI has reduced the pressure limits for .357 Mag. manufacturers, and this is made under the new guidelines, so it is below the 35,000 previously considered max. Put this all together, and I would fire it in an L or N frame revolver, but still not risk it in a J frame. There have been some posts reporting inconsistent ignition with these new primers, so it is definitely NOT carry ammo, and Winchester does not recommend it for PD.
 
I'm still a little boiled, so I'll add this - how I came to have two boxes of .357 Winclean :(
Saturday shopping with SWMBO..trekked through Penney's, Dayton's and Kroger's. She wanted to stop at WalMart, and I didn't want to leave the car - "Grab me a couple of boxes of 110 gr. Winchester White Box .357 while you're in there" - "OK". We've been married 46 years, and she shoots, too - never a problem with her knowing exactly what I'd asked for. When she came back with the Winclean, I went back in to the gun desk -"I'm sorry, but WalMart has a strict NO RETURN policy on ammunition" - "No return? It just barely left the store!". "Sorry, Sir". Brick wall. I expressed a couple of opinions (not as loudly as I wanted to) and left. Wife's comment? - "He was such a nice boy, and said these were better than what you wanted".
ARRRRRRRGH!!!!.....Thank you for your sympathy :rolleyes:
 
Hmm. That's odd - the WalMart where I got mine has a sign that says you can return or exchange ammo within 24 hours. I plan on doing so tomorrow. I've gone through one gun explosion in my lifetime, and am not looking to repeat the experience. I seem to vaguely recall a guy on 1911forum talking about winclean blowing up a gun of his.

Checked out some UMC FMJ I picked up - nice and consistent on the cannelure.
 
firebreathin winclean

On a similar topic. I bought some .357 mag Winclean a month back took it to the range and couldn't finish shooting it due to the extreme muzzle blast. The muzzle blast was near blinding. Add to that every time I shot it I could feel
hot particles hitting my face(only way I can think of describing it)! Granted I have only had my S&W 686 for a year and have not shot all forms of factory .357 ammo but I have yet to run across ammo as hot as winclean. The two other guys I was shooting with that day concurred that the stuff was extreme, so I know it wasn't just me. Is this normal for winclean ammo?
 
This brings up a good side point : what's the proper way to toss questionable ammo? I could drop it in the misfires bucket at the range, but there's got to be a "safe" alternative to that.
 
I saw the same thing in a box of winchester white box 45 acp a few months ago. 3 or 4 rounds where seated really deep in the case.Lucky for me I was paying attention.
 
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