357 notes

1
I recently bought a S&W model 13 - 3 and so began exploring magnum rather than special loads.

First I did some research on primers. I have a huge pile of Winchester small rifle that will physically fit small pistol pockets. Whether this is a good thing or not is all over the map on the net. The nearest thing to consensus I can find is that they are harder and equal to small magnum pistol primers. So I tried them on my first 100 357 cases. So far the only difference I see is that about 10% required more than one hit to fire. I may well use them up for range ammo while using small pistol primers for ammo intended for carry.

I made three loads.

25 rounds, .5 cc dipper of Bullseye, 158 great DEWC, seated to the front crimp.

25 rounds, .7 cc dipper of 2400, same wad cutter.

50 rounds, 1.0 cc dipper of 2400, 158 great LSWCHP-GC from Rimrock, seated to the crimp line.

That's 4.7 great of Bullseye. Puffball load like the traditional 38 special wc load but a bit larger for the larger case. I want to avoid lead build up in the cylinder so I wanted a load for magnum cases.

The 2400 wc load is 9.4 gr. Noticeably warmer though still very easy to shoot. Probably would lead the barrel if I used that much. Will probably stick to Bullseye for the wc bullets.

Last is the classic 13.5 grain load of 2400. Full load, warm but not too hot. More accurate than I am currently (sigh) and with the appropriate primers will probably become my primary load. I read of other even warmer levels but can't see any reason to go there.

Hope that this was of some interest to someone here.
Live like you will never die, love like you've never been hurt, dance
like no-one is watching.
Alex White

Re: 357 notes

2
I'm fiddling with primer variations, sometimes by accident. :oops:

Some differences between rifle and pistol, standard and magnum are height and hardness. Then you have variation by brand.
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Puffing up is no substitute for smarts but it's a common home remedy

Re: 357 notes

3
The small primers are all the same size. It has been found that it doesn't hurt to switch between the 2 and there has been much experimenting the last few years because of the assorted scarcities. Two problems can arise from rifle primers, one is that pressure can ride a bit from max charges and the other is light strikes from a pistol with a more gentle hammer strike. The material is harder in the rifle primers and that is why for the 353 casull loadings CCI sr primers are usedto keep the primers from flowing around the firing pin and tying up the action.

Re: 357 notes

4
Thanks for the information. I have a bunch from my m1 carbine loading and it would be good to be able to use them for this.
Live like you will never die, love like you've never been hurt, dance
like no-one is watching.
Alex White

Re: 357 notes

5
Any of you check your brass for squareness? I started doing that and was, frankly, appalled at how un-square the mouths are.
I figure if I'm going through all of this handcrafting business, I might as well not settle for diagonally cut case mouths.
Hell is where:
The British are the chefs
The Swiss are the lovers
The French are the mechanics
The Italians make everything run on time
And the Germans are the police

Re: 357 notes

6
I looked specifically for that, but I can't say I've noticed it before. I'll check for that next batch just to see if it's an issue for me. Might be one source of my shaved lead...
Live like you will never die, love like you've never been hurt, dance
like no-one is watching.
Alex White

Re: 357 notes

7
Oh, about the lead shaving....
I have the RCBS expanders (standard and "Cowboy"). The standard one didn't expand the mouth quite enough and resulted in shaving. The Cowboy one expanded too much and too deeply. You can practically push the bullet in by hand.

I'm no fan of Lee, but I do like their expanders. The Lee has a short plug with a radius instead of a step, so it preserves neck tension by not expanding too deeply and it puts a nice bell on the mouth. Presto...good, tight bullet fit and no shaving.
Hell is where:
The British are the chefs
The Swiss are the lovers
The French are the mechanics
The Italians make everything run on time
And the Germans are the police

Re: 357 notes

11
Just a short follow up: I purchased a spare hammer to cut down for DAO as that is my preference in defense weapons. While changing the bobbed hammer in I noticed, to use a highly technical measurement, that the firing pin was just about a hair longer on the new hammer.

When I went back to the range for a function check, I had no trouble with the rifle primers. 100% first time firing. My guess is that the previous hammer has a firing pin that is worn just enough to make that 10% or so of primers need a second strike.

My carry load is now a Rimrock 158 gr LSWCHP-GC with 1 cc/13.5 gr 2400. For hunting, substitute a Rimrock 180 gr LFN-GC that should work equally well in the Rossi 92 once I finish paying for it.
Live like you will never die, love like you've never been hurt, dance
like no-one is watching.
Alex White

Re: 357 notes

13
2 mm. Not much you'd think but it makes a significant difference.

Edit: got home and checked my memory only 0.46 mm longer. Still enough to matter
Live like you will never die, love like you've never been hurt, dance
like no-one is watching.
Alex White

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