Is reloading 357Mag worthwhile ?

[JLB]

I am looking for the experienced ones out there to tell me if it is worth the effort to reload 357mag rounds. Does anyone know the acerage cost of reloading? I had a friend give me an old reloader but I don't have any dies with it. If it is worthwhile I would like to know about how much I might save vs buying ammo at the store and any good reference materials you would recommend for "reloading for the beginner". Thanks all

[BobCat]

Depends on how much you shoot it, but I believe it is quite worthwhile. Some will say you will not save any money, you will just get to shoot more for the same cash, but that's good too.

Factory .357 mag ammunition is at least $20 per box of 50 rounds, probably more for "premium" self-defense rounds. I haven't looked in a while, it may me much more expensive now. That comes to about 40¢ a round, at least.

You can buy cast lead bullets (158 g semi wadcutters) for $28 / 500 from http://www.missouribullet.com/ (just an example, not suggesting you buy from them) - that's 5.6¢ each, plus shipping. Say a penny and a half for a primer - maybe two pennies now - and brass, and powder.

Unique (for example) is a good "all around" powder for .38 / .357 - say $15 / lb and a light load of around 7 grains (do not use this without checking a manual! Sorry to be a jerk, just sayin') - there are 7,000 grains per pound so that's a penny and a half for powder. We are under 10 cents each but haven't taken cases into account, or your time, or a set of dies, and so on.

Loading your own gives you the opportunity to tailor your rounds for your purpose, or for your arms. For instance, I have a Marlin .357 mag carbine and a couple of .357 mag revolvers. The full-house load (slow powder, N110 - like H110 or 2400) that shoots best in the carbine doesn't make the same muzzle velocity in a 3" Smith, but the shock and noise are stunning.

A lighter load of a faster powder (e.g. Green Dot) will not make great velocity in the carbine, but gives the same muzzle velocity in the little revolver that the full-house load gives, without all the noise and drama.

I've babbled enough now - there are others here who will give you good advice on dies and getting set up, and I will answer specific questions but don't want to write a book - find an obsolete Speer reloading manual for cheap and read it, the information is timeless even if the actual loads are not up-to-date.

What kind of loader did your friend give you?

Regards,
Andrew

[WildBill]

Bobcat's post is right on the money. The .357 Mag is an easy cartridge to reload. The casing is long enough that you won't smash the brass or crunch your fingers while seating the bullet. Since you are shooting a revolver you don't have to chase the brass. You can load .38 Special with the same dies. You can save a lot of money by using cast bullets rather than more expensive jacketed bullets. You can shoot cast bullets a relatively high velocities without leading the barrel.
What's not to like?

[longtooth]

I just loaded 100 rds before comin in getting on the Comp. did htat on a single stage RCBS. I never set & watch TV so I have plenty on time. NOt babies to tend unless the Grandones come over.
Above is right on. Brass will reload 6-7 times. Unique is a good all round powder & available almost anywhere. I use Winchester 296.
If your range will let you pick up others brass then you should never have to by any. .38 or .357.

You have a free press so get the rest of it & start.

[Houston1944]

I sure hope it is worthwhile since I loaded up about 1500 of them before I switched my setup from small primer to large primers a couple of months ago. I buy Montana Gold 125 gr bullets by the case so it only costs me about $6.50 a box for my target loads. I use 15 grs of 2400 with the 125 gr bullets for my target load. It is a soft shooting load, by 357 mag standards, and very accurate in my 4" and 6" GP100.

[BobCat]

Eeek! 15 grains of 2400 is only "soft" only with respect to full-power .357 mag - I think it is not a pussycat load at all. I load way down for "cowboy" and "practice" rounds, for introducing new shooters without startling them.

So I recalled a couple of safety things that need to be said. The .357 mag case is long, and difficult to see to the bottom. With faster powders (for light loads) there is plenty of room for a double charge, if you are not careful. This can ruin your day, not to mention your revolver and maybe your hand. Do whatever it takes to avoid double charges.

Typical .357 mag full-power "slow" powders, like 2400, 296, and H110 are not supposed to be reduced more than 10% from book maximums, according to most manuals, because they are said to be prone to wild pressure excursions / flashover / whatever. This is what I've read for years; I have no personal experience here, just passing along a safety rule that seems to be repeated often.

They say if you want a soft-shooting reduced load, to switch to a faster powder and use a light load of that. Hence Unique / Green Dot - there are even published loads for Bullseye, about 3 grains (check this - do not take specific numbers off the internet as possibly true) for a "target" load in .357 mag.

Anyway, you will have lots of fun experimenting with different loads - if you have a chronograph or a friend with a chronograph that makes it even better - and you will spend less for more ammunition. And - there is nothing on TV. Really - you are much better off loading ammuniton... sorry, getting carried away...

Have fun!

Andrew

[Houston1944]

Well I said it was soft by 357 mag standards. The 15.0 gr 2400 with the 125 bullet chrono's at 1267, which is only about 100 fps over a hot 9mm. Recoil is not bad in my 6" GP100. I have gone as low as 13 gr but I did not like the accuracy. I have had trouble with complete burning of powder when using H110 and W296 in light loads. I believe they need the higher pressures to burn completely.