.357 Sig

[Hawk]

I have searched for a thread on this and haven't been able to find one. Maybe my search skills need improving.
If there is a thread, please post it here.
I have a friend that has given me about 650 pieces of Federal .357 Sig brass from their SWAT team drills and I was thinking of getting an after market barrell for one of my Glock 27s.
I carry a Glock model 27 in the woods for hogs, etc. and think a 357 Mag equivalent might be worth the expense. It seems the magazines should work, but I'm not sure.
I have a large supply of Sierra 125 gr 357 j‐word bullets and several 124 to 125 gr. .357 and 9mm molds from Lyman and MP.
All molds have grease grooves.
Any cast bullets would be PCed.
I'm wondering if this would be worth the trouble and what issues might be encountered that would make this a bad idea.
Any advice from 357 Sig reloaders would be appreciated.

 

[CWLONGSHOT]

I have 357 Sig Bbls for all my Glock 40 calibers. My first was for the G27.

YES 40 cal mags are perfect and fine. If you look to compair to a actual 357 Sig mag the follower is slightly different but altho I have
both. Both have worked flawlessly.

Every one has exhibited better accuracy.

The sig recoils less but "blasts" more.

I bought a G24 just to have a 6" 357 Sig with a KKM 357 Sig barrel.

CW

357SIG carbine...Giving up for now

Been wanting to build one of these for three years now. Buddy and I got together and with his abilities we struck a deal. I buy 2 9mm bbls, he rents reamer and chambers both bbls and we both have a barrel. That was three + years back. This week I decided Is just pay to have one chambered. I...

www.artfulbullet.com

 

[Hawk]

No issues with bullet profile or lube groove's in regard to the short neck of the bullet?
Does the ogive of bullets profiled for the 9mm cause problems with the neck.
Specially, does the Sig need a specially profiled bullet the fit the case neck?

 

[CWLONGSHOT]

I have a 135g Arsenal ranch dog copy and the lee 358/125 I have used. Zero issues.

 

[358156 hp]

I load 356402, 356637, the NOE 135 gr Ranch Dog, 358156 (not a typo) less a gascheck, 358-155TC NOE, & others in 357 SIG without issues. I refuse to consider any round nose design for 357 because I've seen a lot of variance in RN bullet profiles, and have plenty of other options. I do prefer designs with as much "shank" as possible, and with the exception of 356402 plinking loads at 120 gr, I focus on heavier than 120gr bullets. The Ranch Dog bullet is a favorite for 9mm & 357 SIG, and has become my "working" bullet. 357 mag designs work well for me as well but I try to limit the weight to around 150-160 grains, and loading data requires individual load development since you start running out of "factory" data around 147-150 gr. 358156 I use without gaschecks in 9mm & 357 as well. Everything is powdercoated and sized to .357 before coating. My next trick will probably involve sizing down 125 gr 357 mag Gold Dot bullets a mite for the SIG. Factory jacketed 9mm bullets are designed to expand at 9mm velocities and their use in factory ammo has given the 357 a bit of a bad rap. Factory 357 SIG Gold Dots are unobtanium right now, and the cartridge really needs a good bullet to achieve full potential. 124 gr 9mm XTP need to stay on the porch when loading full-power 357 loads.

Edited to add the words "without a gascheck" to the first sentence.

 

[CZ93X62]

Hmmmm.

Anyone loading the 357 SIG.......these cases supposedly headspace on the case mouth, which seems DUMB since there is a shoulder in place. In 30 Mauser/7.62 x 25 Tok, care has to be taken to secure bullets in those dinky necks with a roll crimp. Does the 357 SIG "telescope" bullets on feedramp contact?

 

[CWLONGSHOT]

Hmmmm.

Anyone loading the 357 SIG.......these cases supposedly headspace on the case mouth, which seems DUMB since there is a shoulder in place. In 30 Mauser/7.62 x 25 Tok, care has to be taken to secure bullets in those dinky necks with a roll crimp. Does the 357 SIG "telescope" bullets on feedramp contact?

You canb HS them on shoulder. Thats what I do works just fine but dies can be temperamental as some feel its on case mouth and as you say... stupid. .

 

[358156 hp]

They do indeed headspace on the case mouth. This makes the overall case length the critical headspace dimension instead of screwing around with getting the shoulder datum length perfect on a bunch of small cases with short little necks to begin with. FWIW, I crimp my loads using LEEs collet style factory crimp die instead of using the seating/crimp die.

 

[CZ93X62]

Having G-22 and 23, it would be an easy-enough conversion, just barrels. 357 Mag ballistics with a 125 grain bullet--and lots of them in those Glocks--has real appeal. The cartridge just doesn't seem to be well thought-out, though.

 

[CWLONGSHOT]

Just keep cases trimmed. HS on shoulder. I cannot tell you the numbers I have shot in 4 different barrels/guns.

 

[358156 hp]

Hmmm. I haven't had any issues with case length, and have yet to trim a 357 SIG case. If you want that approach you can save yourself some money on cases and reform 40 S&W cases to fit. They'll be short, but you'll never have to trim a case again.

 

[CWLONGSHOT]

Sure enough!!

 

[Hawk]

OK, I've got a problem that I've never encountered before.
I've got 650 pieces of Speer 357 sig that got from local SWAT training exercise. I was trying to deprime before tumbling.
First I tried a Lee decapper e1 and they kept pushing the pin up into the body.
Next I tried my 10mm resizing die and the pin kept getting stuck in the case.
The 40 S&W pin won't work either.
I finally looked at the primer holes and they are so small a deprimer pin will not go thru them.
Anyone have this problem before?
Any ideas?

 

[358156 hp]

This is a common problem with small caliber high pressure factory brass. I think Norma 9mm brass is like this too. I use a Hornady 357 SIG sizing die which will punch through the smaller flash hole and decap normally. I then ream the flash hole. You might try gauging the flash holes with small drill bits to get an idea of their actual size, most common are .074 & .057. I know custom makers like Mighty Armory offer decapping dies for .057, I have one of their decapping dies in .074 and I think it could decap berdan cases if needed. One hole, right down the middle. RCBS used to offer smaller size decapping pins and I believe we had a thread about availability on the small RCBS decapping pins a month ago or so. First, I'd be certain of what you're dealing with.

 

[Hawk]

A 5/16" (0.0775") drill bit won't even think about going in.
A 1/16" (0.0615") bit will go with just a fuzz of wiggle room.
Fuzz is a technical term.

 

[Hawk]

Thanks for the info on the diameters. I never knew that.
Would just reaming the out to the larger diameter cause pressure problems?

 

[358156 hp]

It hasn't for me. I haven't chased the ultimate top velocity like some do, book max has been fine for me so far. FWIW, only Speers 357 brass has the small flash hole, Winchester, Hornady, Remington, and Starline all use or provide the large flash hole. I originally thought maybe the smaller diameter was used with top pressure loads, but that doesn't seem to be the case. Lehigh and Underwood are using Starline brass and as I said above, it has the larger diameter too.

 

[CWLONGSHOT]

Yea thats the issue some makers feen need to use smaller flash holes. @ first I was a bit concerned till I acquired an array of brass & found only a few makers use small holes.

Now I use a Mighty armory univ decap die with a tapered decap pin set to length to give proper dia hole.

Was VERY ANNOYING with my straight pin decappers!! Headded pins would punch thru but also break. Never broke a mighty armory! Countless Thousands of cases processed.

CW

 

[358156 hp]

I have a Mighty Armory "Magnum" decapper. It's an interesting design, and I appreciate Waynes machining quality. Mine has the larger pin diameter, I'll just punch holes in whatever refuses to yield. The primer flicker feature is ingenious. I'd be amazed if I ever needed to use the spare decapping pin that came with it.

 

[Hawk]

VERY ANNOYING is right.
Right now, all I can do is deprime with the tip of an ice pick and small hammer.
I'll have to look into a mighty armory decapper.