357 Keith, can it fit?

[sutherpride59]

So I just bought an N frame S&W 25-8 and I’m looking to buy a mold for it so obviously I turned to my readings in From Ingot to Target where the author talks extensively about the 172 Keith SWC in the 357. So I looked it up on NOE’s sight and from the crimp groove to the top of the boolit is .360”. Well in my cylinder that’s just a tad long. So I took a factory round and using my boolit puller I knocked it out to stick out .3605” from the casing and it’s iffy on cycling. Takes a bit of jiggling to get it to lock into place barely.

My question is would I be able to seat it just a hair deeper and still crimp inside the crimp groove or should I just face the music and just get a 158grn SWC mood that will fit easier?

[zymguy]

OR you can crimp over the drive band or you can load in +p /normal 38 special brass.
bit of info on it here;
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?361075-357-mag-170-gr-Kieth-2400-powder

[sutherpride59]

Ohhh thanks zymguy I didn’t think of that.

[jmort]

Get the Lee .357 Mag Collet crimp die and seat deeper that crimp groove. For sure, you do not want a bullet jumping crimp.


"357 Magnum Collet Style Crimp Die. Incorporates a collet to apply a rifle type crimp to the case. Makes these very difficult to crimp cartridges a delight to reload. Bullets do not need a crimp groove, as the collet is so powerful it will form one."
https://leeprecision.com/357-magnum-custom-collet-style-crimp-die.html

[fecmech]

Another option is to taper crimp on the front drive band. I've been doing that for years and never had a problem with bullet movement during recoil.

[lightman]

I shoot that same bullet and seat it so that I crimp over the driving band.

[sutherpride59]

After thinking about it more I think I’m just going to go with a hollow point 158grn SWC from NOE. They’re in stock and I won’t have to worry about the boolit fitting. Thanks for the suggestions though guys.

[dannyd]

if you are down in jacksonville pm me and I will give some to try 170keith

[Green Frog]

So I just bought an N frame S&W 25-8 and I’m looking to buy a mold for it so obviously I turned to my readings in From Ingot to Target where the author talks extensively about the 172 Keith SWC in the 357. So I looked it up on NOE’s sight and from the crimp groove to the top of the boolit is .360”. Well in my cylinder that’s just a tad long. So I took a factory round and using my boolit puller I knocked it out to stick out .3605” from the casing and it’s iffy on cycling. Takes a bit of jiggling to get it to lock into place barely.

My question is would I be able to seat it just a hair deeper and still crimp inside the crimp groove or should I just face the music and just get a 158grn SWC mood that will fit easier?

Why are you asking about loading 357 rounds for a 45 cal revolver? If you actually have a Model 27-8 S&W, they are (in)famous for having a relatively short cylinder for the big size frame... you can only measure the available cylinder/chamber length and adjust your COAL (cartridge overall length) to that relatively restrictive length and go with it. One bright spot though is that with the 357 case mouth so close to the end of the cylinder, you should get great accuracy with the bullet nose entering the forcing cone before its base leaves the case. This gives less “bullet jump” and an accompanying good accuracy.

Regards,
Froggie

[sutherpride59]

Sorry it’s a model 28-5, Smith’s are kind of like glocks I can’t keep the model numbers straight to save my life lol.