More questions re: .357 Maximum brass for shotshell loads.

First, it seems to me that using the smaller amounts of powder in shotshell loads, Small Pistol primers would work fine, rather than the Small Rifle primers recommended for regular 357 Maximum loads. (?)

Next, do 35 caliber gas checks fit well inside the Maximum case, and would a person resize after priming, powdering, and seating the first gas check over the powder? Is a smaller size recommended for ease of loading?

Finally...I read where a 222 Remington sizing die is used to resize the case mouth enough to fit the 357 Magnum cylinder throat. Are there other sizing dies that would also do? It seems sizing will limit the size of gas check.
Thanks!

I have not made .357 Magnum shotloads from .357 Maximum brass, so this answer is going to be full of theory and guesses.

1. Small pistol primers should be fine.

2. Don't know about gas checks fitting after sizing, but I think not. I would look at the thread titled "revolver shot loads that work" if it were me doing it.

3. I would think that any die for a case in the .222 Remington family would work for this. Such as .222, .222 Rem Mag, .223, Any of the Fireball or blackout derivatives, You get the picture I'm sure. I would guess you only need to insert the neck about 3/8" or so, check against the cylinder when forming for easy insertion.

Good Luck,

Robert

I started down this road but got sidetracked. the gas checks work but not after you size down the neck to fit

I cut over powder / shot cards from cereal boxes , just double the powdercards & glue in the shot card.

I dont glue anything. I cut the powder wad from a soda pop box and use a plain base gas check..

They're not hard to make. I use the 222 die to size it to chamber in a 38 cylinder. I dump in powder, push in the wad with a dowel, dump in the shot, place a gas check on and crimp it down.

I aint made these in a while and dont remember how I crimped them. Guess I'll have to go study that a bit

I've made snake loads for 35+ years, using gas checks over and under the shot. I have made .357, 41, 44, and 45 Colt loads. Some years back, I used pop can plain base gas checks, they worked just as well as standard checks. Back when I lived in Tehachapi CA, I would head to the Mojave Desert and hunt rattle snakes. I would get the snake's attention, move the muzzle side to side at a save distance until the snake would track the muzzle, lights out. Tasty when southern fried or barbecued. A buddy would take the skins and cover grip panels for 1911 and similar pistols.

Moved to Northern CA, no rattlesnakes but a horrible rat problem. I built a chicken coup/rabbit hutch and the rats found a way at the feed. I finally had to pout in hardware cloth buried 6" in the soil which stopped them getting at the feed. I killed 6 to 8 every evening at dusk and set some traps each night. The snake loads were my weapon of choice, but after the first week, I had a neighbor who complained so I switched to a pellet rifle. 4 months later, I finally got rid of the rat problem, 6 possum, and the dog took care of a raccoon. One evening while my folks were visiting, I went out with my pellet rifle and Dad asked what I was doing. 'Hunting rats.' I shot a couple before Dad said 'my turn' and we got about 6 each. Fun times, even better than shooting mice in Dad's barn with my Red Ryder.

I use table ( beer bat) wad over the powder, LDP wad over the shot, works good for me!!

Cheers Mal in au.

OK , here we go , first anneal the max case as it will spring back & won`t fit into the throats of a 357 mag chamber (wheel gun)

Size em in the 222rem die to the shoulder of the die , no further as any further will act like a roll crimp, they will go into the chamber ,but with thumb pressure or more , remember you have to be at .357" or under so a GC is not gonna work in the mouth .

Add powder of choice, fast powder will give more room for shot , 2 cards ,shot , another card 1/16 or so below the mouth .

now the round is assembled you go a bit deeper in the 222rem die to "roll" the mouth a bit , the round will now fit into the chamber better .
The more roll you want the more room you have to leave at the top for compaction.

I seal the end of mine with water proof carpenters glue to ensure hold in case I load the whole cyl up , but for the "FIRST"shot you can get by with nail polish.

This method of loading a 357MAXIMUM case will carry almost twice the shot of the blue capsules. & will glue a no legs to the ground !!

run into a snag just shoot me a pm.

GP