357 sig lube

[AZPaul]

Can you use Lee Alux lube on non-mico band lead bullets for 357 sig or is this a good lube for them?
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=67654

[randyrat]

Absolutely you can, but 45/45/10 may be a better lube. You'll have experiment and find out.
You may be pushing the envelope with only Alox. I used a ton of Alox in the 40 cal, but is the 357 sig similar in pressure as the 40. It is a 357 dia bullet in a necked down 40 case right?

[AZPaul]

Yes it is a necked down .40, but Im not sure of the pressure.

[Doby45]

Pressures and velocities are high in the 357SIG round. The neck holding the boolit is also very short and I would not feel comfortable loading TL boolits with so little room for error. I would go with a traditional lube groove and traditional lube. Just my opinion and best of all it was free.

EDIT: For the record I load 357SIG but have yet to load cast in it.. I had considered trying the Lee 358-125 I just don't know if the crimp groove will be a problem because it sits right where I would seat the boolit to. I will take a pic when I get home and show ya.

[Elkins45]

I had considered trying the Lee 358-125 I just don't know if the crimp groove will be a problem because it sits right where I would seat the boolit to. I will take a pic when I get home and show ya.

I have loaded the .356 125 TL round nose and have found that it taxes either LLA or the Recluse formula beyond its limits. Functioning is fine when loaded as-cast (it comes out pretty fat) in all of my 357 Sig guns, but once you start getting up near the top of the load range then leading starts to creep up and accuracy begins to suffer.

For normal plinking I use them a lot in 357 Sig, mostly because I can cast them from a Lee six banger and not have to run each one thru the Lyman.

[Doby45]

So you have not used any of the regular 358-125s, just the TL variety..

[Elkins45]

So you have not used any of the regular 358-125s, just the TL variety..

No-in fact I didn't know they made one until I looked it up after you asked the question. I mistakenly thought you were referring to the .356 TLRN or TLTC when I started replying to your post, then just decided to leave it after I had gone to the trouble to type it

I have used the 105 SWC sized to .356 and it is a SCREAMER in .357, and amazingly accurate. It's also a very economical bullet to cast since it uses almost 1/3 less lead than a standard 38 bullet.

[Doby45]

I may have to try one of the 105 SWC. I still think I might see if the crimp groove and be removed on my 358-125 and it can be used as my exclusive 357SIG boolit.

[fredj338]

I use the Saeco 122grTC in my 357sig. I like CarnubaRed, holds up well under the rpessures of the 357sig. I would think ALox would run out, causing some leading, but I don't know. You do have to be careful w/ bullet selection. You want as much of driving band in the case neck for good neck tension.

[lead slead]

I use my homemade felix lube it works well with a Lee 120gr bullet regular lube groove. There are prob better cast bullet molds to use in the sig but with some care I made this work pretty well.