357 Trapper

[rodsvet]

I was just wondering if you guys are experiencing the same thing as I am. I've had a .357 Trapper for a couple of years and just got around to firing it. My load is 158 gr. SWC GC over 8 grains of Unique. The base are so bulged that they won't cycle through my Dillon 650. Primers are not flattened and the load shoots well in my 686. Brass is new Starline. There is no problem extracting. I'm going to try H335 or 2400, or Accurate 9. Are these rifles just hard on brass?? Comments please. Thank You, Rod

[robertbank]

I have had no problems with my Rossi Puma 20". Is this a Rossi or Winchester?

Take Care

Bob

[rodsvet]

This is a Winchester angle eject. I purchased it new in 2003. The brass will rechamber right after being fired and will slide in and out of the chamber with ease. Again, the primers are not flattened, and the load is a sweetheart in my S&W 686 4 inch. Rod

[fecmech]

I was just wondering if you guys are experiencing the same thing as I am. I've had a .357 Trapper for a couple of years and just got around to firing it. My load is 158 gr. SWC GC over 8 grains of Unique. The base are so bulged that they won't cycle through my Dillon 650. Primers are not flattened and the load shoots well in my 686. Brass is new Starline. There is no problem extracting. I'm going to try H335 or 2400, or Accurate 9. Are these rifles just hard on brass?? Comments please. Thank You, Rod

Just chkd Alliant Guide and they list max of 6.0 unique with lead 158 swc and 7.7 with 158 JHP as max for .357 mag. If you want to go fast I'd suggest you look to AA9,2400,296 etc.

PS. Just chkd an older Alliant guide and it shows 6.8/Unique/158 swc@34000 psi. I think you are way over max my friend!

[Ben]

I'd think the 8 gr. of Unique to be more than a little bit " stiff ".

Substitute 13.0 grs. of 2400 and try everything again.

Ben

[pietro]

[The brass will rechamber right after being fired and will slide in and out of the chamber with ease.]

[The base are so bulged that they won't cycle through my Dillon 650.]

[ Primers are not flattened]

In all likelyhood you have an oversized or out-of-spec chamber.

FWIW, ANY cartridge brass, fired in ANY given chamber, oversize/undersize, or within spec, will return into the same chamber - especially if it's oriented the same.
Sometimes, a case neck will not spring back enough to re-enter the chamber neck - but that's not usually been the case in my experience.

It's too bad you waited so long after aquiring the rifle to shoot it.

.

[rodsvet]

You guys are correct about the load being max. My Speer #9 and Lyman #45 both list 8 grains as max. I'm casting straight linotype with gas checks. This is the only weapon where I've ever had signs of excessive pressure with this load. Unique must peak early so a slower powder is what I'll try. I like to push the boolits fast as long as I get good accuracy. I may get the chamber and headspace checked also. Thank You ! Rod

[william iorg]

All Marlin and Winchester chambers have the base slightly egg shapped to facilitate chambering cartridges. Measure the pressure ring as you rotate the case. You wil find a high spot which should correlate to the top of the chamber.
I have a model 94AE and have shot it a lot. One of the interesting things about the Model 94 in 357 Magnum is it will feed anything. My father kept a large assortment of action dummies in our range bag. When a Marlin 1894 owner came over to visit Dad would dump the bag on the bench and load up at random with Keith-type SWC’s, button wadcutters, round nose, JSP and JHP’s.
Dad would lever the rounds out as fast as possible, sometimes while holding the rifle upside down. Dad would then invite the Marlin owner to “load up.”

[rodsvet]

Interesting Slim ! I don't shoot lever guns all that often, but now I'm getting the bug. For years I've been into "assault" weapons. I have connections in federal law enforcement, so even though Kalifornia has a ban, I get plenty of full auto practice. It's about time to slow down my use of lead though, I'm down to 1500 lbs. of lino and it's getting real hard to find. Thanks for ll the comments! Rod

[44 flattop]

It's about time to slow down my use of lead though, I'm down to 1500 lbs. of lino and it's getting real hard to find.
Shoot, with that much lino, just buy some pure lead and mix a MUCH softer alloy. I've never had much access to lino, but it is very very hard compared to WW's and I mix 60/40 WW's to pure lead. I'm able to push this to 2000fps and beyond with no leading and fantastic performance on big game like elk.

44

[rodsvet]

I had a source for lino @.60 a lb.. But it dried up. Wheel weights in Kalifornia are really hard to find, especially with the new Governor. I would blend 50/50 with lead but most places get gold and lead mixed when they price it. With what I'm shooting; 45 and 357 and some 44, Ive got enough for approximately 60,000 boolits. If I find another source that is reasonable for lino or lead I,ll pass the info on to the forum. I have a lead on an old retired printer that when I talked to him last year, said he had 3-4000 lbs. He wanted to sell it all at one time and I couldn't swing at the time. Rod