First post; should I do this?

[RufusG]

I'm just getting back into reloading after a couple years of having all my equipment packed up while a new house was being built. I have reloaded for rifle in the past, but never for handguns. For my first attempt, I am planning on putting together some cast bullet loads for .357, because I think I have everything I need laying around.

I have some Unique, and a box of Hornady 158 LSWC. Both powder and bullets are some old stock of my Dad's, and are likely 30 years old. Looking at various manuals, 5.5 grs seems like a reasonable load.

My biggest concern is actually whether the lube on the bullets is still good. The powder seems okay, and I actually have another lb that has never been opened. I have an RCBS 4 die set with a taper crimp die.

Is there anything else I need to be considering?

Thanks

[Bigjohn]

RufusG;

Regarding the lube on the boolits, some can dry out with age and IMO could be refreshed by lube sizing again. Or load a few and try, first shots should tell, leading would be a clear indicator that the lube should be refreshed. I have never used Hornady lead boolits so I don't know what their lube is like.

Old powder if stored correctly will still work, IF there is rust inside of the can tip out the powder and burn it. That is a sign of the powder breaking down.

A 5.5gr charge of Unique is about the recommended starting load in the older LYMAN book I have here, (the MAX. is 8.0grs).

If you have experience with loading for rifle then you should not encounter too many problems with loading for handgun. Just ensure that you 'bell' the case mouth so the base of the lead boolit starts without 'shaving metal'.

Mate; don't worry about asking further questions here, we're all a great mob who have been where you are and looked for guidance from someone with greater experience than our own.

:drinks:
John.

[9.3X62AL]

Welcome to the board, Rufus!

I suspect that your "lead" Hornady boolits are actually swaged, and not cast. To confirm this, if the boolits have a knurled surface and are coated with a powdery-looking dry film coating--they're swaged. I don't think the Hornady dry film lube will degrade much with age.

No problem--I really like the Hornady boolits for low-pressure/mid-range applications. Your suggested load of 5.5 grain of Unique is a safe, sedate recipe--but with the Hornady (or Speer) swaged boolits, I wouldn't go any higher. Not because it would be unsafe--but because higher pressures could set up a scenario for bore leading. I never run swaged commercial boolits much past 875-900 FPS, because the pressures that enable higher velocities than that level can create the conditions that create leading.

Most revolver reloaders prefer a roll crimp on their cartridges rather than a taper crimp. This roll crimping holds the boolit in place in cartridges present inside the cylinder and not yet fired against the revolver's recoil dynamics, which will tend to allow uncrimped bullets/boolits to creep forward out of the case mouths and tie up the revolving cylinder. PITA, that! With the Hornady boolit, I suggest a light roll crimp over the boolit's front drive band. A taper crimp is more commonly seen on ammunition reloaded for self-loading firearms, especially those caliber that obtain their headspacing reference point on the case mouth (e.g., 9mm Luger, 45 ACP). I suspect the 4th die in your set is a taper crimp die........your bullet seating die should have a roll-crimping sleeve built into it, and by its use you can save a die step AND assemble revolver ammo that will be a lot more trouble-free and reliable.

Dunno if you have a Speer Reloading Manual for your RCBS die set, but its text is plain-spoken and easy to follow. If you haven't reloaded revolver ammo previously, you might give it a look-see to enable the best use of your die set. Speer also offers a 158 grain swaged lead boolit, and the Manual I'm speaking of has a lot of data for their products as well. The Speer boolits have a sticky dark film coating for lube, and also feature a shallow but adequate crimping groove IIRC.

Questions are ALWAYS welcome here! The only "dumb" question is the one that goes unasked.

[RufusG]

Thank you sirs! I believe I will give it a try as I described.

Bigjohn, I already checked out the powder, it seems fine, and I also deprimed, tumbled, sized, and expanded 300@ .357 empties, following the directions in my die set and several manuals.

DeputyAl, you are correct, they do indeed have the knurled bearing surface. That's good to know about the roll crimp being built into the seater even though the set says taper crimp on it, I was wondering about that. I may try some both ways and compare results. I do have a Speer manual, I'll go back and give it a read!

Thanks again guys.

[Topper]

Hi Rufus,
I don't know your barrel length, but the 3rd edition Hornady manual list 950fps from a 8 and 3/8" barrel using 5.4grs of Unique & 158gr lead round nose.
If you run into a lot of leading you could always back off to 5grs, but I wouldn't go below that.

[NVcurmudgeon]

Rufus, following up on the excellent advice others have posted, if your bullets are the swaged Hornadys, and if you plan to roll crimp over the front drive band, all is well. OTOH, if you plan to use a different crimping location, be sure that it is in a crimping groove. You can then adjust your seating die to seat and crimp in the same operation, just as you can following what Deputy Al said. Crimping should be done over the front band, or in a crimping groove, to avoid shaving the lead bullets. Welcome to the internet's most happening place for cast bullet shooters.

[RufusG]

Topper, The longest I have is 6". I will certainly be watching out for leading.

NV, These bullets don't have any crimping grooves, just a continuous bearing surface. By crimping over the front driving band, do you mean that the roll crimp should be placed around the front edge of this bearing surface?

Thanks

[Buckshot]

..............Hey Rufus, welcome to the board. Re: Powder. One of my shooting buddys was given 2 unopened kegs (6 pounders I think) of Hercules Lightening that was put up in 1939. Shoots like a champ, meters like crap :-) BIG chunky powder!

Just do like those other guys said about loading for your revolter and you'll be fine.

...............Buckshot

[Bigjohn]

RufusG;


NV, These bullets don't have any crimping grooves, just a continuous bearing surface. By crimping over the front driving band, do you mean that the roll crimp should be placed around the front edge of this bearing surface?


That's correct.

With the dieset; being a four die set, just confirm that one is a roll crimp die. They could but not always in my experience be labelled "Taper crimp seater" or "Roll crimp seater" or even "Seater". Most die sets for .38Spl/.357Mag are sold with a roll crimp included in the seater die which you adjust as per the instruction sheet to either apply a roll crimp when seating boolit or just seat the boolit.
All Die makers offer the taper crimp option either as part of the set or an optional extra.

The details of the die should be stamped on the die body somewhere to label what it is designed to do. (I am not certain if you posted details of the die set in your postings.)

Ultimately; you could pick one or two sacrifical cases from your supply and put them through the reloading process (deleting the primer and powder stages) making minor adjustments on your dies until you know what each die will do.

This is a process I use if I get a die set without the instruction sheets and sometimes I even make up dummy cases with each boolit I use to help re-adjust dies back to that load.

Hornady Reloading Manual Third Edition (lists a 158gr swaged RN Lead Projectile, load detail would apply for SWC)

Unique (8 3/8" Barrel) 4.7grs = 850fps; 5.1grs = 900fps; 5.4grs = 950fps (this is possibly enough for your loads). MAX. = 6.5grs.

:drinks:

John

[Bigjohn]

I've just reread your first post, RCBS die sets?

I have their catalogue in front of me and I can find no listing for a four die, die set. It is certainly possible for someone to purchase an extra die and put it in with their die sets (or they may not sell them as such any more).

My set which is now here on the computor bench is the 3 die carb TC set 357 M/38 S.

As mentioned in my previous post, read what is stamped on the dies and comeback to us if you have any further questions.

John

[RufusG]

Buckshot, Thanks, the lb. I have that is still sealed has "1980" on it scrawled by my Dad, the open one is obviously older.

Bigjohn, Thanks again, Like a lot of my other gear, I got these dies from my Dad. I would date them from the mid/late 60s to early 70s. It seems to be a complete set of four. Actually, the instructions definitely refer to the four die set. The fourth die is marked "Taper Crimp", and the seater is marked "38/357 NC Seater #3". NC possibly meaning No Crimp? Guess I'll have to find out. I believe the box is also marked RN/SWC. (Also, I have the Hornady #2 manual, it has the same info you quoted.}

[Bigjohn]

RufusG;
There is nothing wrong with a taper crimp, but in revolvers especially heavy recoiling ones, roll crimping is the way to go.

If you wish to for the loads mentioned use taper until you find a roll crimp (which most companies sell as an after market extra) then they should hold well for the level you will be loading at presently.

I use it with my dies, loading .38 spl +P loads for my Highway patrolman.

My load is Bullseye with the RCBS cast 150gr Kt SWC and 158gr RN (3.9grs in both).

:Fire:

John.

[RufusG]

Bigjohn, Missed your previous question, yes, they are RCBS. I will try the taper crimp and go from there. Thanks again.