HELP WHAT IS THE O.A.L 357 mag

[LUCKYDAWG13]

hello my lyman thired edition hand book shows that the O.A.L for my 358477
mold is (1.510) is this right ? its over the crimp grove

[dnepr]

1.590 is the standard O.A.L for the .357 the 358477 is short from the crimp groove to the meplat , so it ends up a 1.510 ,

[LUCKYDAWG13]

when i seat to 1.510 its over the crimp groove this cant be right i tryed to post a pic but i dont know how

[357shooter]

I loaded some bullets cast with a Lyman 358477 earlier today, crimped into the groove. They measures 1.595, shot great.

[LUCKYDAWG13]

I loaded some bullets cast with a Lyman 358477 earlier today, crimped into the groove. They measures 1.595, shot great.

thanks thats what i did i just need to shoot them

[Bret4207]

Lymans moulds varied over the years. I wouldn't get too excited about OAL unless you get a really odd mould that protrudes more deeply into the case. That would give higher pressures.

[Ben]

I'm amazed at how much concern there is over OAL for loading both pistol and rifle with cast bullets.

Like Bret4207 has said, if there isn't a dramatic decrease in the internal capacity with a particular bullet style( with deep seating ), it just isn't that big of an issue.

With very minor adjustments of seating depth ( assuming you don't start out with red-line loads and you've started with suggested starting loads ) you are not going to have any problems.

Once you arrive at your own seating depth with your particular bullet style ( again with the suggested starting load for that bullet weight ) , you can increase powder charges slightly in increments looking for signs of pressure.

I've used this system for many years, it has worked well for me.

Considering the myriad number of cast bullet styles available to the reloader from Accurate molds, Mountain Molds, Lee, NEI, NOE, Lyman, RCBS, SAECO, H & G, and the list goes on.............. for the 38 spec / 357 mag, how could any loading manual ( or manuals ) track and follow all this by providing an OAL for each of these different bullet styles ? When you mix with this the fact that different revolvers have different cylinder lengths , it gets even more complicated.

[Ben]

Another common question on this forum is " I have a Lyman 311***, I'm loading it in a 30-06. What is the OAL for this bullet ?"

This question could have 40 different answers and any one of the 40 of them , for a particular rifle, could be correct.

Rifles have their chambers cut with slightly different specs. from one company to another. ( Try to put once fired cases from one rifle of the same caliber into the chamber of a 2nd rifle of the same caliber..... ) Custom riflesmiths won't all put the same amount of lead at the end of the case mouth into the rifling. Some have a very short throat, some a fairly long throat.

Some action lengths dictate the OAL of a loaded round to allow smooth feeding from the mag. box.

So many variables, . . . many reloaders want a simple , quick answer to a complex question .

[sargenv]

I generally load my ammo so that I can seat the bullet as long as possible and still be able to feed from a magazine or fit into a cylinder with a little breathing room in case it jumps the crimp.

[btroj]

Well put Ben. There is not a simple, correct answer. The key is what will work in your gun.

Brad

[357shooter]

And I thought luckydawg just wanted to load his bullets so he could shoot them.:popcorn::popcorn::popcorn:

[Ben]

sargenv :


I generally load my ammo so that I can seat the bullet as long as possible and still be able to feed from a magazine or fit into a cylinder with a little breathing room in case it jumps the crimp.

Not a thing wrong with that strategy.
I like ( if possible....sometimes it is not possible ) to have a cast rifle bullet lightly imprinting into the rifling when the bolt closes.

Nothing excessive mind you, because if you overdo it & try to open the bolt and remove a live round, it will possibly pull the bullet out of the case mouth and leave it in the bore.

Look closely and you'll see the ogive of the bullet in the photo below lightly imprinting the rifling when the bolt is closed :

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/PICT0003-39.jpg

[LUCKYDAWG13]

And I thought luckydawg just wanted to load his bullets so he could shoot them.:popcorn::popcorn::popcorn:

i did wow

[btroj]

If you crimp in the groove and it fits in you gun then go shoot. If in a lever action be sure it cycles.
Otherwise, I don't worry OAL much at all.

Brad

[357shooter]

Yep, that's what I do too. Sometimes folks aren't sure and it helps them to provide the measurement. Especially when the manuals give some info that just doesn't seem right.

[LUCKYDAWG13]

Yep, that's what I do too. Sometimes folks aren't sure and it helps them to provide the measurement. Especially when the manuals give some info that just doesn't seem right.


ya what he sead thanks to you all for you help

[Bret4207]

So many variables, . . . many reloaders want a simple , quick answer to a complex question .

Which is precisely what drives so many people away from cast shooting. This is a good example- we can't even give this poor guy more than a ball park figure for OAL because of Lymans changing dimensions over the decades. It kind of makes me laugh a bit and shake my head. I can picture some poor guy pulling his hair and screaming. "WHY CAN'T IT BE SIMPLE!!!!!"

Hey, look at the bright side, compared to dealing with women, this IS simple!

[btroj]

I gave up dealing with women.I decided to take on shooting pure lead, no GC, tumble lubed at 3000 fps instead. I decided to start with something easier to master than women.

As for dimensions for 357. Seat to crimp groove as long as it fits your gun. That simple. I don't care how long that actually is, it works in my gun. Good enough for me.

Brad

[mdi]

For a whole lot of years I reloaded .38 and .357 (and .44 Spec & Magnum) with lead bullets, usually some generic SWCs, and just crimped them in the crimp groove. I had read up on COL and decided that for me and my reloading it just wasn't that much of an issue. Several thousand rounds down reange in both mild and hot loads and no problems...

[Ben]

mdi :

for me and my reloading it just wasn't that much of an issue. Several thousand rounds down range in both mild and hot loads and no problems..

Couldn't have said it better......

Ben

[Bret4207]

I gave up dealing with women.I decided to take on shooting pure lead, no GC, tumble lubed at 3000 fps instead. I decided to start with something easier to master than women.


Brad

HAR!!!:veryconfu[smilie=s::bigsmyl2:

[GH1]

The only time I ran into an OAL problem was when i was loading 158 gr SWC for my levergun. Max OAL is 1.59 and I was com,ing in around 1.60-1.61 and was having some feed issues. I've since switched to a RNFP and the problem went away.
GH1

[Rice-n-Beans]

This thread just solved my question, thanks guys! 8-):cast_boolits:

[44MAG#1]

LUCKYDAWG13:
If you will read the comment section of the loading data it says and i quote: "In order to hold the maximum overall length below 1.590" it is sometimes necessary to crimp cast bullets on the forward edge of the first driving band."
When studying loading data it is sometimes a learning process to read the section that the loading data supplier has stuck in front of the data.
It can be helpful.