.358 pistol

[BT Sniper]

Here is another great use for 9mm brass. Simply trim it down a bit, add a .312 93 grain core and you got incredible 150 grain 357mag bullets!

These where made in a CH-4d die that I improved with heavy duty internal components. The result is a very good die that will make you a life time supply of perfect .358 bullets!

One of my sizing dies was used to reduce a trimed 9mm down to 35 cal.

Limited number of dies availble for order.

http://i636.photobucket.com/albums/uu87/BTSniper/P1050492.jpg

[saint_iverson]

was there already a cannelure on the 9mm brass or do you use a special jig?

[BT Sniper]

cannalure is applied after bullet is formed.

Corbin and CH offer cannalure tools

BT

[lmfd20]

Do you have to trim or can you swage the 9mm case as is for a bullet like your 44s. One with the brass running all the way up to the hollow point opening.

[cloakndagger]

Wow.. that cool! How much pressure does it take to swage that bad boy?

[BT Sniper]

Drawing a 9mm case down to .358 takes a bit of pressure, A strong press like teh Sea Girt works very well for this task. to make the bullet doesn't take that much pressure at all. I made these in my Lee Classic Cast press.

I trimmed this 9mm brass before I drawed it down. An untrimmed case will make a 175-185 grain .358 XTP bullet with no exposed lead.

BT

[Meatpuppet]

Do you have any still available?

[BT Sniper]

Yes I just might. I think I saw one .357 set of dies out there. Send me a PM so I don't forget your request. I'll look in the shop just as soon as I can for you.

Thanks

Brian

[Rich22]

If you can make a die like this to do it for a .355 in the 147-165 range preferably with no exposed lead I would be quite excited. If you can do a version of that for 110-150gr 30 cal from 9mm or other very common brass I would buy without a second thought.

[BT Sniper]

If you can do a version of that for 110-150gr 30 cal from 9mm or other very common brass I would buy without a second thought.

Oh... I can do that and have done that! but to make 30 cal bullets form 9mm brass requires a strong press, more then most reloading presses can handle. Then it just takes a standard 30 cal die set and the four draw dies necessary to draw down the 9mm brass with. PM me and let me know what you budget is. For all the necessary dies it could run nearly $2K. I have them all here in stock ready to assemble.

308 from 9mm!
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?109386-308-bullet-from-9mm-brass

Or from 223rem
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?164162-9mm-and-308-bullets-from-scrap-223rem-brass!

BT

[Meatpuppet]

I made a cool mistake tonight.

I had already seated the 93gr core in the drawn down 9mm case. Then I changed dies to the BTX notch die. After that, I changed to the Point Form Die (I thought), but I accidently re-installed the Core Seat Die. I ended up with a neat looking jacketed full wadcutter.

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/wOUHcffBnr8DLcQJhBpUfOU8h5HCshOtTU0PYcC6nCIgJ1bwHa i-eTkeM_Cyakqtq2XfsipedUXBX-ldSn93MfpLVBtLAjbnTsn0NQ726hcySciRfGOIbrawwiw-ruIXPXzV0BOZ

I’m going to give them a shot (haha) and see what happens.

[BT Sniper]

Boy-o-boy! I bet those things would penetrate! Heck.... you could load them forward or backwards!

Swage on!

BT

[Meatpuppet]

Brian, These dies are simply amazing! I'm still on the steep learning curve, but they are everything I had hoped for and more. Especially since I am loading "heavy" for a suppressed 357 Maximum carbine. The exposed soft lead core deforms easily at low (1000fps) velocity with jackets swaged from the RCE 40cal jacket, but I can completely encapsulate the lead in a tough swaged 9mm case for high-velocity shooting. The 357 Maximum, with the variety of bullet weights and velocity (and minimal recoil), is quickly becoming my new obsession.
183616

183618

I have also been using the .358 point form dies to "Bump Up" Powder Coated and Jacketed Hollowpoint 9mm (.355 dia) bullets for inexpensive .357 plinking in handguns and a 357 Maximum Encore carbine. It has been working out well. The 124gr JHP 9mm is particulary interesting when it is run through the Truncated Cone point form die. I think it has a lot of potential as a small critter round and seems to vaporize on impact when pushed 2200 fps and up in a carbine length barrel.

183621

183622

I know there is some discussion in other threads in this forum about the perceived "high cost" of swage dies. However, the quality, versatility and sheer fun of these dies makes them a heck of a good value.

Keep up the great work!

[Traffer]

Very cool bullets. Look like little barrels. You could load those with mercury. Or just about anything else. Birdshot maybe? Turn down the nose first so it is as thin as foil and load them with #9 shot.

[BT Sniper]

Great looking bullets!

Obviously you can see just how much can be done with a set of these swage dies.

Keep at it! Good shooting and swage on!

BT

[Meatpuppet]

I've posted previously on using your dies to "bump-up" 9MM JHP and powdercoated rounds for cheap plinking. It has been very successful in both handguns and rifles.

However, now I'm getting ready for fall hunting season using a .357 Maximum carbine. It takes the performance of these dies to a higher level for sure.

191grain lead soft points for general plinking using S6 Ogive and HP Point form. .310dia - 170gr cast core and RCE .40 cal jackets drawn down to .355 for swaging into .358. This is a plinking load since I dont think the soft jacket will hold together on impact.

182gr fully jacketed for hunting using S6 Ogive and HP Point Form. .310dia - 120gr cast core and annealed 9mm cases drawn down for swaging. These should hold together well at 2200 FPS out of the carbine. I followed "uncledino's" thread on his 357 maximum swaging journey and I am looking forward to testing this setup out. I can go a bit heavier to 200 gr with a bit of lead exposed, but I dont think I'll have a problem getting it to expand at these velocities. I have noticed that the weight of 9mm brass is all over the board. Sorting by headstamp definately helps.

I'm really impressed with the .357 Maximum. Using your dies, I can swage from a screaming-fast 125gr to an ultra-quiet suppressed 300gr powdercoted "mortar-round" and shoot them all through a soft recoiling, lightweight TC Encore "woods-gun." I just received my .358 SOCOM AR-15 Upper (essentially a necked-down .458 SOCOM) so I will be swaging up even more of these beauties for semi-auto fun!

I have a number of your swaging dies in several calibers. But I'm pretty sure the .358 dies are the most versitile of them all.

...work keeps getting in the way of all this fun...

201212

[BT Sniper]

looks great!!

Swage on!

BT

[Meatpuppet]

Brian's 358 dies produce a great projectile for the .357 Maximum! Using an annealed 9mm case drawn down to .355 and common bullet molds for cast lead cores, they shoot better than I can!

His HP point forming die creates a great substitute for the discontinued .357 180gr XTP and the S6 Ogive die is perfect for the 357 Maximum in a single shot carbine. No case trimming is needed and common bullet molds make the cores. It could not be easier.

I am using a TC Encore with an MGM 16" 1-in-14 twist barrel both supersonic and suppressed. I'm working up loads for this fall's hunting season. I've only tried 50 yards since the weather stinks, but I should be able to get chrono data and 100 yard testing next week. Quickload estimates 2050fps (ish) for the 182gr supersonic and 1075fps for the 230gr suppressed rounds.

Brian's dies and the 357 Maximum is an awesome piece of kit!!!

Bullet: 357 Max - 182gr JHP
Brass: Starline
Powder: VV N110 - 22gr
Primer: CCI SRP
OAL: 2.25
Chrono: 1964 FPS / 1559 FPE
ES: 52 / SD: 19
202661

202662

Bullet: 357 MAX - 182gr S6 Ogive
Brass: Starline
Powder: VV N110 - 22gr
Primer: CCI SRP
OAL: 2.27
Chrono: 1959 FPS / 1551 FPE
ES: 92 / SD: 24
202663

202664

Bullet: 357 Max - 230gr S6 Ogive Soft Lead Tip
Brass: Starline
Powder: VV TinStar (N32C) 9.0gr
Primer: CCI SRP
OAL: 2.25
Chrono: 935 FPS / 447 FPE
ES: 26 / SD: 9
202665

202666


Edited to add Load/Chrono info

[BT Sniper]

WOW! Nicely done! Very good accuracy from both rounds. Both should expand nicely too on what ever they come in contact with.

Thanks for the report, keep us posted.

Good shooting and swage on! Brian