Loading 357 SIG on a XL750

[damon32382]

Good evening! Started loading on a XL750 a couple years ago. It’s my first and only press, so the process and using Dillon dies is all I know. 
I load 9mm, 40, 45, and 10mm. 
 

Just scored a lightly used set(or so I was told) of Dillon 357 SIG dies. 
Obviously this round will be my first crack at loading something with a shoulder. 
 

I’m primarily concerned about the variation in COAL when you are loading progressively. Should I worry about this in 357 SIG if my COAL gets to 7 or 10 thousandths like my other calibers tend to do? 
 

Any other tips aside from that thing where people are using a 40 S&W die to avoid lubing the cases? Nothing against that by the way. I just plan on loading normal with my Dillon Die set. I use Hornady One Shot, even with carbide dies. Makes it a much smoother operation. 

[dansedgli]

The dillon 357 sig die is carbide anyway so need for lube for those guys. 

 

COAL variation like that is nothing to worry about. I load using 40 cal cases and get the odd 357 sig case in there and its fine. 

 

Make sure your shoulder is bumped enough to fit your chamber. Check it every few hundred cases in case something changes. 

 

I always have my barrel handy and drop one in now and then. Once it moved and I loaded a few hundred rounds which was annoying. 

 

Test crimp by pushing the round into a table or something to make sure it doesnt get shorter with a reasonable amount of force. 

 

[aandabooks]

No issues when I load .357sig on a progressive.  I do use the .40 sizing die and run a batch through then go back and run them with the .357sig die set to load.  I get very consistent lengths.  Almost exclusively load with S&S Casting 135gr bullets.

[damon32382]

1 hour ago, aandabooks said:

No issues when I load .357sig on a progressive.  I do use the .40 sizing die and run a batch through then go back and run them with the .357sig die set to load.  I get very consistent lengths.  Almost exclusively load with S&S Casting 135gr bullets.

Glad to hear it! Sorry to ask what’s probably a dumb question. But when you put 357 Sig brass in a 40 sizing die, are you actually forming it in to a straight wall case, but then back to a bottleneck after you put it through the 357 die? 

[damon32382]

3 hours ago, dansedgli said:

The dillon 357 sig die is carbide anyway so need for lube for those guys. 

 

COAL variation like that is nothing to worry about. I load using 40 cal cases and get the odd 357 sig case in there and its fine. 

 

Make sure your shoulder is bumped enough to fit your chamber. Check it every few hundred cases in case something changes. 

 

I always have my barrel handy and drop one in now and then. Once it moved and I loaded a few hundred rounds which was annoying. 

 

Test crimp by pushing the round into a table or something to make sure it doesnt get shorter with a reasonable amount of force. 

 

Interesting, and thank you for the reply. I’ve just recently learned about people using 40 cases for 357. It seems like a mixed bag where some say it’s a bad idea, but others have had zero problems loading that way for years on end. 

[dansedgli]

Gotta take out the depriming pin or it will try to reform the mouth. I forgot and ran a bunch through my autodriven 1050 once. It wrecked all the cases. 

 

40 cal brass is all I've used. I've had to have shot 80k of them by now. Maybe more. 

 

We can't use 40 for major where I live so we use 357 sig in standard division for major. The police use 40 so brass is cheap. 

 

 

 

[damon32382]

7 hours ago, dansedgli said:

Gotta take out the depriming pin or it will try to reform the mouth. I forgot and ran a bunch through my autodriven 1050 once. It wrecked all the cases. 

 

40 cal brass is all I've used. I've had to have shot 80k of them by now. Maybe more. 

 

We can't use 40 for major where I live so we use 357 sig in standard division for major. The police use 40 so brass is cheap. 

 

 

 

Ahhh, I see now, thank you. I definitely like having that option now. I have far more 40 brass than 357. How many times do you think you can reuse the brass typically? Guessing with it necked, it doesn’t last as long as a straight walled case

[dansedgli]

Nah it doesn't last as long. Maybe 4 or 5 firings before the neck goes.

 

I've got that much brass I'm not really sure how many shots I get out of it. 

 

 

 

 

[damon32382]

23 minutes ago, dansedgli said:

Nah it doesn't last as long. Maybe 4 or 5 firings before the neck goes.

 

I've got that much brass I'm not really sure how many shots I get out of it. 

 

 

 

 

I was guessing around 5 but hoping you’d say 10. Lol! Thank you for your replies and help on this man. Really appreciate it. 
My next attempt of bottleneck rounds after 357 Sig is going to be 300 Blackout. Going to load subsonics, hopefully I’ll get more out of that brass

[sharko]

I too do the 40 die ahead of the 357Sig die. My main concern was too much flair because the necks are so short but I use HTC powder funnel and it just gives a little flair if adjusted right. The only problem I ran into was I had a lot of Speer brass that have small flash holes, I wonder why they were hard to size then I started breaking pins. A call to Dillon and they sent me a bunch of smaller pins. These were the button head pins and I'm not sure if you buy their dies now they will have those or the straight pins.

 

On a side I found out my 229 with Barsto barrel really liked the 125gr HAPs (.356), pictured is 10 rounds in the Ransom rest @25yds.

 

[dansedgli]

Damn nice group. 

 

I shoot 160 grain coated lead in mine. 

[plinker625]

Headed RCBS Decapping pins work well to deal with Speer 357 Sig brass.

[gnappi]

On 8/29/2022 at 12:25 AM, damon32382 said:

Interesting, and thank you for the reply. I’ve just recently learned about people using 40 cases for 357. It seems like a mixed bag where some say it’s a bad idea, but others have had zero problems loading that way for years on end. 

It's only a bad idea if you don't take the time  to sort out the issues re-formed .40 brass present. 

 

When I got my Sigs in .357 Sig there was zero ammo around so I had to use re-formed .40 brass. The "gotcha" there is once formed the neck is shorter than a native .357 Sig case and a lot of bullets do not get a decent crimp and on feed the bullets may set back into the case.

 

Long nose 115 grain 9mm bullets are the worst, shorter nosed heavier bullets with a longer side work best. I cast and powder coat my own 139 and 149 grain bullets and they work fine. 

 

Like many, I always size all sig brass first in a Lee .40 die, then the Sig sizing die.

 

 

 

 

[damon32382]

1 hour ago, gnappi said:

It's only a bad idea if you don't take the time  to sort out the issues re-formed .40 brass present. 

 

When I got my Sigs in .357 Sig there was zero ammo around so I had to use re-formed .40 brass. The "gotcha" there is once formed the neck is shorter than a native .357 Sig case and a lot of bullets do not get a decent crimp and on feed the bullets may set back into the case.

 

Long nose 115 grain 9mm bullets are the worst, shorter nosed heavier bullets with a longer side work best. I cast and powder coat my own 139 and 149 grain bullets and they work fine. 

 

Like many, I always size all sig brass first in a Lee .40 die, then the Sig sizing die.

 

 

 

 

I’ll definitely be using 124gr bullets. I’ve only used 115gr. round nose so far in my regular 9mm loads. Thank you for the tip. 

[sharko]

On 8/28/2022 at 9:25 PM, damon32382 said:

Interesting, and thank you for the reply. I’ve just recently learned about people using 40 cases for 357. It seems like a mixed bag where some say it’s a bad idea, but others have had zero problems loading that way for years on end. 

I talked with a competitor in Australia who said that 40 was illegal there so they resize 40 brass to 357. 

[gnappi]

12 hours ago, damon32382 said:

I’ll definitely be using 124gr bullets. I’ve only used 115gr. round nose so far in my regular 9mm loads. Thank you for the tip. 

 

I'm getting dense, I forgot to mention that after the .40 cases are fire formed it's important to recheck the crimp.  

[SuperDuke]

On 9/14/2022 at 10:33 PM, damon32382 said:

I’ll definitely be using 124gr bullets. I’ve only used 115gr. round nose so far in my regular 9mm loads. Thank you for the tip. 

I tried 125gn CN projectiles (formed 40S&W brass) but had frequent nose dives due to the short OAL. 
 

Changed to 135gn RN projectiles and it runs 100% loaded to 1.200 OAL. 

[plinker625]

For sizing look at the Redding G-RX Carbide die.  This is a pass through die.  But, it allows a reloader to nearly enjoy the results of roll sizing...

 

Use powders that fill the Case.  Bummer that VV discontinued N105.  Accurate #9 fills up the case pretty good.