.357 Sig on single stage?

[CCT125US]

Anyone doing it? Thoughts?

I've got an HK P2000sk in .357 SIG. Really don't plan on shooting it much, as it is not a common gun. However, another thread has reminded me I have less than 75 rounds for it. Price aside, I would like to have the ABILITY to load for it.

Looking to go single stage / turret, as all I would need to add are dies and case gage for <$75, versus Dillon which would requires dies at $160, case gage $25, and caliber conversion at $85.

Long history of reloading, but would like to hear from folks who load .357 SIG.

Preferred dies?

[ranger]

I use LEE carbide dies for all my pistol on a Dillon 550.

[fatdog]

Done it on a Dillon 650 with Dillon dies. It was a PIA to set up. I see no reason a single stage would be harder except I would for sure choose one of the single stage turret models (all three dies set in place and you rotate it). No way would I want to be swapping dies in a single stage single die press and having to check it again and again (yes I know if you set the die correctly it is supposed to screw in and run).

Getting the sizing and seating set up correctly were about 20X the trial and error of a normal straight wall pistol case. Get a case gauge before you ever start so you know you have it set correctly and you are making stuff that will chamber or is not too short. I lubed my cases with spray lube before sizing.

In principle it should be no harder than reloading a bottleneck rifle cartridge like .223 or .308, but it is harder. I would say because of the very short neck you are working with on that cartridge. When I started out I ruined at least 1/4 of my cases until I had everything set up correctly. Might just be my ineptitude.

Once I got the kinks worked out I could produce useful practice ammo. I only loaded 125gr FMJ. If I could go back to 1997 or '98 when I bought my first .357 barrel for my Glock 23, and talk to my then self I would say forget it, the thing doesn't really do anything 9mm +P does for you....but hey, we are not talking about common sense, but stuff we gun people just want.

It is an amazingly flat shooting cartridge, not that it matters that much for most handgun purposes.

[LittleLebowski]

I'd at least get a turret press for this. I see no reason why this round would be any harder than bottlenecked rifle cartridges.

[Lester Polfus]

I'd at least get a turret press for this. I see no reason why this round would be any harder than bottlenecked rifle cartridges.

I'm super fond of my Lee Classic Turret for "medium volume" reloading. While the speed advantage is great, the real benefit is that I can keep the dies on a turret and not have to dick with adjusting them all the time.

Even though I can reload .38 Special and .357 with the same set of dies, I own two sets: one for my wadcutter .38 loads, and one for my 158 grain LSWC loads, each on their own turrets.

[daved20319]

I don't load .357 Sig, but I do load for .45 ACP, 9mm, .223, and 6.5 Grendel, all on a single stage press, the rifles on my Rockchucker, the pistols on my new Lee APP. If you choose a press with some sort of die bushing system, swapping dies is quick and easy, and no adjustments needed unless you change bullets. I got the LNL conversion kit for my Rock Chucker, and the Lee uses the Lee spline drive bushings, of course. You might want to check out the thread on the APP, it's a viable option for pistol ammo, is cheap, and works well (so far). Later.

Dave

[Borderland]

I'd at least get a turret press for this. I see no reason why this round would be any harder than bottlenecked rifle cartridges.

Here's a guy doing it on a turret press.

https://youtu.be/7CvUkGLCYYs

Case sizing seems to be the critical part as Ranger said. That has to be right.

I don't load it because I can't get free brass and I'm too damn cheap to buy it.

[HCM]

I use LEE carbide dies for all my pistol on a Dillon 550.

I thought carbide only helps avoid lube with straight wall cases.

[4given]

I'm super fond of my Lee Classic Turret for "medium volume" reloading. While the speed advantage is great, the real benefit is that I can keep the dies on a turret and not have to dick with adjusting them all the time.

Even though I can reload .38 Special and .357 with the same set of dies, I own two sets: one for my wadcutter .38 loads, and one for my 158 grain LSWC loads, each on their own turrets.

Lester we are twins it seems! I too use a Lee Classic turret for all my handgun reloading including .357 sig! (I have a Glock 31 that is my "car pistol / Highway pistol") It works really well for me and the amount I shoot. I have had very little trouble with it especially since I bought the update primer dispenser. It is much more forgiving than the one it came with and hardly ever needs adjustment

When I load practice rounds for .357 Sig I spray lube the cases and run them through the sizing/depriming die only. I then clean the cases in tumbler with wet stainless steel media, soap and maybe a pinch of Lemishine. I then go back to the Lee Classic and finish the reloading procedure in progressive mode with the sizing die out of the turret. I use the Lee factory crimp die to prevent bullet set back that seems common to .357 sig. Easy peasy!

Here is my set up:

[CCT125US]

Done it on a Dillon 650 with Dillon dies. It was a PIA to set up. I see no reason a single stage would be harder except I would for sure choose one of the single stage turret models (all three dies set in place and you rotate it). No way would I want to be swapping dies in a single stage single die press and having to check it again and again (yes I know if you set the die correctly it is supposed to screw in and run).

Getting the sizing and seating set up correctly were about 20X the trial and error of a normal straight wall pistol case. Get a case gauge before you ever start so you know you have it set correctly and you are making stuff that will chamber or is not too short. I lubed my cases with spray lube before sizing.

In principle it should be no harder than reloading a bottleneck rifle cartridge like .223 or .308, but it is harder. I would say because of the very short neck you are working with on that cartridge. When I started out I ruined at least 1/4 of my cases until I had everything set up correctly. Might just be my ineptitude.

Once I got the kinks worked out I could produce useful practice ammo. I only loaded 125gr FMJ. If I could go back to 1997 or '98 when I bought my first .357 barrel for my Glock 23, and talk to my then self I would say forget it, the thing doesn't really do anything 9mm +P does for you....but hey, we are not talking about common sense, but stuff we gun people just want.

It is an amazingly flat shooting cartridge, not that it matters that much for most handgun purposes.

Excellent info!

Currently have 2 D650s, a Lyman turret, as well as a single stage. Loaded plenty of bottle neck rifle brass, and I think I'll just have to pick up some dies, and gage.

ETA: What type of case life are folks seeing with this cartridge?