Reloading for .357 Sig

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Thinking of getting a different caliber. Who reloads for the .357 Sig? Since the case is stepped do you have to use case lube? Do you have to trim after reloading several times as well? Seems like it would be cheap to reload due to the availibility of 9mm bullets other than the purchase price of dies, which I haven't checked into yet.

Thanks

Yep, I did for few years, but hated it. One, you can't shoot just any 9mm bullet. Some work and some done. Reason is, you dno't have much holding the bullet anyway. Biggest flaw with this design. XTP's can work, but don't seat them too deep. You need the sides of the bullets to be flat as possible. In other words, no bullet with long noses taking up the wieght.

Speer makes bullets designed to work well with it. and marked at 357sig bullets.

Second, it was so difficult to crimp enough to hold the bullet in place. Only solution I found was to buy a Lee 40S&W crimp die, and put a 9mm crimp sleeve in it from a Lee 9mm crimp die. You can order the sleeve (they referr to it as a crimp sleeve on parts). That way you are supporting the body while crimping the living crap out of it. The crimp in the sizing die would not hold it, each time I would cycle it thru two pistols, it moved the bullet back.

Lastly, I hated not being able to use a carbide die. You have to lube them. Which made it a pain in my progressive press. I ended up selling 3000 pieces of brass, and dies and bullets and extra barrels for a sig and berretta.

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Bigcountry,

Thanks for the very informative post. I asked the salesman at the gun shop, but he didn't know the answer. You saved me a lot of frustration. I kind of figured with the stepped casing it would not be a fun experience.

Again thanks for the great info