Reloading the .357 Magnum
 

I did a search and was not able to find a topic on this. Does anyone re-load the .357 Magnum or is it cheaper to just buy high quality (Federal, Remington, etc) ammo?

If you do re-load it, what's the best primer to use?

Thanks.

I typically reload most of my .357mag ammo. I divide my shooting between two loads, a powder puff 125grn plated bullet over Unique with standard primers, and a hotrod 158 XTP over H110/W296, using magnum primers.

Don’t overthink primer choice, especially in this era of extreme demand. Use SPM’s with ball powder like H100/W296 - but many other powders will function fine with standard SP’s.

https://leeprecision.com/6-cavity-c358-158-swc.html


14 grains of 2400 powder and a federal or winchester small pistol primer

my brother in laws lost count of the deer and hogs hes killed using his 357 mag ruger revolver and marlin carbine

Cheaper to reload That depends. Do you already have reloading equipment? If so then yes it probably is if you can find the components. If you don't have reloading equipment (press, scale, powder measure/thrower) and you don't shoot that often then just buy the ammo. You'll spend a few hundred bucks on the above equipment plus you'll have to buy the dies, powder, bullets, primers, and cases.
Another thing, 357 cases are relatively thin and you can't get too many loading out of them before the case mouths begin to crack.