Author Topic: info on reloading for a .357 lever gun  (Read 891 times)

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Offline buck460XVR

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info on reloading for a .357 lever gun
« on: February 21, 2009, 06:13:55 AM »
Stopped by my local gun shop yesterday to get some reloading supplies(yep' they still had everything I needed), just as they were unpacking a new shipment of guns. They were playin' with a new Rossi stainless .357 carbine that they had ordered for a NWTF banquet. Told 'em I had been lookin' for one for a while, but nobody had any. They told me I could have it for what they were gonna sell it to the local club for....$500. As they were fillin' out the paperwork they called their distributor to get another.....with no luck. Guess sometimes you just gotta be in the right place......... ;D

Was gonna shoot it today, but a (censored word) blizzard is gonna make me wait till tomorrow. They threw in a box of Federal 158s with the deal so I was gonna try them first and then my reloads for my revolver.

..anyway, I asked them about reloading for it and they told me it shouldn't be any different than reloading for my revolvers. When I told them I have heard that the levers prefer a taper crimp, I was told not necessarily true. Is this true or  do the levers really prefer a taper crimp? I'd really like to be able to use the same loads for both.
"where'd you get the gun....son?"

Offline Graybeard

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Re: info on reloading for a .357 lever gun
« Reply #1 on: February 21, 2009, 06:34:05 AM »
It's a .357 magnum just load it like one and stop paying attention to rumors.


Bill aka the Graybeard
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Offline cwlongshot

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Re: info on reloading for a .357 lever gun
« Reply #2 on: February 21, 2009, 07:07:13 AM »
I agree with Bill...

 The only time I use a taper crimp on a caliber such as the 357Mag is when I am shooting a bullet without a cannalure, and that is quite UNcommon. Its a great caliber that is forgiving and easy to load for. Dont make it anymore difficult than that.

CW
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Offline Badnews Bob

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Re: info on reloading for a .357 lever gun
« Reply #3 on: February 21, 2009, 07:24:53 AM »
I load the same  for all my .357, rifle pistol no matter, althou there are some rifle only loads out there I usally don't use them.
Badnews Bob
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Offline buck460XVR

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Re: info on reloading for a .357 lever gun
« Reply #4 on: February 21, 2009, 08:18:56 AM »
thanks guys.....I knew I could count on you for a definitive answer.

Quote
althou there are some rifle only loads out there I usally don't use them.



I probably won't either. This is mostly gonna be a bowlin' pin gun. I basically got it cause of the relative cheap cost of shooting it. My youngest has always had a fascination with  the  Winny .32 Special my grandpa gave me, and this will probably be more his gun than mine.


Quote
Its a great caliber that is forgiving and easy to load for.

..........another reason I bought it.
"where'd you get the gun....son?"

Offline buck460XVR

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Re: info on reloading for a .357 lever gun
« Reply #5 on: February 27, 2009, 04:17:24 AM »
Finally got to shoot the new lever on Wednesday, and it ate all my reloads just fine. Seems to have an appetite for 7.5 grains of Unique under a 158 JHP. Kinda like shootin a .22 mag and highly accurate. Sucker really throws the brass tho................next time I'm gonna take a drop cloth along.

"where'd you get the gun....son?"

Offline Gohon

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Re: info on reloading for a .357 lever gun
« Reply #6 on: February 27, 2009, 05:14:16 PM »
Quote
When I told them I have heard that the levers prefer a taper crimp

I've never heard that before.  I use a Lee Factory Crimp die which puts a beautiful roll crimp on the .357 and have never had a problem with my 1894C.  Once that LFC die is set, that's it from load to load.

Offline bilmac

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Re: info on reloading for a .357 lever gun
« Reply #7 on: February 27, 2009, 06:09:12 PM »
Only difference is that my Marlin will sometimes hang up a little feeding SWC's , so I don't use them for competition. Not serious enough to not use them for hunting, they usually go in if you back the lever up and try again. Your Rossi may be different.

Offline Sweetwater

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Re: info on reloading for a .357 lever gun
« Reply #8 on: February 27, 2009, 10:00:27 PM »
I load the same  for all my .357, rifle pistol no matter, althou there are some rifle only loads out there I usally don't use them.

My Marlin 1894S is a 41Mag, and it did not like my standard Silhouette load for my NMBH - a pal had a set (rifle/revolver) in 44Mag that did the same thing. The cylinder gap in the revolvers let off enough pressure, apparently, to let everything be happy (we thought). Not so with the rifle, and we got several case head seperations in the rifles. Decided the revolvers could digest anything the rifles could, but not vice-versa and the rifles became the limiting factor. We have never agreed with what the manuals published about not using rifle loads in these revolvers. Not from our experience, anyway. Handload responsibly and listen to your guns...

I've never had a problem feeding SWC's in my Marlin, maybe because it's a 41Mag? The Marlin 44Mag fed fine, also.

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Sweetwater
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Offline dpe.ahoy

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Re: info on reloading for a .357 lever gun
« Reply #9 on: February 28, 2009, 04:20:01 PM »
Some levers need to get massaged alittle to feed SWCs.  Right now I have 5 levers in pistol chamberings and all 5 seem to take whatever I feed em as long as I rack the lever normal.  I have had friends try to do it real slow and that can cause issues.   DP
RIP Oct 27, 2017

Handi's:22Shot, 22LR, 2-22Mag, 22Hornet, 5-223, 2-357Max, 44 mag, 2-45LC, 7-30 Waters, 7mm-08, 280, 25-06, 30-30, 30-30AI, 444Marlin, 45-70, AND 2-38-55s, 158 Topper 22 Hornet/20ga. combo;  Levers-Marlins:Two 357's, 44 mag, 4-30-30s, RC-Glenfields 36G-30A & XLR, 3-35 Rem, M-375, 2-444P's, 444SS, 308 MX, 338Marlin MXLR, 38-55 CB, 45-70 GS, XS7 22-250 and 7mm08;  BLR's:7mm08, 358Win;  Rossi: 3-357mag, 44mag, 2-454 Casull; Winchesters: 7-30 Waters, 45Colt Trapper; Bolt actions, too many;  22's, way too many.  Who says it's an addiction?