Ream throats on a Model 97 .357?

[HAMMERHEAD]

My sweet little 97-.357 does not like my handloads!

I have quite a few .357's, single shot rifle and pistol, lever action etc... They all like my handloads with 158 grain SWC's sized .358" from various vendors. The best seem to be Hornady swaged bullets.

None of these loads will fit in my 97's cylinder. A .357" jacketed bullet will slide through, but a .358" lead bullet will not.

Anyone ream their cylinders? Do I dare modify a masterpiece?

[Steve P]

Are you sure you are not causing a balloon at the base of your brass near the rim when crimping?  I am shooting 200 and 210 grain cast bullets sized .358 in mine.  No problems at all.  I use a dillon 550 and size brass / deprime step 1, bell and powder in step 2, seat bullet in step 3, and crimp in step 4.  I use a redding profile crimp die.  My brass is all the same length. 

Only problem I have seen with FA in .357 was person unable to place reloaded ammo into the cylinder.  Turned out brass was bulging a little near the rim when seating/crimping in the same step.  Person thought it was bullet hitting part way into the chamber.  Turned out it was bulging brass.

Steve 

[mugs]

I use bullets sized .3595 and they fit the cylinder fine. Why .3595, because that's the throat size.
Mugs

[HAMMERHEAD]

Are you sure you are not causing a balloon at the base of your brass near the rim when crimping?

Yes, I use a mild crimp. It's not the brass, the bullets will not enter the throats. A Hornady .358" SWC has to be forced into the throats, while a cast .358" cannot be pushed into the throats (loose bullets, and the cylinder out of the gun).

All my jacketed bullet loads have been fine for over a year. In fact I've had excellent results with some 130 grain FMJ-FP .356" .38 Super bullets.

The throats measure .3575" to .3580" with my digital caliper.

[mugs]

Go ahead and shoot your .358 cast .0005 over should be perfect.
Mugs

[HAMMERHEAD]

Maybe I haven't explained it well enough.

The loaded SWC rounds do not fit in the cylinder because of the tight throats. I would have to tap the rounds in to get them in far enough to rotate the cylinder.

I'm not going to change all my .357 loads to suit my F/A.

I want to change my F/A to suit the loads my other .357's use.

[Steve P]

If you want the FA to fit your reloads, I would send the gun and about 15 rounds of your loaded ammo back to FA and have them change the cylinder so your ammo fits.  They may not offer you a guaranty on they accuracy, but Bob or Don may have the work done for you.

Steve