357 Magnum Loaders: Questions for you for a new reloader

[whiskeybill]

If it's not a hollow point, carefully center punch the nose lead, and then carefully drill (1/8" bit) through the center of the bullet. Drop some good penetrating oil down on the bullet and let it set a spell. Drilling through the bullet breaks the tension of the jacket, breaks loose from the rifling much easier. Then just tap it out with a suitable wood dowel. This isn't something I read somewhere. I have done it a few times. Most times if you had no powder in the case, the bullet gets stuck in the forcing cone and then you just have to tap it out. It's stuck in the leade of the rifling. If the bullet managed to get a few inches down the pipe, it was likely underloaded or didn't have the correct primer for the load. That makes it pretty stuck.

 

[WestcoastWes]

Well the story has a very happy ending. Just to answer one random question I forgot, it was a 110 grain Sierra Load, so I think I was cool on the powder charge.

I thought about making a puller for the bullet, but remembered I sold my Bridgeport Mill before I left Los Angeles, then I thought about using my lathe but realized it got broken in that same move and I have yet to fix it and get it going. So I did what any person who is generally very mechanical minded with air cooled motorcycles and cars would do, I took it to a qualified professional. Firearm Refinishing in Spokane not only fixed it for $50 bones but did it with a 24 hour turn around. The gun looked as good as it did when I dropped it off, and this is a very very nice gun. I have put only 100 rounds through it and it was literally NOS and unfired when I got it. Anyway I am bragging at this point. Thanks Jerry at Firearm Finishing for the great work and turn around time. It was like having a kid in the hospital, but I survived. Actually I have no idea what its like to have a kid in a hospital, since I don't have any, but that just allows me to have more guns and bullets...

Its like Kurt Vonnegut said once. "Read the directions first, even if you don't end up using them."

 

[po18guy]

The primer stood proud because the charge did not ignite or was low pressure. A fully seated primer, when the cartridge is fired, will back out initially due to pressure in the primer pocket unseating it. As the charge ignites and pressure builds, the case is also set back and re-seats the primer, since both then stop against the bolt face - that's how we find them when they are ejected.
Bad primer? Bad powder? Hard to tell. I would email AA with the lot number and see if there are other reports.
As far as charge weights, you cannot go wrong with the data provided by the powder manufacturer.

 

[dangerranger60]

My guess is the proud primer fizzled instead of providing a good spark. And did not ignite the powder. The hammer fall was cushioned by seating the primer instead of setting off a good spark.
I use a wood dowel to knock out a stuck bullet. I have not seen one that could not be gently tapped out .
For awhile set all your new rounds on a sheet of glass, mirror, steel, etc... any with a proud primer will wobble and be very obvious. All with a well seated primer will set up tall and be stable. DR

 

[TDH]

Well the story has a very happy ending. Just to answer one random question I forgot, it was a 110 grain Sierra Load, so I think I was cool on the powder charge.

I thought about making a puller for the bullet, but remembered I sold my Bridgeport Mill before I left Los Angeles, then I thought about using my lathe but realized it got broken in that same move and I have yet to fix it and get it going. So I did what any person who is generally very mechanical minded with air cooled motorcycles and cars would do, I took it to a qualified professional. Firearm Refinishing in Spokane not only fixed it for $50 bones but did it with a 24 hour turn around. The gun looked as good as it did when I dropped it off, and this is a very very nice gun. I have put only 100 rounds through it and it was literally NOS and unfired when I got it. Anyway I am bragging at this point. Thanks Jerry at Firearm Finishing for the great work and turn around time. It was like having a kid in the hospital, but I survived. Actually I have no idea what its like to have a kid in a hospital, since I don't have any, but that just allows me to have more guns and bullets...

Its like Kurt Vonnegut said once. "Read the directions first, even if you don't end up using them."

You also never answered where you got your load data Glad he was able to get the bullet out.

Anyway, you should check another source or two before trying .357 again.

Cartridge: 357 Magnum - Pistol
Bullet: 110 GR. HDY XTP
Primer: Winchester SPM, Small Pistol Magnum

Starting Load

Maximum Load

Availability

Manufacturer

Powder

C.O.L.

Grs.

Vel. (ft/s)

Pressure

Grs.

Vel. (ft/s)

Pressure

Accurate

No. 9

1.575"

15.3

1,478

30,900 PSI

16.9

1,677

34,100 PSI

 

[WestcoastWes]

Hornady 11th Edition. It does not address the Sierra bullet but I thought I would be safe with around the minimum load and using the data on the Hornady 110 Grain bullet. Probably too early for experimentation in my reloading career. Gonna stick with all the components that Hornady recommends and leave the Sierra bullets for when I get some solid data. Got me some Winchester Magnum Small Pistol Primers this past weekend while in Post Falls for the gun show. I did not buy used or old ones, ha. Gonna load some up soon. I am going to take the edge off this week however by shooting the 27-2 with some Federal Loads. Maybe that will help keep me from getting in a hurry and bubblegumming something else up, ha but not funny.

I also ordered the booklet that you guys recommended and am hunting up a Hodgegens at the local Barnes and Noble. Side note I love Spokane because it still has a book store. Started a batch of .45 ACP (which I have done successfully) to take the edge off my reloading addiction.

 

[Guys Guns]

Some background. I have successfully reloaded about 80 38 Special loads and about 50 45 ACP Loads. Guns ran good, accurate dependable, etc.
So I loaded up my first 357 Loads and shot exactly ONE. I heard a small pop and did not fire it again. Upon further investigation, I had stuck the round in the end of 4 Inch barrel Model 27-2 Smith and Wesson. Round was stuck about three quarters of an inch from the end of the barrel. I used 12.2 Grains of Accurate #9 Powder with Sierra .357 Semi- Jacketed bullet. Small Pistol Primer by CCI, and a once fired R-P Plated Brass Shell. Most of the powder that stayed with the gun or was left in the shell looked a little brown which seemed un-burned or partially burned to me. There was some shiney unburned powder in the chamber as well. That Accurate number nine shines and shimmers unlike the Power Pistol I was using in the 38 and 45 loads.

I noticed that the primer was proud just a little unlike the others that were seated just right. Could this be the issue?

I did not use Magnum Primers, did not see any reload data saying I had to use them. Should I have used them?

I don't believe that I under-loaded the charge in the shell, although it is a possibiilty since I had been loading 38 Special, although I don't load these two on the same night just for this reason.

The cray thing is I loaded the 6 Sierra bullets just as an experiment, and loaded about 44 other 357 rounds with Hornady XTP 125 Grain but on a seperate night. The six Sierra were oddballs. The odds of me finding the "bad one" first shot is one in six. Good thing I was not playing Russian Roulette.

Last question: Can I use a tap and screw it into the bullet and pull it out of the end of the barrel or will it be stuck beyond what a strong-ish dude can do? Should I use some other method?

Anyone who has reloaded please give me any and all advice you have. Thanks a bunch

Still sounds like under loaded the round 38 and 357 are different animals bullets the same but shells are different lengths are you single press or multi stage loading check your rounds every 5 to 10 rounds with a powder measure. I covered the basics try that patients and take your time injures and dead only happen once.

 

[WestcoastWes]

Once again thank you for all of the help, guys. Respectfully this issue has been solved. I pulled all of the rounds apart and satisfied myself that the issue was with the lack of magnum primers.

 

[CLT65]

Good call on having a gunsmith fix it. That sounds like a really nice revolver, and it would be a shame to risk damaging it.

 

[Hemlock]

Blue Dot. Clean and snappy. You'll like it. Magnum primers.