Looking for .360 DW reloadable cases.....

[JackD]

......does anyone know of reliable source? I've checked Cabela's and Midway. Star is back-ordering.

Thanks
Jack
in Elmira

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[sneakboxer]

I was bored and found this site <broken link removed> . I never used them before but i might be worth a look.

The 360DW looks pretty cool but hard to feed. Trimming down a 357max would take forever but it might be easier to find.
Good luck!

 

[AMProducts]

.360 DW brass is kinda've a PITA to find, I think RP also makes the brass for this, I would suggest trying maybe grafs if the others don't have it. .357 max is actually quite close in size.

 

[JackD]

Remington has dropped the Maxi brass from it's products.....I'm thinking it is going to be nearly impossible to find......Unless Starline picks up the slack. .360 DW seems to be in a similar situation. I was considering reaming my .357 mag. to Maxi, but with the brass dropping out of sight, I decided to try the .360 DW. It can be used (I'm told) in my .357 mag. SS Handi Rifle without any reaming and that added 1/8" brass length gives that much more powder capacity.

With the heavier, longer bullets, I'm getting very close to Maxi velocities in a magnum case (due to the long throat), but that extra case length will make it easier to get there.

Jack
HMDS, Wrought Iron, Canoe Trailers, Steel Sculptures, Gates

 

[AMProducts]

I would not suggest loading .360DW or .357max in your rifle chambered for .357. However if you are judicious in your choice of powder and bullet I think you can come close to squeezing the same performance out of your rifle using .357 mag as you could by changing the brass...

I would suggest looking into either Hogdon Lil'gun or Alliant 2400 powder as a basis for high velocity loadings in this caliber, both are considered magnum pistol, but also translate well into loading any large/straight wall rifle case including .45-70. Moving to a slower powder will allow you to put more in there before you start getting into trouble. Also, try using small rifle primers instead of small pistol.

 

[JackD]

I would not suggest loading .360DW or .357max in your rifle chambered for .357. However if you are judicious in your choice of powder and bullet I think you can come close to squeezing the same performance out of your rifle using .357 mag as you could by changing the brass...

I would suggest looking into either Hogdon Lil'gun or Alliant 2400 powder as a basis for high velocity loadings in this caliber, both are considered magnum pistol, but also translate well into loading any large/straight wall rifle case including .45-70. Moving to a slower powder will allow you to put more in there before you start getting into trouble. Also, try using small rifle primers instead of small pistol.

Thanks for the suggestions. Not to worry. These Handi Rifles can handle the heavier loads as long as the pressure is not excessive. Many .357 Handi owners have reamed to Maxi without any problems and it seems the .357 magnum chamber is really a .360 DW chamber in most, if not all, later models. I plan to test the chamber for that added case length before I load and fire. The easiest way to do this is to chamber a fired .360 case and if it goes in without resistance, all is good. If the case is not a fired case (resized), thenI'll just bell the mouth until it barely fits into the chamber, then see if it goes all the way in.....a go/no go gauge.

I'm already getting Maxi velocities in a magnum case, but the added length of the .360 DW will make it slightly better. For instance, the 200 gr. FTX is touching the rifling lands at a COL of 2.25" in my Handi, but at that COL, the bullet is only seated ~1/8". Not enough IMO and seating deeper to .22 moves the bullet back too far from the lands for best accuracy (.1"). The added 1/8" of the .360 case solves that problem and adds a little more room for powder. It's a minor change and not at all dangerous...all else being equal. And that's why I work up loads slowly, according to safe loading practices.

I've determined that the 200 gr. FTX over 18 gr. of IMR4227 at a COL of 2.15", is maximum in my rifle (18.5 gr showed some signs of excess pressure) and that is also the maximum load listed on Hodgdon for the 200 gr. with IMR4227 in the Maxi. This load is in the mag case trimmed to 1.285" and the bullet is seated to .22".

I have a web page devoted to this rifle and my loads at Handi Rifle