WTB or WTT for 357SIG RCBS Die Set

dpatterson · Post by **dpatterson** » Sat Feb 25, 2006 6:04 pm

I am needing a set of 357SIG Dies. I have several things to trade if needed.

Including....

44MAG RCBS Die Set
45 RCBS Die Set
30-30 RCBS Die Set
22-250 RCBS Die Set
38Spl/357MAG Lymans Die Set

Thanks to longtooth's help I aquired several reloading items today. Including a RCBS Rock Chucker Press, a Mec 650 20ga Press, a Mec 600 Jr mark V 12ga Press, the dies you see above and lots of other items..... Thanks LT!

Daniel

longtooth · Post by **longtooth** » Sat Feb 25, 2006 7:11 pm

you're welcome. If you get rained our of a shooting match make bullets. He found it, made the deal, & called me to go look. The only thing he will need is a set of calipers & the sig dies. While we are here all you loaders that do .357 sig.,??? Do you treat these like a 5/8 in tall rifle case. I have never seen the dies. It would seem to me like with the neck sized down that it would load like a rifle case. Talk to us. Thanks in advance. He got bench & all. Shelves, on rollers, Man am i jealous.

He is a computer guy too so you guys get on him for some pics as soon as he gets it cleaned up. Good job dp.

Tom · Post by **Tom** » Sat Feb 25, 2006 7:37 pm

longtooth wrote:you're welcome. If you get rained our of a shooting match make bullets. He found it, made the deal, & called me to go look. The only thing he will need is a set of calipers & the sig dies. While we are here all you loaders that do .357 sig.,??? Do you treat these like a 5/8 in tall rifle case. I have never seen the dies. It would seem to me like with the neck sized down that it would load like a rifle case. Talk to us. Thanks in advance. He got bench & all. Shelves, on rollers, Man am i jealous. He is a computer guy too so you guys get on him for some pics as soon as he gets it cleaned up. Good job dp.

I have a set of Lee dies in 357 SIG and had done all of the wrong things until I finally got it figured out.

The Lee dies are steel, so the cases must be lubed. I full length size them each and every time. I also, after lots of messed up cases, got the Lee crimping die. Worth the money; saves lot of screwing around with seating depths and crimping.

The biggest problem I have had with the cases is length growth. Once I figured out that trimming was absolutely necessary, and I stopped trying to crimp with the seating die, all issues evaporated.

I also do not buy the "special" 355 bullets for this caliber. I use everything and anything that will fit a 9mm or .380 Auto, including 88gr HP and 95 gr FMJ (my favorite - BTW). The light bullets make for a nice shooting, low recoiling cartridge. And they can be fairly zippy.

I use Lee loading data (mostly) and have stuck with AA#5 because I have a bunch of it. If you stick to the published loads you can get great results and still push the bullets to the 1600 fps region.

All in all, it is a fun round with a few handloading quirks to get around but doable if you are patient.

Go slow, be careful, and have fun.

Kind Regards,

Tom

dpatterson · Post by **dpatterson** » Sat Feb 25, 2006 9:35 pm

Tom... thanks for the info... I have been cleaning up some of the equipment in the sale to turn around and sell or trade for a few things that I need to get started on the 357SIG.

Thanks again!

Daniel