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Post by aldisen on May 29, 2017 7:17:52 GMT -5
Anyone ever used Buffalo Arms reformed 357 max brass? any good? General thoughts on BA reformed brass quality?
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Post by ageingstudent on Jun 11, 2017 10:02:06 GMT -5
Anyone ever used Buffalo Arms reformed 357 max brass? any good? General thoughts on BA reformed brass quality? I got some .401 brass formed from 7.62x39 from them a couple years ago and it was decent brass. It's awfully expensive though. I prefer to make my own .351 out of .357 mag brass. It works quite well and is very inexpensive.
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Post by blackbahart on Jun 13, 2017 23:11:35 GMT -5
I formed my own from 357max rem and 360 Dan wesson (starline ) .I like the 360 dw as there is one less cut to length.The reformed 357 max brass has longer life than the new made 351 brass(quality cartridge ) from my experience and when I lose one its not as tramatic LOL cheers Peter
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Post by battis on Oct 19, 2017 0:02:27 GMT -5
In my .351 I use .357 Mag brass. I reduce the rim with a file and drill press and I don't cut an extractor groove. With IMR4227 and a .352 cast bullet, it works great.
I bought some Buffalo Arms brass but I found that the cases mouths of the longer cases made from .357 Max split or got dented beyond use. I also bought a box of loaded rounds and for the heck of it, I pulled a few bullets and measured the powder charge. They ranged from 17 grs to 20 grs of an unknown powder. I'd rather load my own.
.357 Mag brass, no extractor groove, reduced rim - works for me.
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Post by ageingstudent on Oct 26, 2017 7:09:39 GMT -5
In my .351 I use .357 Mag brass. I reduce the rim with a file and drill press and I don't cut an extractor groove. With IMR4227 and a .352 cast bullet, it works great. I bought some Buffalo Arms brass but I found that the cases mouths of the longer cases made from .357 Max split or got dented beyond use. I also bought a box of loaded rounds and for the heck of it, I pulled a few bullets and measured the powder charge. They ranged from 17 grs to 20 grs of an unknown powder. I'd rather load my own. .357 Mag brass, no extractor groove, reduced rim - works for me. If you don't mind my asking, what charge and weight of bullet are you using? I've been using 15.3 grains of 4227 under a 158 or 180 grain lead bullet and it works very well in a .357 mag case. I haven't tried higher because it works so well in mine at that charge. I haven't tried any other powder either, but I have some SR4759 I'm going to try at some point since there is data to be found for it.
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Post by battis on Oct 26, 2017 9:34:21 GMT -5
I use 17 grs IMR4227, which is about the minimum charge that will work the action. I use this mold from Accurate Molds:
"Bullet design #35-175A detail Approximate weight in clip-on wheel weight alloy: 175 grains"
The bullet slightly compresses the 4227, which is good. I don't think I could get much more powder in that case.
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Post by battis on Oct 26, 2017 10:51:04 GMT -5
The problem I had using .357 Mag brass with a .352 bullet is getting the neck tension tight enough to hold the bullet. I bought two different brands of .351 dies but neither would work with the .357 brass (I returned both die sets). So I went back to using .38/.357 dies but like I said they wouldn't tighten the case neck. Then someone suggested using a .223 die for neck tension, and it works well. The .223 die is tapered so you can put as much tension into the neck as needed. The bullet still spins around, but a good crimp holds it from pulling out and the powder keeps it from falling in. Not perfect, but it works well.
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Post by ageingstudent on Oct 26, 2017 18:47:52 GMT -5
I wasn't sure I could fit 17 grains in a mag case lol. I'll have to try up the ladder a bit but for some reason mine functions perfectly to date with hundreds of rounds at 15.3 grains. I used 15.0 to start out and only went up to 15.6 because it was working so well. Mine is a later model circa ~ 1950 and it spent most of it's life in a rack I think.
As far as the neck tension, try running the cases into a .380acp sizing die just down to the depth the bullet will be seated and then follow that with a pass through the .357 die. It works like a charm for me to get excellent neck tension. I believe a 9mm die will work as well, but I like the .380 since it is a straighter walled case.
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Post by battis on Oct 26, 2017 19:30:36 GMT -5
If 15.3 grs work, I'd stick with it. Did you put a new recoil spring in? 17 grs is what it takes to work the action on mine with the new spring.
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Post by ageingstudent on Oct 27, 2017 7:39:18 GMT -5
If 15.3 grs work, I'd stick with it. Did you put a new recoil spring in? 17 grs is what it takes to work the action on mine with the new spring. I didn't put a new spring in because the whole thing looks basically new inside. I also load for a .401 (made in 1918 so alot older than my .351) if I remmember correctly, that starts clanging when the charge is too high for the old spring and buffer lol so I know what a weak spring sounds like. I was theorizing that the slightly shorter .357 mag cartridge was perhaps providing a bit more pressure at a lower charge weight. But perhaps it is just age weakening or older metalurgy differences or perhaps bolt weight/dimensional chamber differences. I should get the chrony out and see what the velocity is doing I guess. I haven't been feeling well so it's hard to get up the motivation for more testing.
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Post by blackbahart on Oct 28, 2017 2:49:35 GMT -5
I use the Lee factory crimp die for 38/357 and never had any issues Peter
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