Quite a difference in case length

[dlbleak]

These are once fired factory 357 shells. Hornady on the left and Winchester on the right. Seems like a big difference in cases. Will certainly have an effect on bullet depth or jump to the lands.

 

[Okie4570]

Big difference in pressure and velocity too.

 

[Gunbuffer]

Not that big a difference. Especially in a pistol round at pistol ranges. If the same oal is used and the same bullet and powder is used, then the only real variable is the effect of the crimp and it’s resistance on the fired projectile.

 

[swampratt]

I have a German 357 Magnum and I must trim my cases shorter than US specs.
I also have a S&W 357 that accepts the longer cases and when I mix the 2 there is not any accuracy difference.

I do not crimp my 357 cases and i do not run them through any Lee carbide crimp die either because I am shooting specifically
sized lead cases and if I run the loaded cases through the carbide crimp die it will pinch my bullets down below my barrel diameter.

Then accuracy suffers.

When I did a brass fail test in .308 I did not trim my cases until they got so long that they were in the lands and the size difference was .035"
Yes that is quite a bit longer.
But accuracy at 100 yards with it was the same and again I did not perform any crimping.

My 357 cases are 1.265" for the short ones and 1.290" for the longer ones. 1.155" I think is 38 special


I did find mixing different cases changes accuracy.
Case wall thickness and alloy of the case causes the big accuracy differences.

Measure the ID and OD of those 2 cases after sizing it may surprise you.
I have seen more than .005" difference.
Even between the same brands but different lots of cases.

Same thing goes for 45 and 40.
The amount of sorting never ends.

 

[magna19]

These are once fired factory 357 shells. Hornady on the left and Winchester on the right. Seems like a big difference in cases. Will certainly have an effect on bullet depth or jump to the lands.

Do you know the factory load from the Hornady brass? Seems like I read something about shorter length in one of their FTX reloading prints somewhere. It could have been from a phone call to tech.

 

[dlbleak]

Do you know the factory load from the Hornady brass? Seems like I read something about shorter length in one of their FTX reloading prints somewhere. It could have been from a phone call to tech.

I don’t know the load. I realize that in a pistol cartridge it probably doesn’t make a huge difference but if I guy was dabbling at the top end of hot, there could be some issues.

 

[magna19]

I don’t know the load. I realize that in a pistol cartridge it probably doesn’t make a huge difference but if I guy was dabbling at the top end of hot, there could be some issues.

One more question for the Hornady brass. How do you know its once fired?

 

[dlbleak]

It’s actually one of the guys I work with. He just shot these last weekend. I’m setting him up with a press and dies so he can start loading. I was helping him clean and check his brass.

 

[magna19]

It’s actually one of the guys I work with. He just shot these last weekend. I’m setting him up with a press and dies so he can start loading. I was helping him clean and check his brass.

Gotcha, I think Hornady told me to use a case length shorter with one of their FTX bullets. Maybe tied to the leverevolution loaded ammo

 

[magna19]

Speaking of Hornady 140 FTX bullets in a 357 mag revolver. Im a big fan of the full load accuarcy, recoil, and possibly less flame cutting than the 125 grs. with a couple of my Ruger SA on shooting bench or off-hand.@ 25 yds.