Hey looking to get into reloading both calibers. I already have equipment for reloading 45 ACP and 30-06. Might not be worth it for 40sw, but 357 SIG is impossible to find it seems like.

I have only used RCBS dies in the past since I use a RCBS rockchucker. Are there better dies to consider?

Anyone have recommended loads they like for either caliber?

I haven’t reloaded the 40 S&W in a good while, still have some of my reloads though. I do like the round, usually carry others. On top of that, I was given 100’s of rounds from 2 shooters getting out of the 40, factory ammo.

When I last reloaded the 40 I used H Universal powder, medium speed, covers a lot of bases. No it’s not the same as Unique, but similar, usually meters a little better. I mostly loaded 165 grain plated bullets for the range.

With a cartridge I only plan to load periodically, I usually look for dies on sale. Even without a sale, Lee is usually just fine. I do have a few sets of Redding, RCBS, Lyman, & Hornady. I think I like Redding the best.

I just started with the 400 Legend. I did see a Redding set on sale, ended up going with Lee. Another thing is to mix & match some. That is, buy individual dies, better quality for more critical steps. I’ve done that on rounds I load more often, 223, 22-250, 243, 308.

I’ve not dealt with the 357 Sig.

I've loaded thousands of .357SIG using a Dillon carbide die set on a 550b, then a 650 press. They work really well. My favorite bullet was the 125gr Montana Gold FMJ or JHP. I never had much luck with plated bullets; they were going too fast and started keyholing. For powder my go-to is AA#7, around 11.5-12.5 grains.

I have been shooting and hand loading the 357SIG cartridge since the early 1990s. There was a point in time when I was going through more than 6,000 rounds of 357SIG annually.

To date, I have loaded many 10s of thousands of 357SIG rounds utilizing projectiles as light as 85 grains and as heavy as 147 Using a variety of different powders

I currently load on a 5 station progressive press. All five stations are in use with this particular cartridge

Due to the bottleneck design there are a few considerations that make loading this cartridge easier.

Station 1 has a 40S&W sizing die that also decaps the cartridge at the same time

Station 2 has a 357SIG sizing die and primes the case. I have tried the carbide Dillon dies as well as various brands of steel sizing dies. Since both needed a little case lube was necessary either way to keep the progressive press running at a good speed you might as well save the money and you steel dies. The case lube that I use is the Hornady One Shot. Just a quick 1 or 2 second spray into the brass bucket and then hand toss

Station 3 drops powder and expands the case mouth

Projectile selection for this cartridge is quite important. From a diameter standpoint it uses the same projectiles as the nine millimeter parabellum in the 380 acp however due to the very short case neck many of these projectiles that have been designed over the last 100 years are not viable choices. These older designed projectiles have an ogive that leaves little surface area for neck tension. The more modern Hornaday XTP and HAP projectiles are much much better choices for this cartridge.

I seat and crimp at stations 4 and 5 respectively

For crimping I use a Lee Factory Crimp Die, the FCD for bottleneck cartridges is a collet style crimp, totally different than what is imparted on revolver or semi-auto cartridges. The FCD has been a game changer

I use nearly the same set up at Colt SAA.

I run the 40S&W and 357SIG cases through an RCBS "Bulge" buster, if using range brass. The Glock chambers aren't as supported around the feed ramps as other barrels and can cause feeding issues. If you have any of those mixed in they can go through a carbide 40S&W sizing die and still wreck havoc in the chamber (jam).

Capital City Brass has 357 SIG cases (and others), and RMR 124 grain nukes work splendidly with AA#7 behind them. I've tried many 9mm bullets over the years and like Colt SAA mentions, your results may vary.

Good luck. 357 SIG is a cool cartridge. It's like a 9mm on steroids. 40S&W is fun too. I like VV 320 behind a 180 grain bullet but so many load options.

Personally, I've never found it necessary to double-size with a .40 die or lubricate with the Dillon carbide dies. There's nothing wrong with doing those; they will make the sizing take a bit less elbow grease. Still, I likely would have dumped that caliber if all of these extra steps were necessary, especially since I started loading it on a Dillon 550b, which only has 4 stations.

I would also emphasize that bullet selection is critical. Any bullet advertised as being for .357SIG should work, but not all for 9mm will. The case needs greater flat-sided real estate than many 9mm bullets have. Truncated cones work very well. Most of mine look like these:



Whereas this doesn't work too well. You may have setback issues:

SigBoss, would you please email me? My address is in my public profile. I have some info I'd like to give you.

Thanks

You want to use powder that fills the case. Look at Accurate #9. This helps with preventing bullet set back.

There are bullets that are designed for the 357 Sig from Speer that have more bearing surface.

Dillon has carbide die sets. SPENDY.

Some people use the Redding G-RX size die to size the body of the case as it is a carbide sizer. Then use the FL sizer in the regular die set to take care of neck tension.

Some say the case headspaces off the case mouth others say it headspaces off the shoulder.

CIP vs SAAMI

I have a Dillon Die set, a wilson case gage, and I have not had any troubles with just kissing the the case mouth with the taper crimp die.

RCBS and Hornady dies come with 2 dies much akin to loading a rifle round. FL Size and seater/crimp die.

Those seater crimp dies are a roll crimp function NOT a taper crimp function.