Over pressure signs in .357 factory ammo.

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Over pressure signs in .357 factory ammo.

Post by fenderstrat » 07 Mar 2020, 5:57 pm

Hi, I recently acquired a S&W model 19 in .357. My first revolver, so I've been shooting.38 special ammo for the first couple of times at the range, just to get used to it. I recently tried some Blazer .357 158gn JHP on it. It shoot fine, but when I had a look at the cases the primers were flattened quite a bit. You can see it in the picture, compared to some .38 cases
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Obviously .357 has a lot more power, but should I be getting flattened primers like that? Is that normal?
Cheers
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Re: Over pressure signs in .357 factory ammo.

Post by bladeracer » 07 Mar 2020, 6:18 pm

Primers are a very random indicator of pressures. It could just be a very soft cup.
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Re: Over pressure signs in .357 factory ammo.

Post by wanneroo » 08 Mar 2020, 1:02 am

357 Magnum primers often look like that in my experience.

I think I have some Blazer Brass 357 Mag, if I do I'll shoot some this weekend and see what I get.
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Re: Over pressure signs in .357 factory ammo.

Post by fenderstrat » 08 Mar 2020, 6:25 pm

wanneroo wrote:357 Magnum primers often look like that in my experience.

I think I have some Blazer Brass 357 Mag, if I do I'll shoot some this weekend and see what I get.


Cheers! I'm looking forward to hear how you went.

I have encountered a similar thing with S&B .303 ammo flattened primers but no issues. But this one's tricky because of the whole .38 special .357 mag relationship.
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Re: Over pressure signs in .357 factory ammo.

Post by wanneroo » 09 Mar 2020, 9:15 am

I looked in my arsenal and found a few newish boxes of Blazer Brass 158g JHP 357 Magnum so I took that up on the mountain today to shoot some and here are the results. Looks the same as yours. Nice early spring day, just had snow on Friday but today the temp shot up to about 14C or so with clear blue skies and sun. So time to get a fire going and make some lunch at the fire pit at the range.
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Re: Over pressure signs in .357 factory ammo.

Post by Gamerancher » 09 Mar 2020, 9:24 am

I think you will find it is just very soft primer cups.
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Re: Over pressure signs in .357 factory ammo.

Post by fenderstrat » 09 Mar 2020, 6:18 pm

wanneroo wrote:I looked in my arsenal and found a few newish boxes of Blazer Brass 158g JHP 357 Magnum so I took that up on the mountain today to shoot some and here are the results. Looks the same as yours. Nice early spring day, just had snow on Friday but today the temp shot up to about 14C or so with clear blue skies and sun. So time to get a fire going and make some lunch at the fire pit at the range.



Wow, thanks a lot Wanneroo! I'm guessing they are just soft primers after all. Also I'm very jealous of your snow. It was a 30C here today, which is pretty mild temperatures here in the Central Queensland autumn!
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Re: Over pressure signs in .357 factory ammo.

Post by wanneroo » 10 Mar 2020, 12:45 am

fenderstrat wrote:Wow, thanks a lot Wanneroo! I'm guessing they are just soft primers after all. Also I'm very jealous of your snow. It was a 30C here today, which is pretty mild temperatures here in the Central Queensland autumn!


Yep I just think it's soft primers and nothing really to worry about, hope that helped out. We are getting an early spring but probably good with the coronapanic going on, however often we can get some big snow storms in March and into April.
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Re: Over pressure signs in .357 factory ammo.

Post by straightshooter » 10 Mar 2020, 6:27 am

Don't overlook the possibility of loose headspace.
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Re: Over pressure signs in .357 factory ammo.

Post by rc42 » 12 Mar 2020, 3:45 pm

I haven't tried the Blazer .357 yet but the PPU .357 SJHP is the hottest factory ammunition that I've come across so far in that caliber.

Might be a better comparison to use with the PPU 38 Specials
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Re: Over pressure signs in .357 factory ammo.

Post by wrenchman » 13 Mar 2020, 8:12 am

rc42 i dont no if you can get garret rounds over there but they have some real good stuff hornady does too.
just keep in mind the model 19 were not made to run hot 357 they were made to be duty guns for the police i have seen and read of forcing cone cracks on the older ones.
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Re: Over pressure signs in .357 factory ammo.

Post by Bugman » 24 Mar 2020, 5:00 pm

Yes they look like the result of soft primers, but in a factory load? I only load my own .357 ammo. I get to control the results, in most cases. Don't use factory ammo for targets. I have seen poor results in competition matches with shooters using factory ammo compared to those who load their own.
S&W Model 19....nice gun.
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