Well I tried the idea I'd heard about so often, using .357 diameter pistol bullets in 35 Remington cases. Did a few dry runs with empty cases to practice the seating. They seemed to seat fine, but then I noticed that they were very easily pushed down the neck and into the case with minimal effort (okay, I'm not an engineer but in a tube fed rifle this strikes me as a bad thing :eek: )

So I tried adjusting both the reseating and resizing, no luck. Lee crimping die didn't help either.

So, is it me or am I missing something? FYI I was using 158gr FMJ Berry bullets and a Lee press/dies. Thanks for any ideas---Jason

1) The .35 Rem dies are dimensioned for .358 bullets
2) Berry bullets and similar are frequently found under-sized, as small as .355

Try using a conventional jacketed bullet, like a Hornady, with a cannellure, and see what happens. The sharp cannellure with a crimp should eliminate the problem. Polishing the expander to .356 or so, or remove the expander entirely may solve the problem. Get a Lee or RCBS universal de-capping die to take the function of the expander.

Well I tried the idea I'd heard about so often, using .357 diameter pistol bullets in 35 Remington cases. Did a few dry runs with empty cases to practice the seating. They seemed to seat fine, but then I noticed that they were very easily pushed down the neck and into the case with minimal effort (okay, I'm not an engineer but in a tube fed rifle this strikes me as a bad thing :eek: )

So I tried adjusting both the reseating and resizing, no luck. Lee crimping die didn't help either.

So, is it me or am I missing something? FYI I was using 158gr FMJ Berry bullets and a Lee press/dies. Thanks for any ideas---Jason

Can give you a fix.

Size in .35Rem. die as normal, just to decap them
Remove decapper (which also has the expander button on it).
Neck size with the decapping rod OUT.
Expand with .38specail. 357 expander die.
then continue loading as normal with .35Rem. dies.


If that doesn't work, can move to a 9mm expander.


IF you ant to keep it even simpler, then remove the expander button from the decapping rod (or substitute some smaller caliber's decapper rod) and slightly flare the case by hand (a little push with a tapered shank of a center punch would work).

Right - the expander is too big. When you get done fixing that problem, a Lee FCD in .35 Rem might be a good idea, also.

I load hornady .357 XTP HPs 158gn
35 rem lee dies.

Nothing else required. I do believe the bullets need a dia check.

I load the Nosler 180gr. Partition HG, for my .35 rem., I use RCBS dies and seat and crimp at the same time. I haven't noticed any problems?

Thanks to any and all who responded with advice. I'm going to check the bullets with one of the good micrometers at work and make sure they were not undersized, and I'll let everybody know for your own edification as well.