Reload aluminum cases?

GRiNGo

GRiNGo

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Meadow Lake, SK
Question fellas, can I reload aluminum 357 magnum cases? Been reloading for about 20 years for rifles but just started for a lever gun and have some aluminum cases as well as normal brass.

Thanks,
Chad
 
You can. I have reloaded 9mm aluminum cases just to show some young guys at the range it can be done. I wouldn't do it more than once or twice at the outside. It's good for match ammo where there's no time to pick brass. Lubing the cases a bit before sizing, even with carbide dies makes it go smoothly.

Auggie D.
 
I have reloaded aluminium 357 magnum cases to 38 special pressure. Reloaded once then discarded.
Reloaded for 45 ACP as well. Having said that, I don't make a practice of it because I don't need to.
 
They crack really easy. I was losing one in five or so on the first resizing and roughly half were toast after the second.
Still use them to make dummy rounds for die setup and action checking.
 
Okay, thanks guys, good to know. I think I'm gonna load mostly 38 special but was curious. Thanks again! On another note note all dies are not 38/357 apparently. 38spl cases won't reach the crimp so need to either by a crimp die or another set. The box was only hand written on and the brand is I believe Harrells. I'll just buy another set of rcbs on the ee.

Thanks again guys for the info.
 
I collect the 9mm aluminum range brass and when I get enough, I load a batch at moderate pressure for those days when the snow is deep or the grass is tall. I find loading it just once works well. It work hardens very quickly, so I would not bother loading it again.
 
Reloading steel & aluminum cases is akin to casting your own bullets in one sense.Some guys collect & remelt aluminum cans into ingots. While you can resize steel & aluminum cases, there is just so much brass cases around, the extra effort seems a waste IMO.
Most reloaders buy bullets as components rather than cast their own. Where I think the similarities end is the very limited amount of reloadings available for aluminum & steel cases, whereas casting your own bullets can significantly reduce bullet costs & pay off your casting setup after as little as 2000-3000 cast bullets.
 
Haven't done 38 or 357, but done a bunch of 9mm.
Like Ganderite said " great for snowy ranges" when you cant pic up your brass.
I get 2 reloadings out of them at %25 reduced load using 115g bullit.
 
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