Montana bullet works .357 mag 180g review

[Shadow9mm]

So I ordered batch of Montana bullet works wide flat nose gas checked 180g bullets for my 357 mag sized to .359 (.358 will slide through the cylinder with light finger pressure). BHN listed s 22. You can find them here https://www.montanabulletworks.com/product/357-noe-180gr-wfn-gc/

They came exceptionally well packaged. a small USPS flat rate box filled tightly with paper with the box of bullets inside. Upon open the box the bullets were all stood up on their bases with scraps of cardboard to keep them from moving around.

Upon looking at some they all look like good clean well cast bullets, but there was a bit more excess lube than I expected on the ogive of the bullets.

My caliper batteries died on me, I will get some measurements when I get chance to replace the batteries.

I weighed all of the 100, they were all heavy and I am not sure, regarding cast bullets if the weight distribution is acceptable. It is an Average of 187.16, ES of 2.4g,

186.0 - 1
186.1 - 2
186.2 - 0
186.3 - 6
186.4 - 2
186.5 - 3
186.6 - 4
186.7 - 6
186.8 - 8
186.9 - 3
187.0 - 8
187.1 - 8
187.2 - 7
187.3 - 11
187.4 - 3
187.5 - 4
187.6 - 1
187.7 - 4
187.8 - 6
187.9 - 4
188.0 - 6
188.1 - 1
188.2 - 1
188.3 - 0
188.4 - 1

 

[44 AMP]

My dial calipers have never suffered a battery failure. Neither have my Vernier calipers.

And, they've been "on" continuously for decades.

 

[Shadow9mm]

My dial calipers have never suffered a battery failure. Neither have my Vernier calipers.

And, they've been "on" continuously for decades.

I need to get a nice dial caliper, but bill have to come first for now and a $5 batter beats a cheap $35 dial caliper and I don't have the $ right now for a starrett.

 

[44 AMP]

I also have a vernier Craftsman that has possibly been around longer than I have. Other that the fact that NOW I need glasses to read it correctly, its still good and I think I only paid $15 for it, 45 years ago.

You don't need the best, most expensive tools for reading to the nearest .001" you just need tools that are good enough and in decent condition and those can often be found fairly inexpensively.

THey make plastic calipers, they sell pretty cheap, but I won't be buying any of them.

IF you've got the time, and the inclination, check YARD SALES. Often you can find older, used but still in good condition tools for almost nothing. Sometimes, you can even find reloading specific stuff.

One fellow I knew found a great condition 1903 Springfield, for $40. There was also a semi auto .22 for $100 but they only asked $40 for the "old Army gun"...

costs TIME but sometimes you can find great deals that save $. Right now, I've got lots more time than $. Your situation is likely different...

 

[Old_School]

I also have a vernier Craftsman that has possibly been around longer than I have. Other that the fact that NOW I need glasses to read it correctly, its still good and I think I only paid $15 for it, 45 years ago.



You don't need the best, most expensive tools for reading to the nearest .001" you just need tools that are good enough and in decent condition and those can often be found fairly inexpensively.



THey make plastic calipers, they sell pretty cheap, but I won't be buying any of them.



IF you've got the time, and the inclination, check YARD SALES. Often you can find older, used but still in good condition tools for almost nothing. Sometimes, you can even find reloading specific stuff.



One fellow I knew found a great condition 1903 Springfield, for $40. There was also a semi auto .22 for $100 but they only asked $40 for the "old Army gun"...



costs TIME but sometimes you can find great deals that save $. Right now, I've got lots more time than $. Your situation is likely different...

Bought a Craftsman Dial caliper new for $49 about 40 years ago. Still works great and is more repeatable than Dillon and Harbor Fright calipers I've bought at garage sales since then.

Sent from my SM-G781U1 using Tapatalk

 

[Mr.RevolverGuy]

Shadow 9mm how long did it take you to get the product?

 

[Shadow9mm]

Shadow 9mm how long did it take you to get the product?

Ordered in the evening October 21st, delivered November 1st.

 

[Nick_C_S]

And, they've been "on" continuously for decades.

Yeah, so has my gravity scale .

Nice looking bullets. They're honkers, that's for sure. Big heavies.

Hope they work well for you. Keep us updated.

In all my years of loading, I have never tried gas checked bullets. Perhaps I should. I may well visit that after I get all moved in up in Idaho. I'd be interested in those 158 SWC's. They look good.

 

[Shadow9mm]

Yeah, so has my gravity scale .

Nice looking bullets. They're honkers, that's for sure. Big heavies.

Hope they work well for you. Keep us updated.

In all my years of loading, I have never tried gas checked bullets. Perhaps I should. I may well visit that after I get all moved in up in Idaho. I'd be interested in those 158 SWC's. They look good.

Normally I use plain base, but for full power 357 or anything above 1150fps I use jacketed or gas checked

 

[ammo.crafter]

357 heavy

Have you tried BearTooth?

I use them to reload .357 Maximum and find them quite consistent.

 

[44 AMP]

In .357 I don't bother with anything heavier than 158/160gr. If I want/need more than that, I use a bigger cartridge.

I've used gas check bullets, never had any problems with them, but I don't seek them out. If the bullets I'm buying happen to be gas checks, that's fine, if not, that's fine with me, too. When I'm loading to over 1100fps I use jacketed bullets. Personal preference, not a necessity.

 

[Unclenick]

Shadow9mm,

For pistol, a spread of 3 grains is considered acceptable. If the bullets all came out of the same mold cavity, I'd expect a little better, but if they came from multiple mold cavities, as commercial bullets usually do, then I would expect no better.

 

[HiBC]

The post is not about calipers,but the mention of the old Craftsman verniers...
There are several brands of the older tools that have merit. Craftsman did not make much of anything. Lufkin made some fine tools that were sold as Craftsman.

Not all verniers are the same.The anti-glare quality of a matte satin chrome makes them easier to read.

The Swiss made Etalons can be an elegant find.

Mausers,Helios,of course Starret and Brown and Sharpe... I think I have bought at least 4,maybe 5 pair of the Craftsmans or equiv off e-bay.

If you can see well,they are perfectly adequate for reloading. If you are exaluating bullets or measuring closer than .002 or so,use a micrometer.

A vernier is the 1911 of calipers,It goes well in the top drawers of a mechanic;s tool box. Its a perfect gift for a Grandson or Grand Daughter.

I am loyal to the Browne and Sharpe or Tesa dial calipers. Lived by them every day. They are my #1 choice,

But every dial caliper must be kept clean. Crumbs in the rack can ruin them.
And they don't survive being dropped,usually.

Verniers need no batteries,in most cases,they can be cleaned. A powder granule won't crunch in the rack. 15 years in a tool box drawer and when you need it,it will measure. Its easy to get within .002. With a loupe,you can call that last .001.

The digitals have their place.I gave up on the cheapos, The battery is ALWAYS dead. Mitutoyo makes one that is coolant proof. That matters sometimes.

Oh well.I'm a fan of having verniers around.

 

[44 AMP]

My experience with verniers and eyes 40+ years younger than what I'm using now is that I had no trouble reading them to the nearest 0.001"

However, reading them to the nearest .002" might be a better general statement because I remember several people in my shop that could not read the vernier scale and get the same number I did. Some folks would get the same reading I did. Some would consistently get a different reading, generall off from mine by .001

I don't know if they still teach it, but one trick I was taught (and told it was important) was to never store the calipers with the jaws completely closed. always leave them gapped open a tiny bit.

 

[TX Nimrod]

Wow, one of the biggest thread-jacks I’ve seen in awhile. Can I play too? One trick I was taught - it’s actually ISO standard in some disciplines - is to calibrate all measuring devices before each use, or at least according to a strict calibration schedule. Some would be surprised at the accuracy drift of some tools, particularly non-scientific grade balances. Why do we even bother measuring if we don’t check to make certain we’re doing it right?

There is the story from the writer who purchased Jack O’Connor’s reloading equipment, he checked the calibration of Jack’s powder scale and found it to be off by a grain or more. This may explain why some of his max loads he considered safe were found to be very hot by some readers who tried them.




.

 

[HiBC]

TX Nimrod...It depends on the part and documented procedures.There is a qualified method to check the part. If the QC document specifies " Micrometer" then you check out a calibrated micrometer from the tool crib.
Often the tool will be a hard gauge. A plug,ring,or Gauge block(s) . A transfer tool,such as a dial bore gauge,will be set to a ring or Jo-block stack . The bore gauge measures variance from the hard gauge standard.

On Drift. Its mostly about digital tools. I don't know latest tech, but a digital calipers rounds. A reading of ".244" can be anything between .2435 and .2445. This applies to "zero",too. The accumulative error of the digital jumping to the best zero of the moment can result in drift.

 

[Nick_C_S]

In .357 I don't bother with anything heavier than 158/160gr.

Me too. And I consider myself a heavy bullet guy.

I have played with 180's a couple times, but never did a serious work up. I think tried some with W296, got some crappy burns, and increased the charge weight .3 or .4 grains and called it good.

I may revisit 180's again (likely Hornady's XTP's - I like XTP's a lot); but if I do, they'll be for my Henry 16".

 

[Sarge]

I'm more interested in how these bullets group from a rest at say, 25 or 50 yards, than what they weigh or what they were measured with.

 

[Shadow9mm]

I'm more interested in how these bullets group from a rest at say, 25 or 50 yards, than what they weigh or what they were measured with.

I will be shooting some groups after I get it worked up. Hoping to work the loads up Tuesday.

 

[44 AMP]

When a tool or gauge is mentioned in a thread (particularly by the OP) I don't consider it serious thread drift to briefly discuss the tool, its use and calibration.

But, that's just me.