Has anyone tried loading 360 DW brass in a CVA Scout 357 mag to see if the chamber is long enough without reaming it out?

Joe I am not going to be much help on your question.

I sent my Scout Barrel to Dave White and had it rechambered before firing it.

I bought 360DW brass for mine before Starline started making 357 Maximum Brass. The 180 XTP's seated long will max load in 360DW cases just fine if you already have 360DW cases on hand.

My advice would be to make up a 357 Maximum DUMMY ROUND using a 180 XTP seated long and send it in with your barrel to Dave and have it rechambered to 357 Maximum and not look back.

You will like it. Mine shoots great, and shoots my NOE 360-180 cast bullets better than my MGM 357 Max barrel for my Contender.
As always the Trigger is Great on mine. I have never felt a bad trigger on a Scout or Optima so far.

My local dealer just got in several Scouts in 243 Winchester. I have been tempted to get one.

Bob R

You probably already know this. Evolution Gun Works (EGW) makes a Scope Base that is Waaaay Superior to the one supplied with your Scout and Optima. I have the EGW base on both of mine, giving me a lot more sight mounting options.

Bob R

Thanks for the info Bob.

Do you have the 357 Scout already, or are you just looking at possible options?

Bob R

I have it now and put a Bushnell Trophy 2 x 6 scope on it.

Do you need a few pieces of 360DW Brass to try in it?

Bob R

If I could get three or four pieces to try that would be great.

Brass is on the way. Both 360DW and 357 Max.
I included a few bullets: 140FTX, 158XTP-FP, and 180XTP.

I worked up loads with:
H110
AA#9
1680
Lil-Gun
300MP

Looking at my Notes it looks like all of those powders worked reasonably well.
I used Remington BR Small Rifle Primers with all loads. I am sure other small rifle primers would work well also.

Bob R

I thought of something else. Not all 38/357 Magnum die sets will load the longer rounds. I had my original set of RCBS from the early 1970's, as well as the Dillon's I load my 38 ammo in quantity with on my Dillon 550. Correction the RCBS were my second set of dies, as they are carbide. I gave the non carbide dies away when the RCBS carbide dies came out.
The older RCBS carbides would not work.
The Dillon's will not load 357 Maximum either.
I ended up finding a set of used RCBS Dies that would load 357 Maximum at my local Pawn & Gun. I also found a Taper Crimp Die while doing my search for dies. Just for another loading option, not required.

The point being, if you have been loading 38 Special/357 Magnum forever your dies may not be new enough to load 357 Maximum.

Bob R

I think my die will work but I will find out when the brass gets here. Thanks for your help Bob.