357 mag question

R

RockCrusher

New member
This might be a dumb question and one that has been covered before but I haven't seen it. You can shoot 38 specials through a 357 mag why can't you just reload 357 brass using 38 special data? The reason I would like to do this is that it would be more fun for just plinking around and it would save some powder and I wouldn't have to buy 38 special brass. Most of the time I probably will just load the 357 as hot as I can but I thought it would be neat to load it down to a 38 special but wasn't sure it was safe. What do you guys think/know about it. RC
 
Take the time to compare loading data, in your manuals, and pay close attention to the velocities shown for both cartridges when using the same bullets.
 
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You can shoot 38 specials through a 357 mag why can't you just reload 357 brass using 38 special data? RC



You can do just what you are suggesting. But as stated before look at your loading data.

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357 mag brass is longer than 38 special. It wont chamber in a 38.



He was asking about loading down with 357 brass to shoot in a revolver chambered for 357. Not using 357 in a 38 revolver.
 
I prefer to down load the Magnum brass rather than the .38 Special brass for my light loads in the .357 chambering. The shorter .38 brass can leave a dirty ring in the cylinder chambers if not scrubbed out after every firing. Also, I think the longer brass of the .357 makes for more accurate loads as there is less free space for the bullet to jump before engaging the rifling, as opposed to the shorter .38 brass.

There is plenty of light load data for the .357 Magnum and it doesn't always match up perfectly with .38 Special data. Consult a few good load manuals and don't hesitate to download that "Magnum" brass. You don't always have to pound out max loads. I just got done loading some .38 Special that will probably only give me about 700 fps with a 158 gr. hard cast SWC. They will be a lot of fun in my K-frame M15 as a teaching tool for my daughter. A nice smooth step up from .22LR and then we'll transition to slightly heavier stuff as her comfort level progresses. But I bet I'll enjoy shooting them too!
 
No such a thing as a dumb question, 38 SPl load data will work fine in the 357 case, but be very careful of loading to light light loads in 38 spl has cause some kabooms but that was forty or so years ago. I think it was with bullseye powder and ultra light wadcutter loads. Had somthing to do with a fast pressure curve and a heavy lead bullet not starting to move soon enough.Or a double ignition at each end of the powder charge. Any how mid range 38 SPl loads are safe, it was the real light wadcutter target loads that were causeing the problem.And as I recall that was in 38 SPL cases. s was said consult reliable load data, your expansion ratio will be differant with the longer mag case, but all that should do is lower the chamber pressure.
 
Blinddog I think you're right. It was bullseye. It never happened to me but I also heard the story's. I was going to mention it in my first post but couldn't remember for sure what caution to give. Good info.
 
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This might be a dumb question and one that has been covered before but I haven't seen it. You can shoot 38 specials through a 357 mag why can't you just reload 357 brass using 38 special data? The reason I would like to do this is that it would be more fun for just plinking around and it would save some powder and I wouldn't have to buy 38 special brass. Most of the time I probably will just load the 357 as hot as I can but I thought it would be neat to load it down to a 38 special but wasn't sure it was safe. What do you guys think/know about it. RC



I used to do something very similar when I shot handgun silo's at a nearby range. The targets were bowling pin sized and shaped and you didn't need a big gun to bring them down. So, I loaded up some 148 grain wadcutters cast from a Lee gang mold and worked up a load using 6.5 grains of AA5, Winchester small pistol primers, seating the bullet out and crimping on the first grease groove rather than the crimp groove. It was faster than a standard .38 Special load, but still produced pretty mild recoil. This put the bullet out far enough that it was a short jump into the barrel forcing cone and less leading occurred. The load was mild and would shoot 5 shots into about 1" at 25 yards when I used a scope on the Dan Wesson.

You can't just assume that you can use .38 Special data in a .357 Mag, as some of the slower stuff may be too slow. But, normally most loading manuals will have a wide range of loads for cast bullets, from slow to higher speed for you to choose. Just remember that high velocity lead bullet loads tend to lead barrels. Barrel leading is the enemy of accuracy in a pistol. I used to coat my bullets with Lee Liquid Alox to further insure that I got very little leading. I also got less leading with AA5 than I got with Unique. Generally, you get less leading when using a slower burn rate powder than a faster powder, which gives the same velocity. This is particularly important if your lead bullets are a bit soft.
 
I looked up some of my older data since that thing about KB's was from back in the sixties. It was 148 grn wadcutters over 4 -5 grains of Bullseye that the caution was out on. I saw one of the handguns that had KB's and it impressed me so much I don't use Bullseye to this day in anything. I have only owned one 38 SPL it was a S%W 36 with a 2" barrel I carried it for back up and off duty and always loaded it with my own recipie handloads an inverted 148 grain hollow base wadcutter and 6.5 grn Unique. Until the Dept came out with pretty strict policy about back up and off duty carry any how Then I changed to a Ruger SP 101 and 125 grn JHPs in real 357 Magnum. That inverted hollow base WC made some very impressive holes in Ballistic Gelitin during testing, it was also very mild to shoot in a small framed handgun as well. Scared the crappola out of a drug dealer I arrested once as well, he told one of the other guys that at first he my gun was not loaded then the light hit the cylander just riht and all he saw was cavity. Then his knnes started shaking because he looked at my face and seen I was not fooling.
 
While you can shoot 38 out of a 357 it's not a great idea much better to down load 357 as you suggest. Firing 38's out of a 357 can cause high pressure due to the crud ring. It doesn't take a lot of shooting to get a crud ring and it's easy to forget to get rid of it. I found this out at the range, shot a box of 38's then switched to 357 reloads. When I got done firing the first six I had to use a cleaning rod to get the brass out of the cylinder and the primers showed signs of pressure. Couldn't understand it because I was using Lil'Gun which is lower pressure powder. Shock me up figured I some how screwed up reloading, packed up and went home. I pulled several bullets and weighted the powder and it was fine. Then I remembered reading about crud rings and sure enough I could clearly see the rings in the cylinder. It took a lot of scrubbing to clean them out. Took my gun back to the range and tried my 357 reloads again with no problem. Made me glad I had been shooting my GP100 and not my old K-frame S&W. I never shoot 38's out of my 357's anymore I use Unique and a load I got out of a loading manual that gives me 38 velocities.
 
Thanks for the info guys I had some of the same thoughts and ideas shared but wanted to see what everbody else thought as I can come up with some less than safe ideas. Thanks again. RC
 
With over 50 years of handgun loading, I've gotten to be a two powder guy. I use Bullseye in 38SP and 45ACP target loads and Unique for everything else. I'm talkin' 9mm, 38SP, 357, 44SP, 44M, 45ACP and 45LC. Light loads, moderate loads, moderately heavy loads, you name it, Unique works great. I don't shoot the "Richter 5" loads in the 44M any more so Unique works just fine.

Light charges of Unique makes great 357 loads. Check out Alliant Powder's website (load data) and check on "cowboy loads".

BTW, I do not shoot 38SP in my 357's for the reasons noted above.
 
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