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Old 06-07-2018, 08:30 PM
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BC38 BC38 is offline
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Originally Posted by jimmyj View Post
Would it be safe to fire the overloaded .38 specials in your .357 magnum revolver ?
My first thought EXACTLY. If you have a 357 revolver. Since 7.2gr is below the starting charge for 357 rounds, shoot them up.

Just be sure to put them in a box specially marked with a BIG RED disclaimer NOT to shoot them in a 38 special revolver.

They are right between the upper 38 +P and the lower 357 range, so they will be a pleasant target load. Who knows, you may have accidentally hit on a great accurate target load for your gun.

The only difference between the construction of the 38 special case and the 357 magnum case is that the 357 case is 1/8" longer. That 1/8" difference in case length/capacity is a non-issue IMO. It will raise pressure a tiny bit but you are so far below the pressure limits of the 357 cartridge it is irrelevant. The 357/38 case capacity is so large relative to the pressures it isn't anything like the 9mm where the case capacity is tiny and even a small reduction in case volume has a huge effect on pressure.

An eighth of and inch is a large reduction in case volume when the case volume below the bullet is only 1/2" deep to start with as it is with the 9mm. Not so much when the volume below the case is an inch like the 357/38 case - unless you are loading at the upper limit of the 357 range - which you aren't in this case.

Last edited by BC38; 06-07-2018 at 09:21 PM.
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