Over the years I'v reloaded and shot the Mag. loads, and their lower rated cartridges. Lately I'v read a lot about shooting .44 spl. cartridges in .44 Mag.
revolvers, .38 spl. in .357 mag. revolvers, and also about home made .41 spl. in .41 mag.revolvers. In the past I'v always just down loaded the lower power loads for .41 mag. and .44 mag. but have I been wrong? Is there some advantage to loading them in special shorter cartridges? Just wondering? Thanks.
Chubbo

Not real sure what you're asking? So I'll just say that when I was reloading, I reloaded using caliber-specific cases. .44 Special in .44 Special cases, and so on and so forth.

Finding 44SPL cases might be a problem.
I found no advantage to loading and shooting 44Spl in a revolver chambered for 44 Mag.
I just load the mag cases down.

The WW 44 SPL self defense load is jacketed and I have kept those handy at times.

As far as 38 spl cases, they are so abundant that is all I load when using a lead bullet for revolvers chambered for 38 spl or 357.
I load jacketed only in 357 Mag cases.

You probably already know this, but when shooting lead bullets, clean the gun ASAP after firing the shorter case in the Magnum chamber. That 10th of an inch shorter case leaves more fouling, lubricant residue, etc. in the longer magnum chamber and makes the longer magnum case hard to insert.

No, no advantage you are not missing anything. If you want lighter loads then just load lighter in the larger cases. Probably better anyway for all those that worry about ring around the collar from shorter brass

So mag powders like H110/W296 do not download well but other that just use different powder for lighter loads.

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Still Running Against the Wind

If you have the "Shorter" brass, it is nice to know that they will
be a reduced load, incase they some how get mixed up.

Most of my "Long" brass is maximum loads unless they might
be holding a lead RN bullet.........

Then some say the cylinder is easier to clean and ammo fits better if you use long cases.

Having 44 special brass is a really good excuse to get a 44 special revolver!
Or more!
I now have more specials than magnums as they are easier to shoot and a whale of a lot of fun.
Color me another one who prefers to use the brass that matches the markings on the gun.

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Nemo

Would there be a problem with position sensitive powder by loading the 38 special in the 357 mag cases? I haven't found the ring around being that hard to remove. Don

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USN Retired/VN VET
M&P X5

You should have no problems.

If it is "position sensitive" in a 38 special it will more so in a 357

If you asking about using a 38 special load in a 357 case than no that is not good practice either. You have to allow for the small increase in the 357 mag case, like 10% more added to the 38 special data. Or just use the low data of the 357 mag.

There was a recent post on this.

44 Mag cases, Target loads

Load data was/is developed for each specific case size.

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Still Running Against the Wind

My .38 special loads and my .357 magnum loads all go in the .357 cases. It makes no difference except you don't have to clean the crud ring out of the chamber like when going from .38 to .357 cases.

There COULD be an argument for less distance for the bullet to 'jump' out of the chamber and into the forcing cone, but to me this makes no difference at all.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

Can't tell you about shooting .38 Special in a .357 Magnum revolver, but I can tell you about how shooting .44 Special from my .44 Magnum revolver worked: very accurate and pleasant to shoot.

My wife claimed my .44 Magnum when we got married. She does not like full power .44 Magnum loads in the revolver, but really enjoys the .44 Specials. She also has a .44 Magnum carbine, and I do load mid range cast bullets for her to shoot in it. Full power or jacketed bullets are a wee bit much for her.

I've been reloading only .44 mag brass to spl. or mag. specs for many years. Never a problem in my 4" 629-1. Lead for spl. and JHP for the mags.

Just make sure to clean the Cylinder well after shooting 44 spcl.

I started the thread about 44mag cases and target loads. I ended up with 100 nickel plated 44spl Starline cases and 100 brass 44mag Starline cases. If I had it to do over I would just likely get all 44 mag cases and load according to what I want since there is an enormous range of loads available to put into the magnum cases from mild to wild!.
As mentioned the only concern would be keeping light loads separated from heavy loads if you are making up both in the 44 mag cases. Both shoot fine for me.
Karl

I have never had a problem: https://www.starlinebrass.com/brass-...Special-Brass/

there may be some pressure consistency advantage to the use of specials in a mag.
However, IME, that additional run to the throat has been detrimental to accuracy.
my magnums get mag brass, no matter the load yield.

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it just needs more voltage

There are some, including well known writers, that advocate setting the bullet down further into the case when loading small amounts of powder.
This usually includes crimping over the front driving band of a SWC if a crimp is even used.
I can't shoot well enough to tell the difference and have come up with some recipes I like so have never explored this route.
This really only applies to low power target loads as it does drive the pressure up some.

BTW Midway is offering nickel plated 44 spl and mag Starline cases right now.
They only make the nickel ones every so often, like once a year.
Mmmmmmmmm.... Shiny!

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Nemo

I'll be the bad guy. Low density loading, especially with fast burning powders, can be dangerous. Flashover, and/or ponding of the powder at the bullet end, can result in erratic pressure. Detonation has been known to occur.

A simple precaution would be to seat your bullets deeper, if you can. Seating the bullet .125 inches deeper will give you the same case volume as a .44 spc case. Should be fine, as long as you use .44 spc charge data.

Very light loads in a .44 mag case is a bad idea.

One of my most accurate and dependable 44 mag target loads (spl too) is 4.5 grains of PB
then fill the case to 90% with Grex and seat a 240 SWC normally so the Grex compresses some.
I have shot these 20 years after they were made and same result.
More accurate than I can shoot.
With handloading there is usually a way to make something work.

I'll admit I am not a big fan of huge airspace in cartridges either.
The Grex buffer method is about the easiest thing I have found to take care of that.
Now that we have Trail Boss (and Tin Star) this problem should go away.
I haven't loaded a buffered round in several years.

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Nemo

When I shoot targets. It's practice. Light loads are not practice. A mag case loaded to factory special specs will do no harm. I keep track by loading lead for specials and JHP for mags. If I am trying different loads I just use a colored magic marker. I write everything down and text myself pictures of the targets with cartridge info.
If I need to shoot light, I use a .38 S&W.

To get rid of that stubborn ring install a brass brush in a short cleaning rod and place it in your electric drill, add your favorite solvent and clean away that ring in a jiffy.

NN

I put a patch on the brush, same routine.
When it's clean I run a patch with brake cleaner thru the chamber.
These are stainless cylinders.
Blue, you might not want to leave quite that naked.

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Nemo

THANKS ever so much, to all of you folks on this great forum. Most of You have confirmed my observations, going back to 1958 when I first started reloading. The rest of you have give me some new perspectives to mull over.
It has been my thought, that you can always learn something new if you keep an open mind, and listen. After a lot of thought, I think that not having any .44 Special, or .41 special brass, I will do as I have always done, use my own cast, sized, and lubed bullets in .45 Colt,.44 mag., and .41 mag. brass, and let well enough alone.

Chubbo

My first .44 caliber revolver was a Model 29 S&W 6.5", about 30 years ago. That was followed by a 4" Model 29, a 6.5" Model 1950 Target .44 Spl, a 3" 629 Deluxe, and a Colt SAA .44 Spl. I have never enjoyed shooting .44 Magnum ammunition, period. I load the same .44 Spl. ammo for use in all of those revolvers, a cast 240-grain SWC at the upper end of the charts, which any of my revolvers can easily handle. More than adequate for anything I'm likely to have to deal with (unless I head out for grizzly bear country, in which case I'd prefer to have my 870 along), very accurate, moderate recoil and blast.

The problem of residue in the chambers has never been an issue for me. I always clean my revolvers after every use using a dry bronze brush to completely remove any deposits, followed by the routine solvent and patch cleaning.

Shot 6 or 7 years of PPC competition using a 6" Model 19 .357 loaded with .38 Spl. cast bullet loads. Probably went through at least20,000 rounds, frequently 300 or more on a range day. Same cleaning procedure and never a problem. That old Model 19 is still with me after 40 years and just as accurate as it ever was.

I suppose some people have never learned how to clean a revolver properly, and I know there are some who never properly clean their revolvers (several have come into my possession with serious issues). But a proper cleaning has always taken care of this, and seldom takes more than 20 minutes with the right tools and methods.

I agree, most well made revolvers have chambers smooth enough the schmutz will come right off and any coloration alters the function not one whit.
However Charter Bulldogs are a different story.
The chambers look like the non-skid deck surface of the pool I work at.
The lead would build up until a 44 special would barely go in.
Upon investigation, low and behold, the chambers are perfectly drilled for the 44 magnum!
My solution was to load the special load in magnum brass.
This is in a uniquely colored box just for the Bulldog so I never load a real magnum in it (like you, I almost never have full mag ammo out anyway).
The obvious solution is to send it back but I have already done so twice for other problems and they wont pay shipping.
The dam thing just isn't worth it.
If I felt that mean about it I might call BATF but I like them even less.
I just got a lemon that I won't really mind if it is taken for evidence in the remote case where I had to use it for defense.
Wonder what the crime lab will think?

Attached Images

	Bulldog-special-brass-1.jpg (290.2 KB, 18 views)
	Bulldog-magnum-brass-2.jpg (288.0 KB, 15 views)

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NEMO
"Everything 44"

If you're reloading, just use magnum brass in magnum guns. Load it from the floor to ceiling as you see fit. No need to inventory the shorter cases, and adjust your dies.

Well, I guess I could take a brush to the range and clean out the chambers, but it's just not very convenient.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"