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Old 03-08-2016, 01:49 PM
Naphtali Naphtali is offline
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Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver? Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver? Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver? Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver? Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver?  
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Default Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver?

Hodgdon's web site has a Titegroup load for 357 Magnum that is, essentially Buffalo Bore's #20A +P 38 Special 158-grain SWC "FBI Load." Hodgdon's lists its pressure at ≈ 22,000 C.U.P. Were I to use that specific Titegroup load - but loading it in 38 Special brass - I anticipate pressure would be higher. Since Hodgdon's pressure listing is low for use in 357 Magnum revolvers, would you agree the load would remain safe to use in 357 Magnum revolvers?

I have a great number of once fired 38 Special brass. My total amount of 357 Magnum ammunition/brass is five factory cartridges. The intended use of this 357 Magnum handload in 38 Special brass is in "J" frame S&Ws and Ruger SP101s in 357 Magnum. As Laurence Olivier repeated often in the thriller, "Marathon Man": Is it safe?
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Old 03-08-2016, 01:59 PM
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Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver? Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver? Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver? Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver? Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver?  
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NEVER put a 357 loading in a 38 special case...........

a 38 case is ment for 38 data.
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Old 03-08-2016, 02:04 PM
KnotRight KnotRight is offline
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Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver? Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver? Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver? Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver? Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver?  
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Not Smart!

38 is for 38 and 357 is for 357
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Old 03-08-2016, 02:48 PM
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Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver? Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver?  
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Groo here
Research the 38-44 loads if you are shooting in 357.
Unless you are adventurous , then obtain the "black magic"
reloading book--- Speer No.8
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Old 03-08-2016, 02:52 PM
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Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver? Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver? Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver? Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver? Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver?  
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Default However,

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Originally Posted by KnotRight View Post
Not Smart!

38 is for 38 and 357 is for 357

You can load .357 mag cases with the lightest .38 data. I do this to prevent the crud build up in my chamber from shooting .38 cases that I have to clean so my .357 mag loads will seat right.
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Old 03-08-2016, 03:11 PM
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Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver? Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver? Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver? Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver? Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver?  
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Yeah, but he doesn't have 357 cases. I concur with the above posters, if you are going to stick with 38 cases, work with 38 loads. I agree with rwsmiith, though, that it is neater to use the 357 mag cases, as it prevents the ring around the chamber. Also places the bullet closer to the forcing cone, even if just a 1/10th of an inch. You might want to invest in some 357 cases.
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Old 03-08-2016, 03:50 PM
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Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver? Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver? Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver? Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver? Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver?  
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Just use 38 special +P data and move on.

There is a way to load CLOSE to 357 Mag data in a 38 special brass but if you have to ask then I am not going there.

A even better idea is if you want to shoot 357 mag, buy, beg, borrow, steal some 357 mag brass.
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Old 03-08-2016, 03:59 PM
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Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver? Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver? Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver? Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver? Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver?  
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The issue is not brass strength, but case length which if shortened reduces powder capacity and thus raises pressures.
Lyman's cast bullet 358156 is a gas check SWC with two crimp grooves. The forward groove is intended for loading in 357 cases, while the rear groove is used when loaded in 38 special cases. In either situation, the result is basically the same overall loaded cartridge length with the very comparable powder capacity.
You can confirm this info in many other sources.
Just do a search for "lyman 358156 38 cases". You'll see references to the Skeeter (as in Skeeter Skelton") load. This post touches on the pertinent issues:
Alliant 2400 and the Lyman 358156 Skeeter Load? | Single-Actions

Start with reduced charges and work up slowly looking for pressure signs. Avoid maximum charges.
Here's a chart of Lyman cast bullets:
Ol' Buffalo Bullet Mold Tables

Last edited by 6string; 03-08-2016 at 04:02 PM.
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Old 03-08-2016, 04:00 PM
reddog81 reddog81 is offline
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Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver? Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver? Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver? Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver? Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver?  
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You can find once fired .357 brass for like $.10 a piece. I'd spend $25 on brass before i'd risk loading .357 in 38 special brass.

The load would be safe in .357 revolvers but unless you shoot every round immediately there's always a chance it could find its way into the wrong gun.
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Old 03-08-2016, 04:01 PM
old&slow old&slow is offline
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Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver? Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver? Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver? Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver? Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver?  
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Not a good idea !!
You could load 38 Spl. or 38 Spl. +P in a .357.
But, I would Never load a .357 load in a 38 Spl.

What happens if they get mixed ,, or someone grabs one and stuffs it in a Airweight J frame.. Don't think it's a good practice..

In addition to labeling all my reloaded ammo. I even like to use different types of bullets ,, if possible,, to identify my target loads from my more serious loads.
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Old 03-08-2016, 04:09 PM
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Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver? Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver? Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver? Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver? Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver?  
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IMHO I wouldn't trust buying used brass , especially for anything above powder puff paper punching loads . Exception would be if I watched someone shooting new factory ammo & they didn't want the brass . New Starline brass aint that much more than " once fired " these days + you know it's new .
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Old 03-08-2016, 09:04 PM
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Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver? Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver? Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver? Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver? Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver?  
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Default The ONLY difference between .38 and .357 magnum

The only difference between .38 special and .357 brass is the .135" that they add to the case to prevent .357 ammo to be loaded into a .38 special.

It has nothing to do with internal pressure due to seating depth. The reason is that both cases are based on the .38 special that was loaded with black powder that when replaced with smokeless powder, left a large empty volume in the case. This volume acts as a buffer and the extra length of the case accounts for minuscule volume compared to the rest of the case.

NOW....Modern cartridges designed with smokeless from the beginning, such as the 9mm are VERY sensitive to seating depth and internal volume.
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Old 03-08-2016, 09:24 PM
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Naphtali,
Can you load .357-equivalent loads in .38 spl brass? Sure.
Is it a good idea? Well, it depends..........

Will you be able to ensure that these rounds absolutely NEVER make their way into a .38 special gun? That would be my biggest concern.
If you're responsible enough to own a gun, I suppose you SHOULD be able to keep these loads adequately marked and separated from standard .38 spl loads. At the very least, I would mark these loads across the case heads and primers with a bright red wide-tip Sharpie, or some other way to distinguish them from standard .38 spl loads.

If you go this route, despite what others have said, you're effectively reducing the seating depth of the ".357 mag" by loading it into a .38 spl case. DO NOT start at max .357 loads, but rather start at the low end of published .357 loads and watch for signs of pressure as you work your way up.

Having said all this, let me also say that if you can afford to buy a .357 mag revolver, you can certainly afford to purchase some .357 mag brass. But you already knew that! Personally I would use .357 brass to completely fill the chambers and eliminate the fouling buildup that you will likely end up with by using .38 spl cases in a .357 chamber.

Good luck, and stay safe!

Lou
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Old 03-08-2016, 10:24 PM
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Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver? Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver? Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver? Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver? Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver?  
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Everyone of you need to read hksmiths remark: "The only difference between .38 special and .357 brass is the .135" that they add to the case to prevent .357 ammo to be loaded into a .38 special." Over, and over and over, until you understand it! There is no difference in strength between .38 Spl. and .357 Magnum cases with the minor difference of lot-to-lot variation!

The volume difference between .357 Magnum and .38 Spl. cases when loaded with the same 158 gr. bullet to the same seating depth, is approximately 15%! A .357 Magnum load reduced by 15% will give approximately the same pressure level and be just as safe. It will not give the same velocity as the expansion ratio also changes.

OP is talking about reduced .357 loads, not full pressure! In essence we are in the .38-44 pressure range now or it isn't enough less to be considered "reduced". By the time you get to .38-44 loads you are in the range which S&W at one time approved for use in the then new 2" Military & Police, ca. 1935-1940. While definitely high by current SAAMI +P standards this is not dangerous!!!!!

No question that if a 25,000 PSI .38 Spl. was fired in a standard steel frame K-Frame or even J-Frame revolver it will be quite startling to the shooter, and probably painful, but it will not result in catastrophic damage to the revolver!

And for this remark: "....watch for signs of pressure...." you can forget this! Even with Magnum handgun loads the first "pressure sign" you are likely to observe is small pieces of steel raining down around your ears! Handguns, revolvers or not, are not rifles and do not operate anywhere the pressure levels. You can blow up any handgun without even the classic "flattened primers" showing anything at all to be alarmed about. If you do not understand this you better quit handloading until you do, before you either hurt yourself of destroy several hundred dollars of firearm. Any handloading manual will tell you that there is no such thing as "pressure signs" loading for handguns!
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Old 03-08-2016, 11:31 PM
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Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver? Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver? Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver? Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver? Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver?  
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ALK;
No question that if a 25,000 PSI .38 Spl. was fired in a standard steel frame K-Frame or even J-Frame revolver it will be quite startling to the shooter, and probably painful, but it will not result in catastrophic damage to the revolver!
...............................................

but what if that load was fired in a 20,000 PSI non-steel J frame revolver.......not +P rated or ...... a weak one rated at only 18,500, without any knowledge ??

One only needs a little damage to a revolver to have bad things happen. Just a very small peace of metal in the wrong spot can be devastating.
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Old 03-09-2016, 12:30 AM
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Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver? Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver? Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver? Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver? Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver?  
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Some handloaders who don't have much 357 brass do load 38 spl brass
to near 357 pressure to get near 357 power out of their revolvers. I'm
sure there's no problem with this practice as long as you know what
you're doing. In general the safe loads will use the same slow burning
bulky powders like 2400 but in reduced amounts compared to 357
loads. The problem with the load you mention is the very fast powder
used. You're in uncharted waters here. The reduced airspace will
raise pressure but will it remain within 357 limits? Purely a guess.
The best thing to do would be to use 2400 powder and work up to
38/44 level charges or around 2-3 grs less than full 357 loads. Around
12 grs max in the 38 spl case for use in a 357 revolver. This is much
more familar territory than guessing with very fast powders.
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Old 03-09-2016, 02:15 AM
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Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver? Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver? Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver? Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver? Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver?  
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It looks like you are getting the same exact replies as the other forum you posted this on. Not a good idea to load .357 Magnum pressures in .38 Special brass, not ever!
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Old 03-09-2016, 04:22 AM
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Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver? Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver? Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver? Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver? Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver?  
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$80 for 500 pieces of the best brass going and free shipping. How can ya go wrong?
https://www.starlinebrass.com/brass-...357-Mag-Brass/

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Old 03-09-2016, 07:58 AM
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Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver? Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver? Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver? Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver? Light 357 Magnum handload in 38 Speciall brass for 357 Magnum revolver?  
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It is not like you loose a lot of brass with a revolver.
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