148 grain copper plated wadcutters in .357 magnum cases?

[Model19man]

I see many loads online and in my manuals for 38 special wadcutter loads. Is there any reference information for using Bullseye in a 357 Magnum case under a coated wadcutter? I find that when I shoot .38 Specials in my Model 19 that it cakes up in the chamber because of the shorter cases. I would prefer to avoid that.

[stansdds]

My experience with duplicating 38 Special loads using 357 Magnum brass is that load data for 38 Special will result in slower velocity in the larger Magnum case. Depending upon the powder, you may have to increase the 38 Special charge by 0.2 to 0.5 grains.

[Model19man]

Originally Posted by stansdds

My experience with duplicating 38 Special loads using 357 Magnum brass is that load data for 38 Special will result in slower velocity in the larger Magnum case. Depending upon the powder, you may have to increase the 38 Special charge by 0.2 to 0.5 grains.

This is indeed what I was thinking except my thought was to increase the load by 10%. The classic 38 Special load is 2.8 grains of Bullseye so that would be around 3 to 3.2 grains of Bullseye in a 357 Magnum case.

[cowboy4evr]

The " industry standard " for many years in a 38 special case was 2.7-2.8 grs . Although some claimed better accuracy using 3.0 . I would start @ 3.2 grs and consider max 3.5 grs of Bullseye powder . Using a copper plated bullet has higher friction than a cast bullet so I would be careful going very low . You don't want to stick one of those copper bullets in a barrel . Regards, Paul

[robertrwalsh]

I do it with 3.1 BE all the time with excellent results.

[gwpercle]

If you clean your revolver chambers along with the bore guess what ...
No residue build up !
Back in the late 1960's 38 special cases were free , swept up buckets full at the local range . Loaded them to feed a 357 Ruger Blackhawk I bought in 1971 .
Regular , normal cleaning has taken care of the dreaded "38-357 build up".
48 years of shooting 38 special in it and the chambers are still bright and shiny with just regular cleaning .

I did splurge and buy 100 new 357 magnum Starline cases last year ... but I haven't used any...yet ... don't want to get them dirty .

For loading in 357 magnum cases , start with 3.1 or 3.2 grains of Bullseye that should be baby-bear.... just right .
Gary

[Carrier]

I use Campro 148 plated HBWC with 3.2 grains of Bullseye in 357 cases and is a good load.

[Nevada Ed]

The only Lead bullets that I shoot out of my 357's any more are the 158 gr SWC design, that I have a lot of, still.

Plated and coated in the 357 is the only way to go for target loads, with today's modern bullets, for minimal clean up and no more leading.

Tight groups.

[Model19man]

Back in 2008 I lived about 10 miles south of Cincinnati, OH. I met a guy at a local reloading supply that was dropping off cast lead bullets.

Long story short I bought several thousand .45 ACP 230 gr .452" LRN bullets, several thousand 158gr SWC's in .357" and also several thousand 250 gr SWC's in .454" diameter. Will be using those for a while at outdoor ranges. The blue bullet lube results in some messy sooty clean up but they are very accurate.

My local indoor range only allows jacketed or copper plated ammo so that's what I use there.

Originally Posted by Nevada Ed

The only Lead bullets that I shoot out of my 357's any more are the 158 gr SWC design, that I have a lot of, still.

Plated and coated in the 357 is the only way to go for target loads, with today's modern bullets, for minimal clean up and no more leading.

Tight groups.