Handload Arena: 38 spcl vs 357 Magnum?

[keithhagan]

Which of the 38 caliber revolver cartridges benefits most from or is better for handloading?

This could be based on cost savings, performance, availability of components, low barrier to entry for new reloaders, something else entirely, or a combination.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Like I said in the .44 thread, IMO both factory loads cost just about the same and reloading each isn't much of a different cost either. You will use a little more powder with the magnum and the magnum ammo costs a little more but not so much you will hurt your pocket.

I'm only choosing the magnum because it's harder to find right now so reloading it will be an advantage over the 38 Special IMO.

 

[LoboGunLeather]

I voted for .38 Special, primarily because brass has always been easy to find and inexpensive (most of mine was free over the years).

All we need is brass, bullets, powder, and primers. Same primers work in both. Same bullets can work for both. Powder requirements are a minor difference. The more moderate loads provide significantly longer case life (number of reloads before ready for the scrap bin).

My usual .38 Special load is a hard-cast 158SWC with 5.0 Unique. My usual .357 load is the same bullet with 7.0 Unique. At $30 per pound of powder I'm using 2.5 cents worth per round of .38 Special, 3 cents per round of .357 magnum. Half a penny per round, 25 cents per box difference.

Which caliber I choose for use is based upon the intended purposes and firearm selected.

 

[Hair Trigger]

I voted for .357 Magnum. Of course, that presupposes you have a .357 to shoot. You can download a .357 to something like a light .38 Spl. +P, but you can't load a .38Spl. into magnum territory, and there's no point anyway because you have the magnum revolver to shoot, so just use the longer brass.

 

[Nevada Ed]

With the price of ammo, right now in my AREA,

loading .357 Magnum is the best option,
to have ammo and save $$$.

I like 38 special from inside of 50 yards,
where the .357 does everything, mostly with a 6" or longer barrel.

 

[Pisgah]

I voted Magnum for the sole reason that it is the more versatile of the two. A .357 can be loaded to bottom-end .38 Special target-load levels without much fuss, but with a .38 you won't safely get top-end .357 performance without the greater case capacity.

 

[STORMINORMAN]

357 Magnum factory ammunition is ALMOST ALWAYS more expen$ive...

It would follow, logically, that it is more economical (a bigger potential $avings) to reload than 38 Special.

The question might be what velocities (and accompanying blast & recoil) do you really want to shoot?

Cheers!

 

[ChiefTJS]

If you reload one then the only thing you need to load the other is cases. I shoot mostly .38Spl through .357 revolvers so I have both options. To my mind the .38Spl is the greatest cartridge of all time and the best .38 revolver is a .357 Mag.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I forgot to add 1 more thing. When you buy the .357 Magnum dies they also load the .38 Special too. Most of the bullets are also the same so you can actually load both with a minimal addition in cost only because you need both cases instead of 1. No need to make a decision on which to load.

 

[LoboGunLeather]

I forgot to add 1 more thing. When you buy the .357 Magnum dies they also load the .38 Special too. Most of the bullets are also the same so you can actually load both with a minimal addition in cost only because you need both cases instead of 1. No need to make a decision on which to load.

.38 Special dies may be used to produce .357 magnum, but trying to load .38 Special in .357 dies may cause problems because the shorter cases may not be properly crimped.

I have always used .38 Special dies for both, never felt a need to have .357 dies.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

It's not true the .357 dies won't crimp the .38. All you need to do.is adjust he dies correctly.

These days there are no .357 or .38 Spl dies, they are sold as one set of dies to do both. They did sell .357 dies only way back and I bought a set on closeout so as not to have to adjust the dies. I put them on their own turret and just swap out the turrets when I change cartridges.

 

[CH4]

For plinking, I usually load 38s for use in both. I have plenty of 357 components for SD loads if I can't find commercially loaded ammo.

 

[rockquarry]

I don't know whether this is still a practice with RCBS. They used to include a washer in their .38 Special die set that when placed between the die and loading press would perfectly space a .38 Special die for loading .357.

 

[LoboGunLeather]

It's not true the .357 dies won't crimp the .38. All you need to do.is adjust he dies correctly.

These days there are no .357 or .38 Spl dies, they are sold as one set of dies to do both. They did sell .357 dies only way back and I bought a set on closeout so as not to have to adjust the dies. I put them on their own turret and just swap out the turrets when I change cartridges.

You might notice that I used the word "may" in my comments about differences in reloading dies. These products have been made by dozens and dozens of companies over the decades and there are vast differences in dimensions.

I stand by my earlier comments as a good general rule. .38 Special dies will work for .357, but .357 dies may or may not function properly for .38 Special, and with a set of .38 Special dies in hand there is no reason to purchase .357 dies.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

And I will stand by my statements and add a statement like yours might be misleading to a new reloader.

 

[Eddie Southgate]

I voted .38 special because my usual load is 2.8 g of bullseye and a home cast wadcutter. Don't get any cheaper than that.

 

[murf205]

The best 38/357 for handloading is a 44/45!

 

[mikld]

I don't count costs/pennies for my handloads, so it's a six of one, half dozen of the other. Mostly same powders, bullets and primers. I have 3, 357 Magnum revolvers and 2, 38 Special revolvers, all can and do use my 38 handloads put together with my old Lee dies...

 

[WR Moore]

On the die thing. I don't recall the die spacers being thrown in with .357/.38 dies or .44 Spl/Mag dies. However, RCBS sells 3 spacer kits. One for .38/.357 one for .44 Spl/Magnum and a 1/16 in die if you suddenly decide you don't want to crimp any particular reload.

 

[elpac3]

I forgot to add 1 more thing. When you buy the .357 Magnum dies they also load the .38 Special too. Most of the bullets are also the same so you can actually load both with a minimal addition in cost only because you need both cases instead of 1. No need to make a decision on which to load.

You can also load .357 on the .38 special dies by using a couple of large washers as spacers or get one of the custom made adapter rings to use as a spacer