Loading .38S&W

[Chubbo]

Hi, All
I have become interested in shooting my .38S&W top break revolvers, and would like to load ammo for them. I have dies for 9mm luger, .38 Super, .38/.357Mag, and a Ideal tong tool in .38S&W , but the tong tool is not complete, and I don't have instructions for using it. Whear would I get parts for the tong tool? Would it be possable to load .38S&W with any of the other dies?
Thanks.
Chubbo

[uhlawpup]

Why not just get a set of .38 S&W dies from Lee? That's what I did. They're not expensive, and my old Webley loves what they produce.

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

I have the RCBS dies. Correct dies make reloading sooo much easier. If you have older blackpowder guns that's what I would use, or a BP substitute.

[firearmsunlimited]

Comparison of case dimension between the .38 S&W, .38 Special and .38 Super:

.38 S&W
Bullet diameter .361 in (9.2 mm)
Neck diameter .3855 in (9.79 mm)
Base diameter .3865 in (9.82 mm)
Rim diameter .440 in (11.2 mm)
Rim thickness .055 in (1.4 mm)
Case length .775 in (19.7 mm)
Overall length 1.240 in (31.5 mm)

.38 Special
Bullet diameter .357 in (9.1 mm)
Neck diameter .379 in (9.6 mm)
Base diameter .379 in (9.6 mm)
Rim diameter .44 in (11 mm)
Rim thickness .058 in (1.5 mm)
Case length 1.155 in (29.3 mm)
Overall length 1.55 in (39 mm)

.38 Super
Bullet diameter .355 in (9.02 mm)
Neck diameter .384 in (9.75 mm)
Base diameter .384 in (9.75 mm)
Rim diameter .406 in (10.31 mm)
Rim thickness .050 in (1.27 mm)
Case length .900 in (22.86 mm)
Overall length 1.280 in (32.51 mm)

Good luck with your interchangeability project!

[Catshooter]

uhlawpup,

If your Lee 38 S&W dies produce the proper reloads then they do a better job than mine would. A while back Lee started labeling their .38 special dies for the S&W.

But they're not the same. I finally went to the 9x18 Mak dies. They work well.


Cat

[Gatofeo]

The late gun writer George Nonte suggested that 9mm dies could be used to load the .38 S&W in a pinch. Dimensionally, the cases are much alike.
However, the 9mm dies won't crimp the bullet. You may need that crimp to hold the bullet in place in a small revolver, to keep the revolver's recoil from jumping the bullet forward in the cartridges.
Lee makes excellent dies. I found a set of Lee .38 S&W dies, used but like-new, at a gun show a few years back for $20. I gave the dies to a lady friend, who has her grandfather's Colt that takes .38 S&W.
We loaded a few boxes together, with me guiding her.
Far as I know the ammo worked fine. Haven't seen the girl for a few years now ...

[uhlawpup]

Cat, my Lee dies are specifically for .38 S&W. I have their special dies, too. I'll have to check and see if they say they're for the S&W as well.

[Jellybean]

I have a set of Lee dies for .38 S&W, the expander and seat/crimp dies are marked ".38 S&W, while the sizer is marked ".38Auto".

I've learned that before you run out and buy a set of Lees dies that you should go to their website and look up the part nos. for their dies. You might already own them in other sets.