38 load in a 357 case ?

[rebs081]

I have a Smith model 19 and would like to know if Ican load 38 special loads in a 357 case ?
I don't like using 38 cases because of the lead in the cylinder making it a little tight to put 357 cases in it.

 

[ronnie gore]

38s in 357

you sure can, i have done it for 30 years for the same reason, and i had a lot of 357 brass so no problem.

 

[TSQUARED]

For light loads in 357 Magnum brass with either lead or plated bullets try Trail Boss powder. Trail Boss is very bulky so it is virtually impossible to double charge the case. The plated bullets will provide much lower velocities ( ca. 75 to 100 fps) when compared to lead bullets.

 

[johngalt]

I do it all the time: 2.8 gr Bullseye + 148 gr HBWC and 3.5 gr Bullseye + 158 gr SWC. Some will say to add another .1 or .2 for the extra case capacity, but I never have and they work fine.

 

[Snapdragon]

I do it all the time without any problems. Look at the data for 357 Mag and find the velocity you want. I use a lot of Trail Boss in 357 Magnum with good results. The max charge for 357 Magnum and 38 Special are the same for Trail Boss with the bulltes I use most.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

This has been covered many times, perfectly safe to shoot .38 Specials in a .357 Magnum. There have probably been Millions shot over the years.

If you clean your revolver after a range trip as you should you will never notice the "carbon" buildup in the cylinder.

 

[Alk8944]

Yes, you can use .38 Spl. data to load in .357 Magnum brass, but it will not give the same velocity. If using plated or jacketed bullets the charge should be increased to reduce the chance of a squib and stuck bullet. To get approximatly the same velocity in .357 cases you need to increase the charge weight by not just .1-.2 gr, but 12-15% to get the same velocity. If the charge is, say, 3.6 gr. Bullseye you will get the same velocity with about 4.1 gr. in the larger case.

 

[parabarbarian]

I'm always tinkering with my loads for 357. I like to shoot a mild 148 gr DEWC or a 158 gr SWC at a sedate velocity that lets me practice without scaring children, souring milk and causing new brides to miscarry. I've found that starting with the maximum load for a 38 or 38 +P I can quickly work up to a decent load in a 357 case. So far the increase in powder weight has been in the 10% to 14% range but YMMV. Some I didn't increase at all.

Some powder do NOT like to be downloaded so be careful.

 

[bmcgilvray]

I don't use .38 Special cases in my .357 Magnum revolvers by choice, treating them as two completely separate cartridges. I load .38 Special type loads for the .357 Magnum regularly. I'm going to have to be in the "tenth or two of a grain" camp rather than the 12-15% camp for equivalent velocities. Least that's what my chronograph told me.

 

[papajohn428]

Yes, you can use .38 Spl. data to load in .357 Magnum brass, but it will not give the same velocity. If using plated or jacketed bullets the charge should be increased to reduce the chance of a squib and stuck bullet. To get approximatly the same velocity in .357 cases you need to increase the charge weight by not just .1-.2 gr, but 12-15% to get the same velocity. If the charge is, say, 3.6 gr. Bullseye you will get the same velocity with about 4.1 gr. in the larger case.

With slower powders I bump the charge a grain, with fast powders I bump it a half-grain or so. Skeeter said it worked fine, and my results bear that out, but Alk8944's advice is spot-on.

 

[MichiganScott]

When I wish to load a .38 Special level load in a .357 case, I search all my old reloading manuals until I find one that meets my need. I've always figured I got better ballistic uniformity by using a load developed in the case I'm using.