Amp
Member
I load for bullseye shooting with hbwc and swc for fun at the range.
Magnum loads are not needed for what I do.
Magnum loads are not needed for what I do.
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
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.
If all you own is a .38Spl, with no desire to own a .357 Magnum, then sure, just get the .38 Spl dies. If you own both calibers, all the modern die sets for .357M can be adjusted to properly load .38 Spl, so why not just buy one set for both, unless you load hundreds/thousands of both and don't want to have to reset the dies between calibers. That only takes a couple of minutes, though. Same goes for .40S&W/10mm, 9x19/9x21/9x23, or .44Spl./.44M and maybe more. For a newbie reloader, reading the label on the box will tell if the dies are suitable for multiple cartridge types.
There are several points in the .357 Mag's favor:
1) .357 Mag commercial ammo is normally more expensive than commercial .38 Special.
2) You can load .357 Magnum down to .38 Special performance levels more effectively than you can load .38 Special to .357 magnum performance levels.
3) .357 Mag functions slightly better in my lever guns than the shorter .38 Special.
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On the other hand:
1) it's easier to get maximum accuracy with light weight target loads with .38 Special than with .357 Mag.
2) .38 Special brass is less expensive than .357 Mag.
Still, .357 Mag gives a higher savings ratio than .38 Special.
Ive found its almost impossible to get my lee dies set for 357 magnum.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^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.
Ive found its almost impossible to get my lee dies set for 357 magnum.
The Lee 38 spl instruction manual shows how to adjust for 357. Its as simple as 2 turns. I put a scribe on the top of the die so you can exactly see a turn. I've been loading 38 and 357 on a set of lee 38 dies since 1971. Easy peasy. Match grade ammo.
On another note, I didn't vote because the 3rd option was missing;
3. They are both the same.
Ive found its almost impossible to get my lee dies set for 357 magnum.