Dumbass Question About .38 Special / .357 MAg

mmattockx

mmattockx

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I load my .44 Mag down to .44 Special levels for target practice and fun plinking, using full length .44 Mag brass to avoid carbon rings in the cylinder. Is there any reason I can't do the same with .38/.357? I don't see anything to stop me (and have found no warnings in any reloading manual), but I have not loaded the smaller calibre yet and figured I would ask.


Thanks,
Mark
 
You should be fine....at least I do it all the time. Be mindful of your powder selection though: if you are loading low density loads, it might be better to avoid the slow burning magnum powders like WW296 or H110 and go with a faster powder like Titegroup or Bullseye. To be REALLY safe it's hard to beat TrailBoss for reduced recoiil/velocity loads. Nice bulky powder so it's virtually impossible to overchange a case :)

Oh...and by the way: The only dumbass question in reloading is the one you DON'T ask.

Doc
 
Yes a silly question..... :p

I actually just got myself a pound of Unique, and a pound of Blue Dot to try to get myself some accurate cast loads with some 158, and 200 grain cast bullets.

Trying to find an accurate range load for the Ruger 77/357. ;)
 
As mentioned above, Trailboss!! Its awesome, accurate, clean, and super safe. Its impossible to over charge and it meters surprisingly good!
 
Thanks for the assurances, as I expected it should be no issue. No worries on the powder, I use Red Dot and WW231 for my lighter loads and will continue to do so for the .357/38.


Mark
 
I "stumbled" onto a real sweetheart of a light load in my 357 Mag.
8 grains of obsolete Winchester 473AA shotshell powder,
125 jacketed bullet.
Accurate as can be....so clean you can hardly tell the revolver has been fired,
even after 100 rounds.
Eagleye.
 
For low-velocity target uses, 3.4 gr of Red Dot pushing a 158 gr HBWC works very well for me. Titegroup is also good.
 
Buy .357 & .44 Flex Hones from Brownells and after a good cleaning, run them through the cylinder and you will never have to worry about "carbon rings" again.
 
mmattockx said:
I load my .44 Mag down to .44 Special levels for target practice and fun plinking, using full length .44 Mag brass to avoid carbon rings in the cylinder. Is there any reason I can't do the same with .38/.357? I don't see anything to stop me (and have found no warnings in any reloading manual), but I have not loaded the smaller calibre yet and figured I would ask.


Thanks,
Mark
Click to expand...

One thing I've learned over the years is there is no such thing as a "dumbass question",especially when it relates to handloading ammo.
 
These days I prefer to load .38 loads in .38 brass and .357 in magnum brass. My .357 is the backup gun on my ATC, and I wouldn't want to mistakenly grab a box of mild loads when I need to carry hot loads. A simple solution would be have a different style of bullet for each load, but I use the same bullet for both. I also have a few .38 Special guns, so I need to load for both cartridges anyway; Unique in the .38 and H-110 in the .357.
 
Boomer said:
These days I prefer to load .38 loads in .38 brass and .357 in magnum brass. My .357 is the backup gun on my ATC, and I wouldn't want to mistakenly grab a box of mild loads when I need to carry hot loads. A simple solution would be have a different style of bullet for each load, but I use the same bullet for both. I also have a few .38 Special guns, so I need to load for both cartridges anyway; Unique in the .38 and H-110 in the .357.
Click to expand...

For what you are describing, your decision makes perfect sense. I have three loads I use regularly and the bullets are totally different. Makes it simple.
 
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