.357 mag loads in .38 spl brass

Bitumen said:
Thank you for the info. My .357 load is 15 gr of H-110 with a 158 gr bullet. I don't own a .38 spl and have no intentions of ever owning one, so the danger you say of them ending up in a .38 is not an issue.
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Try a lower Grain projectile with that H-110. ;) You may get better accuracy.
 
the problem with forums and the written word in general, is nowadays, we tend to think that everyone knows what we "INTEND"

FLHTCUI/Rob made an assumption of the OP's intentions

Bitumen made an assumption of FLTHCIU/Rob's assumptions


Are you asking if you can load 357mag levels in a 38sp case to the same COAl as the 38sp, with same bullet??

are you asking if you can load 357mag levels in a 38sp case to the same COAL as the 357mag, with same bullet??

both scenarios are possible, and the first is possibly dangerous.

the second, seating the bullet out to Mag length offers no real safety concerns. It is a practice that has been happening for many many years. Championed I believe by Kieth.

there is a reason come bullet designs have TWO crimp grooves.

also IIRC the 358429 was designed specifically for loading in 38sp cases to the levels of 357mag.

as long as the case capacity is the same, the bullet will not know the difference. The firearm MAY have issues with gases and such, but you'd have to shoot it to find out.

I've got a 357mag rifle, and I plan to load levels up to 357Maximum levels using 200-250gr bullets, SEATED OUT TO at least Maximum's capacity.

I will also trim some Max brass so it just fits, seat as far out as I can, and work up some loads to 500S&W levels (or until accuracy falls off) 60KPSI
 
Garonimus said:
...If you're seating the bullet farther out to get the same OAL of a .357magnum, you wouldn't be getting the crimp in the cannelure. Wouldn't that result in the bullets being pushed farther into the case(setback?) from the heavy recoil of the magnum loads, leading to higher and possibly dangerous pressures?
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Actually, in revolvers bullets don't "setback" due to heavy recoil. Exactly the opposite happens. Due to recoil and the fact that the case headspaces on the rim, the bullets can start to walk out if they aren't crimped enough. I have seen bullets protruding from the chambers of revolvers, leading to the gun being "jammed" until the bullets could be re-positioned.
 
I have a question: In a .357 magnum chamber, a .38 special case is obviously shorter and when fired, part of the hot
gas is going to be in the chamber.
Would that not do some damage to the front of the cylinder ??
 
I think even a 357mag brass is shorter than the cylinder

when I had a Mag, the 38sp's would just make the forward area of the cylinder dirty, sometimes making the mag rounds a little sticky to chamber, but other than that, no problems.
 
I think what you are attempting to do is essentially re-create the .38-44 High Velocity. It can be done, I've considered it, but decided not to. If I recall, in order to keep pressures safe, you need to seat bullets further out of the case than usual. Anyway, Google.38-44...it may be what you are looking for.
 
Thanks for that clarification. So it's not a matter of going overpressure, but possibly jamming up your cylinder if the crimp is no good.

Splatter said:
Actually, in revolvers bullets don't "setback" due to heavy recoil. Exactly the opposite happens. Due to recoil and the fact that the case headspaces on the rim, the bullets can start to walk out if they aren't crimped enough. I have seen bullets protruding from the chambers of revolvers, leading to the gun being "jammed" until the bullets could be re-positioned.
Click to expand...
 
.357 Magnum pioneers designed a cast bullet for exactly this purpose. The Lyman 358156 GC-SWC; probably the most popular cast bullet ever for the .357 Magnum. It has two crimp grooves. I have shot many of these cast bullets in .38 special cases and seated long and crimped to almost .357 magnum length, and with more powder than is listed any reloading manual for the .38special +P. But not all the way to full power .357 magnum loads, I was loading powder amounts that were somewhere in-between.
But that combination is not for the careless or for anyone who also shoots a ".38 only" firearm. I was shooting mine in a strong Rossi M92 and liked the smoother feeding of the longer .38 cartridge.
It cannot be done with any other type of bullet that I am aware of because the required 2nd crimping groove does not exist in the proper location on the other designs, especially not on jacketed bullets! To load a jacketed bullet in a .38 case to the normal jacketed bullet crimp length and put in a charge of powder appropriate for full power .357 mag, would likely even blow up a strong M92 lever gun. There would not be enough room in the case to keep pressures in the safe zone. So be careful if you try this! Get the right bullet mould, or purchase the correct cast bullets, first. Seat to .357 magnum length. Then it can be safely done. But not a good idea for everyone out there.
 
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