357 mag loads in 38 special cases?

:mad: Please see ANY reloading manual! You may load +P loads in a 38 case but not a 357 mag load. You must check the combination of powder, case, primer, bullet in a reloading publication. I have loaded some hot ++P9X38 loads for a Manurhin revolver. They were basicaly a ++P 9mm machine gun load that did not show any signs of pressure in the Manurhin.
It did shatter some plates in IPSC shooting, though!:dancingbanana:
Best regards,
Henry
 
jasonburnsdundee said:
Is it possible and safe to load for 357 mag velocities in 38 special cases used in a 357 magnum security six?
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One of 'The Mans' loads was 13.5gr 2400 behind his design 173gr cast SW. Works will & is still one of my favorites in that caliber.
 
I've done it with both a Security-Six and a GP100. I'm not recommending it, mind-you.

If you do it, think about light-to-middle magnum loads, and keep the same COL as the magnum load, so that pretty much means heavyer bullets.
 
It is possible and it will work--case life sucks and it is a very bad idea if you also have a standard .38 special revolver around--mix-ups can be very unpleasant.

44Bore
 
Dave L. said:
You can, except there's a big chance you'll just kaboom'ify yourself and the gun when you shoot it.
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A "big chance" ?!? What's that 1-in-10? 1-in-100?

A big chance? So if I were to buy a used Ruger Security-Six, load-up 1000 .38 special cases with 158 grain bullets to around 1200 fps, and if at the end of it all, neither the the gun, nor myself had been "kaboom'ified", you'd reimburse my costs on the project?
 
This topic has come up before, and last time I posted my experiences on the subject I was flamed. Apparently, my experience did not match that of the guys who stick with data from modern loading manuals, despite loading and shooting many thousands of rounds in a number of different guns over a long period of time without incident.

Before the .357 Magnum existed, .357 magnum performance was obtained in S&W .38-44 revolvers, basically an N frame .38 Special, and these guns were commonly loaded with the equivalent of modern .357 Magnum loads, in .38 Special brass. When the .357 Magnum was introduced, the case was lengthened only to prevent the round from being chambered in .38 Special guns - some of which were very weak.

The bottom line is this - work up loads carefully, pistol cases have small volume, therefore half grain increments are called for. If you experience sticky ejection - you've gone too far. The .38 Special case has a thinner web, which means more volume and therefore less pressure with a given load. Pressure can be further reduced with some bullet styles by seating them long.
 
Not that I would recommend anyone ever try it, but I witnessed a fellow bang off a hundred rounds of .38 +++++P this afternoon through S&W 586 & 686. A couple of slightly blown cases, but what would you expect with 6.7 grains of Titegroup behind a 158 JFP in a .38 case. The gentleman worked up to this powder level from normal (3.4 gr) in half-grain increments. No firearms were harmed during the shooting of this experiment.

Putting the "mental" in experimental. :runaway:
 
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BerniePEI said:
Not that I would recommend anyone ever try it, but I witnessed a fellow bang off a hundred rounds of .38 +++++P this afternoon through S&W 586 & 686. A couple of slightly blown cases, but what would you expect with 6.7 grains of Titegroup behind a 158 JFP in a .38 case. The gentleman worked up to this powder level from normal (3.4 gr) in half-grain increments. No firearms were harmed during the shooting of this experiment.

Putting the "mental" in experimental. :runaway:
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Yikes! :eek: That's more than half a grain above listed .357 max for Titegroup, I'm not going to knock somebody for doing it to each his own, but my advice is don't even bother! :eek: I just hope this guy wasn't loading these up beside fellow shooters at the line who didn't know what he was up to... :rolleyes:
 
mr splatter & Boomer

Had an L frame S&W in .357....... decades ago and for a decade or so I fired thousands of lite to medium .357 loads in various different .38 spl.cases, (courtesy of my former employer) with nary a glitch...........all were however cast bullets.

This was with bullets seated out further than normal for .38spl and crimped in one of the grease grooves closer to the base.............

This is not "something new" and you have the support of one of the best handgun hunters/gunwriters/of the 1970's/80's ( SHOOTING TIMES magazine).....Mr Skeeter Skelton....

Mr. Skelton shot the majority of his lite to medium .357 loads in .38 spl. cases because he too realized that if the lead bullet is seated out further ,that of course pressures also remain lower ......he only used "cast " in his data.

................... MEDIUM loads..

"Lyman 158 gr.# 358156.... 13.5 gr 2400.......1200 fps
Lyman 150 gr. 358156 H.P. 13.5 gr 2400....1250 fps
Lyman 170 gr. #358429......6.0 gr. unique......1150 fps "

His lite loads were still at 950 fps +/- also.......


Don't have the 357 anymore.....but this same system works good for me using
same perameters of .38spl or 357 cases in my .357 Maximum T/Contender...

Did a google search......."my friend the .357". came up......you will arrive at ww.handloads........and you will find an article dated 1988 by Mr. Skelton that has the a/n loads and more information which was originially in shooting times mag. in the late 1970's.........

Mr. Skelton died a while back........but not from his .357 going kaboom!!

If this practice offends you or you feel it is unsafe........don't use it!!

hs 4570......your mileage may vary
 
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