38spl rifle loads???

Kelly and Beth

Kelly and Beth

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I can't seem to find any info on 38 spl rifle loads. Just wondering if I can use the info "safely" that I get out of my manual for pistol loads in my rifle. I have a puma rossi 357/38spl. I have shot factory 38spl out of it and also handload 357's but was going to load some 38's for it and can't find any data other than the handgun data.
 
A quick check in the Hornady 7th edition manual and the Speer #13, it appears they have separate sections of data for 357 rifle & 357 handgun. The differences in powder charges seem to be minimal at best so why two separate sections I don't know.
I found a similar situation in looking for loads for my Remongton XP-100, 221 Fireball in the Hornady manual. Again, two separate sections, one rifle & one for handgun with not much in the way of difference between the two. I think for the most part, what's good in one is also good in the other.
You could contact the tech people for the manual publishers like Hornady and ask them. I've done so on a number of occasions and always found them more than willing to be helpful.
 
Be advised that some .357 lever action carbines, like my Browning B92, don't function well with .38 special brass. I get alot of stovepipes when I try it in mine.
 
yes I use a lyman manual mostly and it has data for both handgun and rifle loads that have minimal charge differences. I have fires 38 spl (factory rounds) out of my gun and they fire fine.


kelly
 
Johnn Peterson said:
A quick check in the Hornady 7th edition manual and the Speer #13, it appears they have separate sections of data for 357 rifle & 357 handgun. The differences in powder charges seem to be minimal at best so why two separate sections I don't know.
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I think you will find that the maximum loads will be the same for both rifle and handguns. But starting loads can be much lower for handguns as they have many factors shorter of barrels to push the bullets through.

The selection of powders listed for rifles is also smaller as you generally want to use a slower powder to take better advantage of the longer barrels.

Bullets listed for the rifles will have flat points as most rifles used have a tubular magazine.

Velocities listed in the rifle section are for rifle length barrels where as the handgun section lists data for shorter barrels and a cylinder gap.

If your rifle feeds 38 Specials OK and you don't need the extra power of a 357 Magnum then go for it and use 38 Special data or 38 Special +P data. Remember some of the starting loads listed in the handgun section can have quite low pressures especially with faster powders and could leave the bullet stuck in the barrel. You may not notice that a bullet didn't leave the barrel. It is very dangerous if a following shot is taken with a bullet obstructing the barrel.

So to eliminate any problems I would select a slow powder such as 2400 at the maximum load listed for 38 Special or 38 Special +P. Assuming you have a 357 Magnum revolver or have verified the loads are fine in a 38 Special revolver you should be good to go and handload a bunch all the same for both your revolver and rifle.

Hope this helps. :D


Fudd
 
Rossi Puma 92 in 38spl/357 doesn't like the shorter 38 spl cartridge. I'm going to reload 357 brass and it should solve the problem. Seems to be a common issue with the Puma.
 
If all your guns are .357 mag there's no point in loading into .38 spl brass, just put everything in .357 mag brass. I put a dot of red sharpie on the primers of actual .357 mag rounds so I can tell them apart.

team1126 said:
Rossi Puma 92 in 38spl/357 doesn't like the shorter 38 spl cartridge. I'm going to reload 357 brass and it should solve the problem. Seems to be a common issue with the Puma.
Click to expand...

My .454 Causal is like this with .45 colt brass, I actually think the limitation is winchester's design not Rossi.
 
Try crimping 38 brass at the top of the upper lube groove rather than on the crimp groove assuming cast bullets. Compare overall length to the same bullet crimped normally in 357 brass. Object is to have similar over all lengths with both types of brass.
 
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