Square Deal in 38/357?
- Thread starter m777
- Start date
- Yes.
Sizer / decapper die; no adjustment required, in fact I run all my .357's through the Square Deal sizer as it does a better job.
Case flarer / powder charger will have to be adjusted up (for .357) or down (for .38); also, the charge bar will need to be reset to give your .357 powder load, unless you use the same amount of the same powder in both - which sorta' defeats the purpose of loading .357.
Bullet seater die has to be reset - you'll be using different bullets (I use 125gr RNFP for ,38, 158gr GCSWC for .357). Even with the same bullet, you'll have to adjust the seater for the extra cartridge length on the .357.
Likewise, crimp die needs adjusted for longer cartridge on .357 - if you try to just run the .357's through anyways and hope for the best, you'll destroy them.
I have my SDB set for .38 Spl, 125gr RNFP and ~3.3gr fast powder, it's a popular load for open house at the club because it's quiet, accurate and little recoil in a full-underlug 6" Dan Wesson. The .357's, I only size / decap / prime on the SDB. I use a lot of Li'l Gun (16gr) with a .358 GCSWC which I throw with an autoscale, then bullet seat / crimp with RCBS dies on stn's 4 & 5 of my Hornady LnL; it's a pain, but I use a lot more .38's (and have a lot more .38 brass) than .357's, and I can quickly full-progressive a whole lot of the .38's on the SDB. I only shoot a couple hundred of the hot-house .357's a year, and the charge throwers don't like Li'l Gun, so I don't mind assembling them more slowly.
- And if I want noise and power, I go .44 anyways
Sizer / decapper die; no adjustment required, in fact I run all my .357's through the Square Deal sizer as it does a better job.
Case flarer / powder charger will have to be adjusted up (for .357) or down (for .38); also, the charge bar will need to be reset to give your .357 powder load, unless you use the same amount of the same powder in both - which sorta' defeats the purpose of loading .357.
Bullet seater die has to be reset - you'll be using different bullets (I use 125gr RNFP for ,38, 158gr GCSWC for .357). Even with the same bullet, you'll have to adjust the seater for the extra cartridge length on the .357.
Likewise, crimp die needs adjusted for longer cartridge on .357 - if you try to just run the .357's through anyways and hope for the best, you'll destroy them.
I have my SDB set for .38 Spl, 125gr RNFP and ~3.3gr fast powder, it's a popular load for open house at the club because it's quiet, accurate and little recoil in a full-underlug 6" Dan Wesson. The .357's, I only size / decap / prime on the SDB. I use a lot of Li'l Gun (16gr) with a .358 GCSWC which I throw with an autoscale, then bullet seat / crimp with RCBS dies on stn's 4 & 5 of my Hornady LnL; it's a pain, but I use a lot more .38's (and have a lot more .38 brass) than .357's, and I can quickly full-progressive a whole lot of the .38's on the SDB. I only shoot a couple hundred of the hot-house .357's a year, and the charge throwers don't like Li'l Gun, so I don't mind assembling them more slowly.
- And if I want noise and power, I go .44 anyways
