[Porky6331]

I am reloading a 38 shell to be used in a 38 heavy barrel & 357. By useing the manuals how do you figure what will work in both pistols with the same load. The 38 can use a +P load per Smith & Wesson. Need someones help. Thanks

[Peter M. Eick]

So what powders do you have, what bullet do you want to toss out and what are you planning to do with the load?

Unless you fill us in with more information most of us would be just guessing.

Might I suggest you hop down to your local magazine store and buy the current Handloader. It has loads for the 38/44 (38 special precursor to the 357 magnum) and 38 special +P.

I shoot a lot of lead 158 grn lasercast SWC's with lots of Unique. My loads come straight out of the Lyman book #48, but I hesitate to post without more details on your plans.

[JDGray]

Experimenting:D Both guns will probably like different loads, but you might find one they both like.

[Porky6331]

Right now I am useing 158gr RNFP and Bullseye Power.

[Ol` Joe]

I am reloading a 38 shell to be used in a 38 heavy barrel & 357. By useing the manuals how do you figure what will work in both pistols with the same load. The 38 can use a +P load per Smith & Wesson

If you are just looking for a load to shoot in both pistols ANY 38 spcl load will work. If you are looking for a full power load for both you will need seperate loads. The 357 mag operates at 35,000 PSI vs the 17,000 PSI of the 38spcl and even in "+P" form the 38 spcl only runs at 20,000 PSI, almost only 1/2 of the 357s pressures. The fact the 38 is a "heavy barrel" makes little or no difference in how much pressure it will handle. The frame of the pistol is what will dictate the strenght of the gun. If the manufacture recommends shooting +P ammo in it fine, if not it is not worth shooting loose a nice revolver just to gain a 100 or so extra FPS.
I would look at data for each cartridge and choose a powder and bullet wgt that performs well in each cartridge at there respective level. Use those components to load your ammo. Don`t try to make a magnum out of the 38 and preferably use 357 cases for the mag if magnum loads are used. You state you will be shooting them together and you will want some way to tell them apart when they get mixed as they will at some future time. Mag loads in the 38 are a bomb waiting to go off.

[Peter M. Eick]

Well,,,,,

Bullseye is not the best for hot and heavy loads. Nothing wrong with the powder, but at the hotter levels you need to think "precision" in terms of loading. Accuracy and precision in charging the cases is critical. Think of Bullseye as kind of "peaky" in its burn rate so just a touch more can be a lot more pressure. Unique or 2400 is a lot "flatter" burn rate so a bit more at higher pressures is not as big a deal.


http://www.alliantpowder.com/reloaders/RecipeDetail.aspx?title=Pistols%20and%20Revolvers&gtypeid=1&weight=158&shellid=1017&bulletid=41

The max charge for a 158 lswc is 3.6 grns. If it were me, I would start around 3 grns and work up slowly looking for the velocity and accuracy I wanted. They list the velocity at 910 fps for 3.6 which is pretty quick today for the 38 special, but by older standards, "par for the course".

[Porky6331]

I think I solved my problem. Instead of looking a load for the 38 & 357 I just went out and purchased my second S&W Model 619 357. Now I can follow the manuals.