38/357 new reloader

[Slasher]

I have been reloading for about a year, mainly 40, 9 and 223, but I am thinking about starting 38/357. I should be picking up a SP101 357 with 2.25" barrel and had some questions about reloading for this.

I have mainly used plated or jacketed for my other calibers but I am thinking about switching over to lead for the 38/357. Can you recommend a good projectile to get.

From the reading I have done it looks like the 38 and 357 use the same projectile. Is there any reason to buy different projectiles for the different cartridges? These will mainly just be used for plinking, I will buy Gold Dot or something like that for SD.

I am thinking that the 357 part is for fun and the 38 side would be what I would mainly be loading for since you would use less powder, does this logic make sense to you? If so, are they any issues with mainly shooting 38's out of a 357?

As for powder I have 231 and Power Pistol and will be using CCI SPP's.

Thanks

 

[alrutzz]

Just started myself, but I'll throw in my .02.

Can you recommend a good projectile to get.

Sounds like you are mainly shooting for fun. I like LSWC (Lead Semi Wad Cutter) for plinking. Cuts a nice hole in the target and easy to load.

Is there any reason to buy different projectiles for the different cartridges?

Possibly, depending on how fast you plan on driving them. If you want soft shooting .38 sp target loads you'd probably want something with a lower Brinell hardness. If you'd then like to put together some full house .357 mags, you may want something a little higher on the Brinell scale.

See this for a primer on lead.

 

[greyling22]

as far as case dimensions go, 38 and 357 are the same thing, the 357 is just a little longer. They take the same bullet, and you use the same reloading dies (adjusted differently for the different lengths) You can even load a 9mm bullet in there in a pinch, but it is very slightly undersized and probably won't be as accurate.

You can run 38's through a 357 forever. Now, after thousands of rounds, a ring of soot/crud will build up in the cylinder holes where the case of the 38 ends. If you then stick in a 357 you may have trouble with it fitting. All you need to do then is clean the holes well. A better solution is to load low power rounds in a 357 case, but 38's work fine.

38/357 is very easy to load for. you can make almost any pistol powder load work for you. A lot of people buy bullets from berry's bullets, I cast my own from wheel weights. http://www.berrysmfg.com/products-c108-38357_.358_Caliber.aspx

if you're going to load with a velocity above 1100fps, you're going to want a fairly hard bullet. above 1500 fps or so, you're going to want to use a jacketed or gas checked bullet. Straight lead will start to come apart. Regardless, keep an eye on your barrel when you start loading lead. if you start seeing a lot a lead in your barrel when you clean, you're probably shooting too soft a bullet too fast.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

That crud ring ^^ won't build up if you run a brush thru your cylinder every now and then...I have a .357 that has seen no less than 10k .38's. I have never had an issue chambering .357's.

As far as the OP's question goes, I load piles of 158 gr SWC's using Unique in both .38 and .357. My current favorite bullet is made by Missouri Bullet Company.

 

[gamestalker]

I've been reloading for several decades and the .357 mag. is one I've had a good deal of experience with.
I don't personally don't load with lead, but many reloader's do and without any problems. I will however touch on a subject of interest regarding revolver's and lead. It is very important to clean all of the lead out of the barrel and especially the forcing cone. Not doing so can and has been established as a primary cause of forcing cones fracturing. The lead builds up quite quickly and results in too much pressure on the forcing cone. S&W did some research on this because of claims that full house 125 gr. jacketed bullets were damaging or fracturing the forcing cones. As it was fairly well determined, it was a build up of lead causing forcing cone failure and not full house magum loads of any weight jacketed projectile.
My favorite, and actually my only load for the .357 uses H110 or 296. I've been shooting these through my revolver's for ever through two S&W 66's, 66-2 and a 66-5, and both guns are as tight and accurate as when new. I have other .357 mags that exclusively eat these loads also and have been uneffected.
A good powder for 38 special in my opinion is Longshot. I like the performance and load range this powder offers for the 38's. I'm not a fan of 231 because it is a fast burning powder and can be temparmental as a result. Slower burning powders generally offer you a broader range of powder charge to work with, also making them less pressure sensitive during load work up.
Gold Dots, what can I say other than I really like the way they perform. I also load a lot of XTP's and find them to be excellent performer's also. The Sierra JHP's have had separation issues with my loads, but many reloader's have a different perspective on that than I do. But not all that many like to load with high performance powders either.

 

[Hondo 60]

Missouri Bullet Company makes great lead bullets.
And their service is the best.

Seriously, It'll take 2 or 3 days from order to mailman at your door.
Shipping for up to 4 boxes is $13.00, so order a bunch right away.

I use Cowboy 11 for .38 spl, but they're too soft for full house .357 mags.
http://www.missouribullet.com/details.php?prodId=76&category=5&secondary=9&keywords=

For .357 I use ".357 Action" they're 18BHN, so they're hard enough to withstand a good pounding without leading & without gas checks.
http://www.missouribullet.com/details.php?prodId=41&category=5&secondary=10&keywords=

Just search thr for Missouri Bullet & you'll see all the positive (some even gushing) reviews.
And don't forget the "Discount to High Road Forum members"
Again search thr for the discount code.

 

[Jesse Heywood]

For .357 I use ".357 Action" they're 18BHN, so they're hard enough to withstand a good pounding without leading & without gas checks.

I have pushed that bullet to an estimated 1,300 fps without leading. I will also admit to having gushed!!

 

[KansasPaul]

I too am a fan of Missouri bullets.

I don't shoot many .38 spl. rounds in my .357 (Ruger Blackhawk) but I do shoot a boat load of cast .357 reduced loads using W231. You are pretty safe with just about any cast lead bullet as long as you keep the velocity below 1000 FPS.

 

[Lost Sheep]

I am with Greyling22 and ColtPythonElite, but have a different solution to the same problem (the "crud ring" that forms in the cylinder in front of the .38 Special case mouth).

None of my .357s have ever even SEEN a 38 Special, aside from one box of 50 bought in 1975, the same day I bought my first gun. I load .357 cases to .38 Special velocities all the time (using appropriate powders and charges, which have to increased a little because of the increased volume of the .357 cases).

Not having two different inventories of cases is simpler. Not having two settings for my dies is simpler. Not having to deal with the crud ring is simpler. .357 cases loaded to 38 special velocities may not last longer than 38 special cases loaded to standard velocities, but they don't last any shorter, either.

Thoreau said it best. "Simplify, simplify", or the fuller quote "Our life is frittered away by detail. Simplify, simplify, simplify! I say, let your affairs be as two or three, and not a hundred or a thousand; instead of a million count half a dozen, and keep your accounts on your thumb-nail."

So, I say, feed your SP101 with reloaded .357 cases loaded to whatever velocity you prefer.

Good luck,

Lost Sheep

 

[ColtPythonElite]

Us fellas with a pile of .38 revolvers as well as .357's can't simplify.

In addition, for years I had about 5k .38 cases and only about 1k .357. Free .38's were easier to come by than free .357's.

 

[Slasher]

Thanks for all of the responses. I just want to make sure I have it right. If I buy the 158gr L-SWC then I can use those in both .38 and .357 cases but being lead I will need to keep the velocity down. I have looked in some of my load books and see that most everything is being kept under 900fps.

If I want a full load then I will need to get a jacketed type projectile and then I could really push it without much worry. I saw Jesse's post about 1300fps with out leading but being pretty new to this I don't want to risk it.

Do I have to use magnum primers for the .357 loads or would regular primers work?

Does anyone have a place to get once fired .357 brass?

Thanks again.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

You can run MBC .357 Action bullets well past 900 fps without fear of leading.

Once fired .357 brass is tough to come by....IMO, you are about as well off to just order 1k new pieces from Starline and be done with it. It will last you many good years of shooting.

 

[W.E.G.]

ANY .357 diameter bullet will work in your Ruger.

ANY small pistol primer will work in .357 magnum cases.

 

[Notoast]

You want a .358 diameter bullet if shooting lead in 38/357 firearms with a .357 bore.

 

[gamestalker]

If your loading with slow burning powders such as H110 or 296 you need to be using magum primers. If loading with fast burning powder a standard small psitol primer is all that is needed. But bottom line is, follow what the data says in all aspects to reloading. Some of us here have been doing it for a long time and have found our own working loads and m,ethods. But the right way is to stay within listed SAAMI approved data, components, and methods!

 

[Snobal]

A big "Amen!" to what ColtPythonElite said:

"Once fired .357 brass is tough to come by....IMO, you are about as well off to just order 1k new pieces from Starline and be done with it. It will last you many good years of shooting."

I'm doing a "torture test" on a box of 50 Starline .357 Mag cases. After 64 re-loadings, 30 cases are still doing well. Lost the first case to a split neck at reloading #30.

By the way, my all-time favorite, "do everything" .357 mag revolver is a 3" SP101.

 

[ssyoumans]

I have a 3" SP101 and I get significant leading when using MBC 158gr 38 match bullets and MBC 158gr 357 action bullets. With the latter, I've tried from 12.0-14.5gr of 2400. Too much leading for me.

If you want one bullet for both types of loads 38 Special - 357 mag, I've switched over to using Berry's 158gr plated SWC. This bullet can take the velocity ranges, but need to use a faster powder like Unique vs. 2400 which wants a heavy crimp. With Unique and Berry's and a light-crimp (so as not to cut the plating), you're good to go. You can use a Lee FCD with the berry's too as long as your using a quick to mid-speed powder.
My $.02. BTW: I love my SP101. Just feels great in my hand. Shoots very well too (even with the leading loads I was using before).

 

[GLOOB]

I have been reloading for about a year, mainly 40, 9 and 223... I am thinking about switching over to lead for the 38/357.

Well, be sure to throw rag in your range bag. Cast bullets + revolver = messy. Worth the savings, though. I shoot mostly cast out of my revos. MBC Action! works for me. I also have a fondness for Berry's plated wadcutters, being one of the best plated bullet shapes that you can roll crimp and seat at the same time.

 

[Lost Sheep]

Brass easy to come by

I'm never short of brass. I just buy a box of factory ammo once and for the next 500-1,000 rounds, I have no problem finding reloadable brass.

Lost Sheep

 

[Hondo 60]

Do I have to use magnum primers for the .357 loads or would regular primers work?

Use whatever the recipe calls for.
Some will specify magnum primers & some will specify standard primers.

Just to throw a fly in the ointment, some experienced loaders will use magnum even if it's not called for. If you do that, make absolutely sure you're not running a max load.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

I shoot plenty of lead and get next to no leading. What little there is comes out with a couple of passes with a brush wrapped in a piece of Chore Boy. Yep, lead shooting is a little dirty, but the money saved is well worth it....A plus is you will never wear your bore out shooting lead.