"Crossover" bullet loading - -
I've done some of this, mainly just for fun and variations - -
Most recently, Elder Son and I loaded some Hornady 158 and 180 gr. .357 revolver bullets into .35 Whelen cases, to have some short range (and relatively inexpensive) small game and plinking ammo for his rifle. Shoots pretty well with a reduced load of IMR 4895 powder, but we really haven't experimented much with the concept.
I'm looking forward to (someday) obtaining an old Lyman 200 gr mould, mainly for use with .357 loads. I'm sure, though, that some will find their way into Whelen cases, especially since I recently acquired such a rifle of my own.
I've heard of people using Speer 100 gr "Plinker" bullets in .32 S&W long cases. I've always wondered how well this .308" bullet functioned in .311 -- .312" bores.
Elmer Keith wrote of using cast 300 to 405 gr. .45-55 and .45-70 bullets, sized down to .454, for use in pre-WWII .45 Colts. That, of course, was before it was customary to load 300+ gr bullets in revolvers.
I've also heard of using .351 Win and .35 Win bullets in .357 Magnum for hunting big game - - These heavier, and very strongly constructed bullets would supposedly penetrate deeper than the standard revolver bullets when loaded hot. Again, this was in the days before the super strong silhouette match bullets, in heavy weights, were readily available.
Guns & Ammo magazine staff used JSP .38-40 bullets in developing a wildcat cartridge for a Browning High Power - - It was written up sometime in the 1970 or early '80s, as I recall. This was soon made moot by introduction of the .40 S&W ctg.
Yessir, there's been quite a bit of crossover loading through the years, and I imagine we haven't seen the last of it.
Let your imagination run wild, but, please, be careful and don't hurt yourself or anyone else.
Best,
Johnny