38 special/+p/357 mag questions

The strength of 38 special brass shouldn't even be in question. It will take the same pressures as 357 brass will. The issue is 357 pressures in a case that could chamber in a 38 special. If you only have 357 magnum revolvers this may be ok for you, but what happens when you go shooting with a buddy and one of yours finds it's way into his Airweight j frame?

To me that's not worth the risk.

Keep your .38 spl loads to manual level no greater than +P. Overloading the .38 spl can have bad results should someone else decide to shoot your ammo in a .38 spl. While you think it wouldn't apply to your situation there can be circumstances where your ammo may get into the hands of others and you may even care about those others in the case of family and friends.

Use your +P loads in your .357 mag's without worry. You can download your .357 mag cases and unless you go ridiculously light at sub 38 spl start loads there really is no chance of sticking a bullet. Yes the .357 mag case has a slightly larger case capacity but that means little in the scheme of things as its such a small amount of difference. The .357 is a slightly lengthened case to prevent its clambering in handguns chambered for the .38 spl and not to increase its powder capacity.

I don't get it, the OP never suggested he was going to load .357 Magnum pressures in a .38 Special case. He only said IF he was to overcharge a .38 Special round would it be dangerous in his .357 Magnum revolver since it can safely fire .38 +P and .357 Mag ammo. I don't know how these threads always go OT but they do.

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ArchAngelCD said:

I don't get it, the OP never suggested he was going to load .357 Magnum pressures in a .38 Special case. He only said IF he was to overcharge a .38 Special round would it be dangerous in his .357 Magnum revolver since it can safely fire .38 +P and .357 Mag ammo. I don't know how these threads always go OT but they do.

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Mainly because one person makes a statement and then others comment regarding it. My statement wasn't made so much to the OP as the discussion centering around overloading 38 special cases.

Even if off topic, good info is important.

ArchAngelCD said:

I don't get it, the OP never suggested he was going to load .357 Magnum pressures in a .38 Special case. He only said IF he was to overcharge a .38 Special round would it be dangerous in his .357 Magnum revolver since it can safely fire .38 +P and .357 Mag ammo. I don't know how these threads always go OT but they do.

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In that case, no...

But I'd say since most of those that will answer a new reloader's question are experienced reloaders, many get into "theory" and advanced reloading techniques for answers. Some to "show off" some to add credence to their answers, but mostly just thread drift. Like sitting in a gun shop shooting the bull and conversations drift from Winchester primers vs. Wolf primers to how primers are made, why they are hard to get, to hand vs. press priming, to the kind of light in your shop (to find primers you dropped o the floor), to what your floor consists of; cement, carpet, tile, and what color is best, and will Bubba blow his fingers off with his new reloads.....

Either way guys, I think the OP received some pretty good info and was pointed the right way.

I started out similarly to your situation. .357 Dan Wesson revolver and 50 cases of 38 Special (my first box of factory ammo) All the rest of my brass for the past 40 years has been 100% .357 Mag. I don't mess with 38 Spec. It keeps my storage simpler.

But that is not my point.

I loaded those 38s a little hot once. Just once. Subsequent loading to 38 Special pressures yielded case cracks (lengthways both case mouths and body of the case). RADICALLY shortened brass life.

Nor is THIS my point

If you load light, your straight-walled brass can last almost forever. If you load hot, you will find service life shortened such that the price difference between magnum and special is negligible.

But that is not the BEST reason to stay within published (read: thoroughtly tested) parameters. But I should not have to tell an experienced shotshell reloader anyting in that area. Reloading is not rocket scienct, but it does involve smoke and flkame and things that move terribly fast. So, care and caution is warranted.

Be safe. Always, all ways.

Having said that, it you look at 38 Special brass and 357 Magnum brass, there is no difference in the brass except the length. But that sole difference makes a difference in internal volume. And that makes a BIG difference. Pressure peak is not linear (as pointed out already) and a small decrease in volume (depending on which powder you are using) can make a HUGE difference in pressure.

And that IS MY POINT.

Follow the recipes until you are comfortable with the mechanical aspects of loading metallic cartridges (which will not be long). Then, after you can easily discern the pressure signs (or have your own ballistics lab) and understand internal ballistics comfortably well. Then, and ONLY then, you might consider exploring the edges of the pressure/performance envelope.

Not rocket science, as I said, but caution warranted, nonetheless.

Good Luck - welcome to metallic reloading and thanks for asking our advice.

Lost Sheep

If I understand what you are asking it is if you accidentally overcharged a case would it be a problem in your 357? Well it would most likely be fine. What you should focus on is following all the basic safety rules when loading, only one powder out at a time, verify the correct powder charge, double check everything. Work out a process where you get into an ordered system and don't break it.

If you load on a single stage prep all cases first, prime them all, fill a loading block and charge all the cases. Verify the charge then seat the bullet. Get an order down and dont deviate from it. You will drastically reduce the chance of an overcharged case, a case not belled, or a missing primer, or any number of other errors.