38/44 loads?

[brewer12345]

So as I continue on with my journey into bullet casting I have a Lyman 358156 mold coming my way. This is the Skeeter Thompson design for a 155 grain gas checked semi wadcutter which has two crimp grooves. The one closer to the bullet nose is intended for 357 mag and standard 38 special loads. The second one down is meant for 38/44 loads. These are 38 special brass with case capacity of a 357 mag. Has anyone done some loading for 38/44 rounds? I would only be willing to try this in 357 firearms, but 357 brass is a lot more expensive than 38 special and I don't shoot any other semi-wadcutters, so mixing up rounds would not be a problem.

 

[Lafitte]

New .38 special or .357 brass is around 16 cents per round. Used, once fired .38 special or .357 brass is about 8 cents per round. Why not just get the brass that you need rather than hot-rodding your .38 special. Now, if you have a Smith and Wesson .38/44 pistol (.38 special built on an N frame), go for it.
Just my thoughts,
Lafitte

 

[243winxb]

Not all 38 special brass is created equal.

Loading data for 38 special +P may put you close to the velocity you seek.

Starline 38 brass is the same between standard and +P . Just different head stamps.

 

[Don McDowell]

38-44 was nothing much more than what we know today as 38 special +P, they did put those up in N framed guns back in the day.

 

[243winxb]

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?221939-38-44-loads and https://americanhandgunner.com/the-3844-heavy-duty/

Interesting subject, but dangerous, IMO. I seen some suggested load data that i would not fire out of my S&W M28 N frame.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

As mentioned you can load .38 Special brass to 38/44 pressures without a problem. After all that was the brass used in the original 38/44 loads. I don't like loading any brass over the pressure associated with the headstamp but you are free to do as you wish.

You might want to use a red magic marker to color in the primer as an additional warning these are high pressure loads.

 

[Sunray]

"...is the same between standard and +P..." All .38 Special brass is the same whether it has +P stamped on it or not. The stamp is only there so the factory people don't mix it.
Anyway, .38/44 is just hot .38 Special that was loaded by Western Cartridge before the .357 came along. It was a 158-grain jacketed bullet at 1125 FPS. That's a mid range .357 load now. Not +P .38 Special.
"...357 brass is a lot more expensive than..." Not significantly so. Graf's wants exactly the same money($45.99) for 200 Hornady cases. And has Prvi .357 on sale at $9.49 per 100. $8.79 per 100 for .38's.

 

[brewer12345]

Yeah, probably a dumb idea. I was mostly curios.

 

[243winxb]

A longer OAL, when using the lower crimp groove , should reduce pressure. As long as the base of the bullet is the same distance from the flash hole, as a 357 mag. Or as long as the case volume is the same.

Brass- 38 and 357 case wall thickness is not the same, as far as i know.

In my early years, i had a bright idea. When a 357 case gets a split at the case mouth, just trim it till the split is gone. Two problems with this idea. The 357 had a thicker case wall, then a 38 special. . The volume of the case was reduced when crimping in the crimp groove. Raising pressure.

Loading to +P pressures in the correct 38 brass will work. Start low, work up as always.

 

[243winxb]

CAUTION: The following post includes loading data beyond currently published maximums for this cartridge. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK. Neither the writer, The High Road, nor the staff of THR assume any liability for any damage or injury resulting from use of this information.

I knew I kept a 1955 copy of Lyman Ideal Handbook #40 for some reason.

.38 Special High Velocity for Heavy Duty Guns section lists a few loads:

150 grain wadcutter - 6.4 gn Unique - 1154 fps
150 grain wadcutter - 13.5 gn 2400 Rifle - 1227 fps
158 grain Thompson cast plain base - 13.5 2400 Rifle - 1220- fps
160 grain Keith Hollow Point - 12 gn 2400 Rifle - 1228 fps

Post #7 http://smith-wessonforum.com/reloading/223616-38-44-load-data.html

These are the ones i would not load in 38 brass. The "wadcutter" must mean swc??