.38 S&W reloading dilemna

[ammodave]

Although I have a good selection of modern revolvers and pistols, I'm considering purchasing a .38 S&W Enfield for a little vintage variety. I have a Dillon Square Deal and no .38 S&W dies are available for this little press. I'm not willing to go back to single station reloading and therin lies my dilemna. Can I get by reloading without resizing the spent cases? It looks like I should be able to use my 9mm dies for belling the case mouth, seating the bullet, and crimping. I can use a .38 Special shell holder (with a little modification) as my shell turret. Is my proposal practical? Anybody had any experience trying this?

 

[Jim Watson]

Well, I load .38S&W for my Cowboy pocket gun - an old S&W - with a .38 Special sizing die and .38 Super expanding and seating dies so you should be able to flange up something similar. The Special sizing die takes them WAY down and brass life will likely be short, but that is what is needed to get good bullet pull on the slightly undersize (for S&W) Special bullets I use.

The .38 S&W goes in a single stage .38 Special shellholder ok, won't the SDB shellplate accept them as is?

 

[ammodave]

The Dillon 38 Spcl shellholder is just a smidge too small to accept 38 S&W. A light touch-up with a Dremel should make it fit both. I was going to use the 9mm dies for stations 2,3&4 because they should be a little larger than 38 Spcl. Have you tried to reload without resizing? I feel like I should be able to get the bullets firmly seated with the 9mm crimper.