Need recommendations;dies/bullets .38/.357

[beefyz]

Hi....another nut to crack. Been doin rifle now about20 yrs, decided to try a pistol caliber in a rifle.Never did pistol before. Got myself a Rossi levergun in 38/357; 24" octagonal barrel. Reloads will be ONLY for this rifle and only for paper punching. i know I have to crimp & reload with a certain type of bullet, only a round nose flat point. Any suggestions specifically as to weight and bullet out there thats worked for you. I will not be doing any casting. I know that a good crimp is required. I have no problem applying the taper crimp on my .30 carbine reloads. What is used on the 38/357 ? Any picture? Any guidance on this crimping? Since i will be needing a die set....how about Lee's as all my other calibers are done w/Lee. Or is there another suggestion. I've secured some .357 Starline brass. .38 would be .38 special, correct?
Thank You.

 

[rcmodel]

These should work fine in .38/.357.

A softer version would be better for light .38, but these will probably do O.K. for both.
http://www.missouribullet.com/details.php?prodId=110&category=6&secondary=&keywords=

Any brand of .38 Spl dies will also load .357 Mag.

Not all brands of .357 Mag dies will load .38.
Lee 3-die set would be fine & dandy.
http://leeprecision.com/xcart/3-DIE-SET-38SP-CARBIDE.html

They will do the required roll-crimp.

Walkalong has some most excellent crimp photos.
He should be along shortly!

rc

 

[beefyz]

RC...as always...may blessings be upon you.....
and oops, almost forgot, what are recommendations for primers. I'd imagine the 38s get small pistol. Small pistol in the 357 or is there a large pistol, or would that be magnum small pistol as Starline states? A friend says he has also used small rifle ipo small pistol in his levergun.

 

[rcmodel]

All current .38 & .357 cases use Small Pistol primers.

Handgun or rifle?
There is no need for rifle primers, or Magnum pistol primers for plinking loads.

rc

 

[rsrocket1]

also if you now load with small rifle primers, there is no need to go out and get small pistol primers. They have the same dimensions and if you have a modern gun with an un-lightened spring, will fire the small rifle primers just fine in a pistol cartridge. I've just gone through about 1500 .38, .357 and 40 S&W rounds using nothing but CCI small rifle primers and have not had a single FTF while using a 1980's Ruger Service Six and a 2011 M&P 40.

If you have a progressive loader with enough stations, I'd recommend the Lee Deluxe Pistol Die set with the FCD and crimp on a separate station. If loading single stage or on a press without enough room for a separate crimp stage, the 3 die set will work too.

 

[rcmodel]

there is no need to go out and get small pistol primers.

Except we generally suggest someone new to reloading, or someone just starting to load for a new caliber follow published load data as closely as possible.

There are very few published loads for .38 Special plinking ammo that calls for Small Rifle Primers that I am aware of.

rc

 

[Walkalong]

Walkalong has some most excellent crimp photos.

Your gonna make my head swell up.

Medium Roll Crimp on a D&J 125 Gr RFN

Medium Roll Crimp on a Remington 110 Gr JHP

Heavy Roll Crimp into cannelure on a Mag-Tech 125 Gr bullet in .357 Mag

 

[rsrocket1]

Except we generally suggest someone new to reloading, or someone just starting to load for a new caliber follow published load data as closely as possible.

There are very few published loads for .38 Special plinking ammo that calls for Small Rifle Primers that I am aware of.

rc

Been doin rifle now about20 yrs,

Oops, when he said he's been doin' rifle for 20 years, I thought he meant loading for rifles. That's why I assumed he already had a stash of small rifle primers.


nevermind

 

[splithoof]

I have loaded lots of .38/.357 for various carbines, and have had great results with 125 FP bullets, Winchester/Federal/Wolf primers, Bullseye powder using RCBS dies. If you really get into it, and want to load good ammunition in a timely manner, get a Dillon Square Deal loader.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

You might need a magnum primer in your loads using hard to ignite Ball Powders like HS-6, HS-7 and W296/H110 but then again, like said above, not really a necessity for plinking ammo.