Which dies for .38S&W

[Jim in S.A.]

Greetings everyone,

I've been shooting for some 40 years off and on, but I'm just getting into reloading. I have an affection for the vintage calibers such as the .38 S&W and the .32. I was set to buy some .38 S&W Lee Dies for my new RCBS press, but I read in one forum where somebody mentioned that the resizing dies varied in diameter depending on the brand.

Could someone shed some light on this aspect for me? Is this true? Does anyone know if it's important? I see that Lee, Lyman, and RCBS have dies for .38 S&W. Any recommendations? All help appreciated.

 

[kenhwind]

Don't pay any attention to something read on an errornet forum. Call LEE or LYMAN or ...., and ask someone that probably knows the correct answer.

 

[Walkalong]

The sizers for .38 S&W are larger than the sizers for .38 Spl/.357 Mag, because the brass is larger in diameter. .385 vs .379 if my memory serves. That may be what you read.

Anyway, any brand will work. I load .38 S&W with Lee dies. Work just fine, even with "undersized" .357/8 bullets. Works even better with the proper size lead bullet. With lead bullets you can experience severe leading with .358 bullet when shot in a revolver chambered for .38 S&W due to their being undersized for the throats and bore. I used to use wax gas checks with .358 bullets with no leading, but they are a pin. .357 jacketed or plated bullets will shoot satisfactorily in most .38 S&W guns.

 

[Gooseman]

I also load .38 S&W with Lee dies with good results.
Missouri Bullets makes a 145 grain, .361 LRN.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Add me to the list of those who use Lee .38 S&W dies without any issues. They work perfectly fine for me. If you have any doubts it's best to call or write the manufacturer like suggested above.

 

[NuJudge]

The dimensions of the cartridge are awfully close to 9mm, with a .360" bullet, IIRC.

 

[Carl N. Brown]

Most proper .38 S&W cartridges will not fit a .38 spl/.357 mag chamber or resizing die because the case diameters are different. I have encountered one batch of ".38 S&W" cartridges that appear to have been made to .38 Short Colt spex, but headstamped .38 S&W, that easily chambered in both my .38 Spl and .357 Mag revolvers. The .38 Special case was actually developed from the "thinner" .38 Long Colt case rather than from the "chubby" .38 S&W case.

Case Specifications
                .38 S&W               .38 Special
Bullet diameter .361  in ( 9.2 mm)    .357 in ( 9.1 mm) 
Neck diameter   .3855 in ( 9.79 mm)   .379 in ( 9.6 mm) 
Base diameter   .3865 in ( 9.82 mm)   .379 in ( 9.6 mm) 
Rim diameter    .440  in (11.2 mm)    .440 in (11 mm)   
Rim thickness   .055  in ( 1.4 mm)    .058 in ( 1.5 mm) 
Case length     .775  in (19.7 mm)   1.155 in (29.3 mm)

I am surprised that the rims of the .38 S&W are officially thinner than the rims of .38 Spl but same diameter because my impression was that they were slightly thicker and slightly larger in diameter. Guess I recalled incorrectly on that point.

I do have to admit that I have loaded less than 100 rounds of .38 S&W for a couple of really old BP revolvers that I later decided were in need of repair and relegated to wall hangers. The proper bullet diameter .361 is actually close to the 9mm Makarov .363.

 

[Flash!]

I use also use Lee dies for 38 S&W.... works fine, lasts long time!

 

[Taroman]

I use Lee dies for everything. Decided to try loading for my S&W Victory. Had continuing problems with crushed/cut case mouths. For the life of me, I never figured out if it was the die or something else. Just quit messing with the .38 S&W as it wasn't worth the effort.

 

[Springfield0612]

I use Lee for the 38 s&w. No problems two thumbs up!

 

[bamacisa]

I have a set of RCBS 38 S&W dies, They work fine, no problems. You can resize 38 S&W cases with a 38 Super resizing die or I have used a 9mm resizing die with good results. If I remember right, you can use a 9mm taper crimp die to crimp 38 S&W cases. I used to reload a lot of 38 S&W cases, but I haven't loaded any the last couple of years. The hardest thing about reloading 38 S&W cases is finding a large, cheap supply of cases to reload.

 

[VancMike]

A friend of mine had what he said was a .38 Spl Victory that fired nice patterns and created "reverse bottleneck" brass. Obviously, a .38 S&W.

So we found Star brand brass, loaded them with the aforementioned Missouri .361 cast bullets, using Lee dies, with no failures. And it shoots very accurately as well.

The British claimed great stopping power when they developed the 380-200 (AKA 38-200), a 38 S&W with....obviously....a 200 gr. bullet. Wikipedia doesn't explain configuration/shape of same, nor have I been successful in finding 200 gr. cast bullets to re-create it. Be a fun project with your .38 S&SW, though.

 

[W.E.G.]

.38 S&W is teh kewl

Terrier compared to two flavors of Model 60

 

[Jim in S.A.]

Thanks for the responses. My main reason for reloading will be for my .45 and my .38 Special, but since I like the so-called obsolete calibers, I figure it wouldn't take too long to recoup the cost of a die set.

I took my recently acquired S&W Regulation Police out to the range and shot through a box of .38 S&W rounds. What fun!

 

[Walkalong]

I really like shooting my Victory Model. I wish I still had my Model 33.

 

[zxcvbob]

You can use .38 Super or .38 ACP (not .380) dies -- the sizing die anyway -- or 9mm Luger dies sort of, but not .38 Special dies because .38 Special is too small in diameter.

All the die makers sell .38 S&W dies, but be warned that Hornady dies are not carbide even tho' they are really expensive.

 

[VancMike]

After my post above, I got to thinking....does anyone have a source/suggestion for 200 gr./.361 cast bullets?

 

[Krogen]

I'm also interested. I'd like to locate some loading data too.

I bought some factory ammo to run through my Webley and it leaded horribly. I pulled a bullet and found they had loaded 0.355" 9mm slugs. The only source I know of for 0.361" slugs is Missouri Bullets. I wish they had 200 gr.

 

[zxcvbob]

See if your Webley will chamber .358 HBWC's loaded long.

I had a Lee 158 grain bullet mold that dropped at .362" and I sent it back. I didn't realize what I had

 

[Krogen]

That's an interesting thought. Maybe the hollow base will open up enough to seal the bore.

 

[Lost Sheep]

I use Lee dies for everything. Decided to try loading for my S&W Victory. Had continuing problems with crushed/cut case mouths. For the life of me, I never figured out if it was the die or something else. Just quit messing with the .38 S&W as it wasn't worth the effort.

Occasionally, manufacturers have assembled the wrong belling expander plug (mandrel) into a die.

When you bell the case mouth, if you cannot start (or even finish) seating the bullet by hand (probably pressing the bullet into the case by getting an assist by pressing the bullet nose against something solid), you probably have insufficient case mouth expansion. Might be due to an undersized expander plug, or perhaps even the wrong one. I imagine it would be easy to pick up a 38 Smith & Wesson Special expander plug when the worker intended to pick up a 38 Smith & Wesson.

You might try putting a micrometer on your die parts and see. Measure a 38 Special plug and your 38 S&W and see if they are (in relative size) what you would expect.

Good Luck.

Lost Sheep