Will 44 mag dies work for 44 special?

[Bullseye]

I was thinking and I am sure I'll get a quick answer. Is it possible to load 44 special with a 44 magnum die set?
If so I would imagine that .357 Magnum might also work for 38 special and so on.
Just a thought, I was considering buying 44 Special brass.

 

[Otto]

The only difference is the seater. Redding makes a set strictly for 44mag and another set for 44mag/44sp. I personally use Reddings for 44mag only.

 

[MEHavey]

Usually the manufactuere sells a combined 38Special/357Mag die set
(same deal as the 44Special/44Mag set).

The sets default as Special, and have a spacer ring for Mag loading.
Otherwise an exclusively "Mag" set of dies could not completely size/crimp
the shorter Special cartridges.

 

[Otto]

The sizing die is the same for 44mag and 44sp.

 

[Walkalong]

The sizer is the same. The expander is the same and as long as the internal stem can screw down enough for .44 Spl, it will work. The seater is the same, and as long as it will screw down enough for .44 Spl it will work.

It they are strictly .44 Mag dies, they may not work. Most sets are for both. Same for .357/.38 Spl.

 

[fguffey]

From the beginning the 44 Special dies would load the 44 Remington Mag. Problem, the seating die for the 44 Special had to be raised to crimp the longer 44 Remington Mag case. Manufacturers made an additional set of dies for the 44 Remington Mag, problem, the 44 Remington Mag seating die was too tall to crimp the shorter 44 Remington Special.

then one day they went back to making 44 Remington Special dies with a spacer, the spacer made it convenient to crimp both 44 Special and 44 mag. I adjust my dies every time I use them, Point? There are at least 4 different 44 Special and 44 Remington Mag die sets.

F. Guffey

 

[Otto]

Steel die sets can have different sizers.
Redding makes (3) steel sizing dies...one for 44 Special, another for 44 Mag and yet another for 44 Mag/44Sp
But for carbide sizing dies one size fits all.

Edit: If you don't mind lubing I recommend steel die sets...I think Redding is the only one still making non-carbide pistol dies.
And they're about half the cost of carbide sets.

 

[Bullseye]

I have Lee Carbide dies for 44 magnum. I don't have them here to look at them. They are over at "our" loading bench at a friends house. I could look them up tho. I am fairly sure this is the set.

http://leeprecision.com/3-die-set-44mag-carbide.html

 

[il.bill]

What is the brand name of your .44 magnum die set ? Each manufacturer may have a different approach.

I use the Lee carbide 4-die set for .44 special http://leeprecision.com/4-die-set-44spl-carb.html that says right on the label 'can be used to reload .44 magnum'. The first and last (the full length resizer and the factory crimp) dies work on both size cases as set up. The 2nd and 3rd (powder through and bullet seating) dies must both be adjusted out multiple extra turns to accommodate the extra length of the magnum cases.

 

[Salmoneye]

I have a set of Lee ".357 Magnum" dies that would not allow the shell-holder to rise high enough to crimp .38 Spcl...I could screw the seater down enough to seat the bullets, but could not crimp...Die is marked ".357-Magnum-CA"

I secured the die in a vise and ground down the rim till it would allow the shell-holder to rise far enough...

So the answer is 'No' from my perspective...

Not all dies will work out of the box with their shorter cousins...

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I have Lee Carbide dies for 44 magnum. I don't have them here to look at them. They are over at "our" loading bench at a friends house. I could look them up tho. I am fairly sure this is the set.

http://leeprecision.com/3-die-set-44mag-carbide.html

Lee sells dedicated .357 Magnum dies, dedicated 44 Magnum dies and die sets that will do both 38/357 and 44Spl/44Mag. You have to check the part numbers to be sure what you have.

The #90512 die set is 44 Magnum only. The #90516 die set will do both 44 Special and 44 Magnum. If the dies you have are in fact the ones you linked to they are for the 44 Magnum only.

 

[moxie]

RCBS die sets will load either the mag or special, in .38/.357 or .44 Spl./mag.

You just add a spacer washer provided with the set under the seater/crimper die for the longer mag rounds. Very simple.

 

[243winxb]

Lee

OP said -

I have Lee Carbide dies for 44 magnum.

Knowledgebase

Interchangeable dies
Posted by on 19 October 2011 03:01 PM
Frequently, dies from one caliber may be used to load other calibers. Due to the locations of crimping shoulders, the operation may only work for dies of the shorter caliber to the longer. You may notice a label depicting the shorter die in your set for the longer version of the cartridge, we do this to reduce costs.

Even though some dies are interchangable, in many cases, different shellholders are necessary. You can see a complete list of shellholders under "Case Preparation" then "Shellholders and Calibers".



32 H&R Mag - 327 Federal Mag
45 Colt - 454 Casull *
44 Special - 44 Magnum
38 Special - 357 Magnum
30-30 Winchester - 30 Remington
357 Magnum - 357 Maximum
38 Super - 9mm Largo
44 Russian - 44 Special
40 Smith & Wesson - 10mm - 41 Action Express
32 Smith & Wesson - 32 S&W Long - 32 H&R Magnum **

*The 45 Colt expander die will also work for the 454 Casull by backing the die out approximately two turns to compensate for the difference in case length.

**Our dies allow the use of .308 bullets in the 32 H&R Magnum. The other bullet diameter commonly used is .311 and that is the expander that comes with the set. To use .308 bullets, it is necessary to purchase an additional expander and turn it down to .308. This can be done using a drill press and emery cloth or if you buy the additional expander from the factory, we will do it for $10.00.

http://leeprecision.net/support/index.php?/Knowledgebase/Article/View/129/0/interchangeable-dies

 

[gamestalker]

Usually they are able to work for other parent same caliber cartridges, but with some exceptions. One exception I encountered was, prior to the introduction of the .40 cal., I bought a Lee 10mm die set for my 10mm of course. And then when I bought a .40 I thought I would be able load .40 with it, all would be fine, not. Resizing of course was just fine, but I couldn't bell or crimp, that was when I devised a new method for loading pistol. Resize, chamfer the inside of the mouth to accept a bullet without shaving, no belling needed, and obviously no crimp needed, been doing it like that with all my pistol cartridges since that day, and love it.

GS

 

[ljnowell]

RCBS die sets will load either the mag or special, in .38/.357 or .44 Spl./mag.



You just add a spacer washer provided with the set under the seater/crimper die for the longer mag rounds. Very simple.

I never really understood the point in the spacer. You have to fine tune it anyway and they work just fine without it, at least the ones I have used do.

 

[loose noose]

What moxie said, I have RCBS dies and have been loading both .38/357 as well as .44Spl/44mag for years with the simple use of spacers for the magnum loads.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I never really understood the point in the spacer. You have to fine tune it anyway and they work just fine without it, at least the ones I have used do.

The spacer makes the changeover from special to magnum quick and easy. When loading lead bullets in revolvers cartridges fine tuning is rarely needed.

 

[RealGun]

.44 Special is more likely to use lead bullets without gas checks, so I prefer to use the RCBS COWBOY die set for .44 Special lead. That handles every operation as .001 larger. I tried the Hornady version and found the sizing die is not any larger than std . There's nothing special there except a larger expander ball, which then sticks.

 

[Match10]

Answer is: It depends... Some can do both. Some cannot. I have a set of RCBS dies for 10mm I bought in 1989. The bullet seater/crimp will not do .40 Short & Wimpy.

 

[j1]

Yes they will.

 

[ljnowell]

The spacer makes the changeover from special to magnum quick and easy. When loading lead bullets in revolvers cartridges fine tuning is rarely needed.

Of course that's the stated purpose, but do you not have to unscrew the die to install it? With varying lengths if brass you inevitably need to turn it in or out to make it perfect.

I guess I should have said it like this, it only takes a minute to set up the die perfectly so why mess with the spacer? I have them but never use them.

 

[RealGun]

Originally Posted by ArchAngelCD View Post
The spacer makes the changeover from special to magnum quick and easy. When loading lead bullets in revolvers cartridges fine tuning is rarely needed.

Of course that's the stated purpose, but do you not have to unscrew the die to install it? With varying lengths if brass you inevitably need to turn it in or out to make it perfect.

I guess I should have said it like this, it only takes a minute to set up the die perfectly so why mess with the spacer? I have them but never use them.

If obsessing over COL +- a few thousandths, then spacers might not be for you.

 

[HighExpert]

Dillon dies will work for both.

 

[Sunray]

Combined 38Special/357Mag die sets come with a steel spacer(big holed washer) that goes under the dies on the press and makes up the difference in case lengths. Works just fine. You do have to adjust the bullet seater plug for seating depth though. Not a big deal.
Re-think buying .44 Special brass. It's expensive($61.99 per 50 and out of stock at Midway) and not really easy to find. Loading .44 Mag brass to .44 Special velocities works just like doing so with .357 brass. Eliminates the lube gunk ring in the cylinders too.

 

[ljnowell]

If obsessing over COL +- a few thousandths, then spacers might not be for you.

It's not a matter of obsessing. It's a matter of making match grade ammo for bullseye or carry ammo for my concealed carry weapon. Well, ok, it may be obsession, lol.