The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post

valleyforge.1777 · June 2, 2013, 02:01 PM

CAUTION: The following post includes loading data beyond or not covered by currently published maximums for this cartridge. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK. Neither the writer, The Firing Line, nor the staff of TFL assume any liability for any damage or injury resulting from use of this information.

I have asked this same question in the past, and I've done a lot of research into this issue. To be clear, a given 357 Magnum powder load should produce higher pressures in the 38 Special case compared to a 357 Magnum case due to the smaller case capacity of the 38 Special brass. Having said that, if you reduce any given 357 Magnum load by 10% you should be good to go in 38 Special brass IF AND ONLY IF YOU SHOOT THE CARTRIDGES IN A 357 MAGNUM FIREARM.

Obviously, you need to mark the containers with the ammo clearly so that the cartridges do not get loaded into a firearm that is not rated for 357 Magnum. It should go without saying that if you know that you are not the kind of person who makes darn sure he/she knows what he/she is doing when loading a firearm (i.e., what ammo are you using, where did it come from, what does it say on the ziplock bags or boxes in which the ammo is living, etc) then you probably are not safe enough to be doing this. If you shoot reloads that others have made, "because you trust the guy", etc, then you are probably not safe enough to do this. If you give YOUR reloads to others to shoot in their firearms, then you are probably not safe enough to do this.

If your "heirs" or "friends" or "family members" who get your stuff when you die are not smart enough to follow some pretty simple safety rules (i.e., never shoot another guy's reloads, etc) then I guess you better be worried and maybe not do this.

I can tell you that I personally have got way too many THOUSANDS of 38 Special once-fired brass to NOT do this. I'm planning to load 38 cases to about 15% less than a mid-range 357 powder charge and use them in a Winchester 94AE 357 lever rifle. I have the press set up right now for 9 mm and when I've got my allotment of those cartridges done, I will switch the press over to 357/38 and work on this. I'll report back about it, probably in late June if I can get the process going. [More specifically, what I am trying to accomplish is to get the rifle sighted in at 100 yards with a load using 357 Magnum cases, then find a load of powder in a 38 case that allows the rifle to be "already sighted in" at 50 yards. With factory ammo, when sighted in a 100 yards with 357 Mag ammo, the 38's shoot low at 50 yards. So, I need a load in a 38 case, probably somewhere between 38 +P+ and 38 +P++, or something like that, to raise that point of impact at 50 yards. We'll see how it works out.]

June 2, 2013, 02:01 PM	#20
valleyforge.1777 Senior Member Join Date: June 2, 2011 Posts: 177	CAUTION: The following post includes loading data beyond or not covered by currently published maximums for this cartridge. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK. Neither the writer, The Firing Line, nor the staff of TFL assume any liability for any damage or injury resulting from use of this information. I have asked this same question in the past, and I've done a lot of research into this issue. To be clear, a given 357 Magnum powder load should produce higher pressures in the 38 Special case compared to a 357 Magnum case due to the smaller case capacity of the 38 Special brass. Having said that, if you reduce any given 357 Magnum load by 10% you should be good to go in 38 Special brass IF AND ONLY IF YOU SHOOT THE CARTRIDGES IN A 357 MAGNUM FIREARM. Obviously, you need to mark the containers with the ammo clearly so that the cartridges do not get loaded into a firearm that is not rated for 357 Magnum. It should go without saying that if you know that you are not the kind of person who makes darn sure he/she knows what he/she is doing when loading a firearm (i.e., what ammo are you using, where did it come from, what does it say on the ziplock bags or boxes in which the ammo is living, etc) then you probably are not safe enough to be doing this. If you shoot reloads that others have made, "because you trust the guy", etc, then you are probably not safe enough to do this. If you give YOUR reloads to others to shoot in their firearms, then you are probably not safe enough to do this. If your "heirs" or "friends" or "family members" who get your stuff when you die are not smart enough to follow some pretty simple safety rules (i.e., never shoot another guy's reloads, etc) then I guess you better be worried and maybe not do this. I can tell you that I personally have got way too many THOUSANDS of 38 Special once-fired brass to NOT do this. I'm planning to load 38 cases to about 15% less than a mid-range 357 powder charge and use them in a Winchester 94AE 357 lever rifle. I have the press set up right now for 9 mm and when I've got my allotment of those cartridges done, I will switch the press over to 357/38 and work on this. I'll report back about it, probably in late June if I can get the process going. [More specifically, what I am trying to accomplish is to get the rifle sighted in at 100 yards with a load using 357 Magnum cases, then find a load of powder in a 38 case that allows the rifle to be "already sighted in" at 50 yards. With factory ammo, when sighted in a 100 yards with 357 Mag ammo, the 38's shoot low at 50 yards. So, I need a load in a 38 case, probably somewhere between 38 +P+ and 38 +P++, or something like that, to raise that point of impact at 50 yards. We'll see how it works out.] Last edited by valleyforge.1777; June 2, 2013 at 02:10 PM.