Is this safe?

nobanforme · December 14, 2004, 08:34 PM

I was told by a friend that you could reload .357mag brass with 38spl loads to avoid getting that ring around the chambers from shooting 38spl in a .357mag.
any thoughts on this? Thanks in advance for your help.

Cal4D4 · December 14, 2004, 08:59 PM

An exception may be .38SP loads using a powder like H110/W296 where the load would be below the operating pressure for that powder in the larger case and results would be poor ignition. Any other .38SP load would be slightly lower performance due to the larger case volume. If it was a real low end .38SP load it may be lowered enough to stick a bullet. Position sensitive powders like Unique would be more position sensitive and accuracy may suffer.

scottys1 · December 14, 2004, 09:22 PM

.357 cases can definitely be downloaded to .38spl performance, but due to the larger case capacity it may not be the same powder/charge as doing it in a .38spl case.
Pretty much what Cal4D4 said.

Uwe Jeffries · December 15, 2004, 11:45 AM

It works all right,but use mag primers to get a good ignition on the smaller load.
good luck
Uwe

SmokinTom · December 16, 2004, 07:55 AM

Why don`t you just load 38 loads in 38 cases and clean the gun when your done ???

Leftoverdj · December 16, 2004, 02:16 PM

Smokin', some .357 Magnums will not shoot well with .38 Special cases, others do. I dunno why. It's one of those things that just is.

OfcrBill · December 18, 2004, 01:38 PM

PHP Code:


			
Why don`t you just load 38 loads in 38 cases and clean the gun when your done ???

I shoot 38 spl and 38+p loads through my S&W .357 Magnum #649 when I train. I found that no matter how well I clean it, there is what appears to be a burned ring around each chamber in the cylinder. I can live with it though, but if anyone has some great idea to remove it, please post. Thanks all. Bill

Jbar4Ranch · December 18, 2004, 09:10 PM

I can't get .38 spl cases to feed in my Browning M92, so I use 3.5 grains of Titegroup in a .357 case for my CAS loads with no problems at all so far.

Hal · December 19, 2004, 04:32 AM

Quote:

but if anyone has some great idea to remove it, please post

I don't know how great it is, but I run a fired .357magum case into each chamber before I clean. It seems to scrape out the ring.

aussie bob · December 19, 2004, 06:33 AM

G'day,

Ocassionaly using .38 Special cases in a .357 magnum chamber will not ruin even the best gun particularly if the loads are for paper targets. It is true however if you use a lot of Specials you will eventually fire erode the chamber and this may give you problems inserting loaded or extracting fired .357 rounds, particularly if they are hot.

I use about 0.1 grains more in the .357 case than in the .38 for wadcutter loads or seat the wadcutter to the same OAL as the .38 special ie below the rim of the case. I do not use a crimp on a wadcutter. Of course if you want a crimp then seat the projectile as normal and make a small powder adjustment.

Cheers from down under
Aussie Bob

GLK · December 23, 2004, 02:06 AM

"I found that no matter how well I clean it, there is what appears to be a burned ring around each chamber in the cylinder. I can live with it though, but if anyone has some great idea to remove it, please post. Thanks all. Bill"

Get yourself a Lead Away cloth. Cut into appropriate sized squares and wrap around a proper size bore /chamber / cylinder brush and the built up rings scrub right out. Just don't use on anything but the barrel and or cylinder on blued guns as it will take off blueing. You can use it anywhere on a stainless guns. Great stuff in my opinion.

Nnobby45 · December 23, 2004, 02:38 AM

Heavy deposits can be cleaned most of the way with a Clymer chamber reamer. Be very careful. Pushing it into the cylinder too far will cut the chamber deeper!!

The Lewis Lead Remover kit uses an abrasive type of screen material that cleans the forcing cone, and can be use in the cylinder chambers.

Firing .38's will eventually cause pitting. Also, if the build up is considerable, you may be able to chamber a .357 rd, but there might not be enough room for the case mouth to open up properly, and the pressure will increase even more than the already considerable .357 mag pressure.

Don't leave the deposits there. Moisture can get underneath and cause rust, and pitting will be accelerated. It seems to me that .357 reloading data includes reduced loads that should serve the purpose.

38splfan · December 23, 2004, 02:53 AM

No Ban,

I commend you for your safety conciousness concerning this issue. It's good to see folks looking before they leap. Hope whatever you try works out for you. let us know how it turns out.

ZWolfgang · December 25, 2004, 05:39 AM

Personally, my approach -for the sake of my guns and my safety- is to only use .357 cases in my .357's and use approved "reduced-charge" .357 loads. You can easily approximate a safe .38 spl. load with a .357 case. That way ignition will not fall below what you should have for caliber/case size and you will avoid the .38 spl erosion in your .357 length chambers.

December 14, 2004, 08:34 PM	#1
nobanforme Senior Member Join Date: September 30, 2004 Location: Utah Posts: 389	Is this safe? I was told by a friend that you could reload .357mag brass with 38spl loads to avoid getting that ring around the chambers from shooting 38spl in a .357mag. any thoughts on this? Thanks in advance for your help.

December 15, 2004, 11:45 AM	#4
Uwe Jeffries Junior Member Join Date: December 5, 2004 Location: Frankfurt-Germany Posts: 10	loading 358spl in .357 mag It works all right,but use mag primers to get a good ignition on the smaller load. good luck Uwe

December 18, 2004, 01:38 PM	#7
OfcrBill Member Join Date: November 12, 2004 Location: New Mexico Posts: 62	Ring around the chamber PHP Code: Why don`t you just load 38 loads in 38 cases and clean the gun when your done ??? I shoot 38 spl and 38+p loads through my S&W .357 Magnum #649 when I train. I found that no matter how well I clean it, there is what appears to be a burned ring around each chamber in the cylinder. I can live with it though, but if anyone has some great idea to remove it, please post. Thanks all. Bill __________________ A Proud Veteran, USN USS Whipple FF 1062 USS Dixon AS 37 USS Jason AR 8 USS Kitty Hawk CV 63

December 18, 2004, 09:10 PM	#8
Jbar4Ranch Senior Member Join Date: May 19, 1999 Location: Near Helena, Montana Posts: 1,719	I can't get .38 spl cases to feed in my Browning M92, so I use 3.5 grains of Titegroup in a .357 case for my CAS loads with no problems at all so far. __________________ Sometimes the squeaky wheel gets replaced... SASS 47015

December 23, 2004, 02:53 AM	#13
38splfan Senior Member Join Date: November 19, 2004 Location: Ft. Lewis/Tacoma, WA. Posts: 1,034	Safety, No Ban, I commend you for your safety conciousness concerning this issue. It's good to see folks looking before they leap. Hope whatever you try works out for you. let us know how it turns out.

December 14, 2004, 08:59 PM	#2
Cal4D4 Senior Member Join Date: June 18, 2001 Location: southern california Posts: 679	An exception may be .38SP loads using a powder like H110/W296 where the load would be below the operating pressure for that powder in the larger case and results would be poor ignition. Any other .38SP load would be slightly lower performance due to the larger case volume. If it was a real low end .38SP load it may be lowered enough to stick a bullet. Position sensitive powders like Unique would be more position sensitive and accuracy may suffer.

December 14, 2004, 09:22 PM	#3
scottys1 Senior Member Join Date: May 21, 2004 Posts: 316	.357 cases can definitely be downloaded to .38spl performance, but due to the larger case capacity it may not be the same powder/charge as doing it in a .38spl case. Pretty much what Cal4D4 said.

December 16, 2004, 07:55 AM	#5
SmokinTom Senior Member Join Date: November 29, 2004 Location: Ohio Posts: 479	Why don`t you just load 38 loads in 38 cases and clean the gun when your done ???

December 16, 2004, 02:16 PM	#6
Leftoverdj Senior Member Join Date: October 15, 2004 Posts: 934	Smokin', some .357 Magnums will not shoot well with .38 Special cases, others do. I dunno why. It's one of those things that just is.

December 19, 2004, 06:33 AM	#10
aussie bob Member Join Date: December 7, 2004 Location: Australia Posts: 36	G'day, Ocassionaly using .38 Special cases in a .357 magnum chamber will not ruin even the best gun particularly if the loads are for paper targets. It is true however if you use a lot of Specials you will eventually fire erode the chamber and this may give you problems inserting loaded or extracting fired .357 rounds, particularly if they are hot. I use about 0.1 grains more in the .357 case than in the .38 for wadcutter loads or seat the wadcutter to the same OAL as the .38 special ie below the rim of the case. I do not use a crimp on a wadcutter. Of course if you want a crimp then seat the projectile as normal and make a small powder adjustment. Cheers from down under Aussie Bob

December 23, 2004, 02:06 AM	#11
GLK Senior Member Join Date: June 22, 2000 Location: Brandon FL USA Posts: 527	"I found that no matter how well I clean it, there is what appears to be a burned ring around each chamber in the cylinder. I can live with it though, but if anyone has some great idea to remove it, please post. Thanks all. Bill" Get yourself a Lead Away cloth. Cut into appropriate sized squares and wrap around a proper size bore /chamber / cylinder brush and the built up rings scrub right out. Just don't use on anything but the barrel and or cylinder on blued guns as it will take off blueing. You can use it anywhere on a stainless guns. Great stuff in my opinion.

December 23, 2004, 02:38 AM	#12
Nnobby45 Senior Member Join Date: November 20, 2004 Posts: 3,150	Heavy deposits can be cleaned most of the way with a Clymer chamber reamer. Be very careful. Pushing it into the cylinder too far will cut the chamber deeper!! The Lewis Lead Remover kit uses an abrasive type of screen material that cleans the forcing cone, and can be use in the cylinder chambers. Firing .38's will eventually cause pitting. Also, if the build up is considerable, you may be able to chamber a .357 rd, but there might not be enough room for the case mouth to open up properly, and the pressure will increase even more than the already considerable .357 mag pressure. Don't leave the deposits there. Moisture can get underneath and cause rust, and pitting will be accelerated. It seems to me that .357 reloading data includes reduced loads that should serve the purpose.

December 25, 2004, 05:39 AM	#14
ZWolfgang Senior Member Join Date: March 31, 2002 Location: Washington State Posts: 254	Personally, my approach -for the sake of my guns and my safety- is to only use .357 cases in my .357's and use approved "reduced-charge" .357 loads. You can easily approximate a safe .38 spl. load with a .357 case. That way ignition will not fall below what you should have for caliber/case size and you will avoid the .38 spl erosion in your .357 length chambers.