Are different dies required for Spl vs. Magnum Loads

baddarryl · June 5, 2013, 07:25 PM

I saw some 44spl die for sale locally today and wondered if they would work for magnum cases.

Also brings up the question about .38 and .357 dies. Thank you.

Grump · June 5, 2013, 07:38 PM

Yup.

Ya just gotta back the expanding, seating and crimp functions when going from Special to Magnum.

UNLESS you do what I did in college. I bought a bud's Redding .357 dies, and they were truly .357. Had another bud at the summer job huck the seater/crimper in a lathe and turn off the mouth end so I could reload .38 Specials on it.

Then I bought a Magnum.

But I am shooting .38 Specials again now.

Misssissippi Dave · June 5, 2013, 10:21 PM

Most but not all .357 Magnum die sets work with .38 specials. The same the other way around. Most dies sets I have seen in LGS have been for both.

June 5, 2013, 07:25 PM	#1
baddarryl Senior Member Join Date: March 29, 2011 Location: Cape Fear! Posts: 1,683	Are different dies required for Spl vs. Magnum Loads I saw some 44spl die for sale locally today and wondered if they would work for magnum cases. Also brings up the question about .38 and .357 dies. Thank you.

June 5, 2013, 07:38 PM	#2
Grump Member Join Date: October 22, 2008 Posts: 73	Yup. Ya just gotta back the expanding, seating and crimp functions when going from Special to Magnum. UNLESS you do what I did in college. I bought a bud's Redding .357 dies, and they were truly .357. Had another bud at the summer job huck the seater/crimper in a lathe and turn off the mouth end so I could reload .38 Specials on it. Then I bought a Magnum. But I am shooting .38 Specials again now.

June 5, 2013, 10:21 PM	#3
Misssissippi Dave Senior Member Join Date: December 5, 2009 Posts: 1,411	Most but not all .357 Magnum die sets work with .38 specials. The same the other way around. Most dies sets I have seen in LGS have been for both.