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Old January 9, 2013, 02:01 PM   #7
oldpapps
Senior Member
 
Join Date: September 22, 2011
Location: Middle America
Posts: 518
"Which ammo would be easier and/or more cost effective to reload? .357 magnum or .30 Carbine? I might also consider a .45 LC lever action"

First, 'Lost Sheep' 's entry is excellent. Very good Sir.

Now to the posed question.

.357 or .30 carb - easiest? Minimal difference in the two. What you will be feeding does make a difference. Most .357s are revolvers, levers, single shots but very few auto loaders. Most .30 carbs are auto loaders. [I did have a Ruger SA revolver in .30 carb. It didn't last long and got traded for something better.]
Both must be loaded to safe pressures - same.
.357s can be much shorter and just as long as the cylinder of a revolver. But, in levers, needs to be at a length that feeds well.
.30 carbs have almost a set length with very little leeway.
The process is the same with very few tweaks, here and there.

Cost efficiency. Tools and DIEs, the same or so close as to be the same. OK, .30 carbs don't get carbide sizing, they are tapered cases. Not that I can see it, but it is measurable. So, .357 carbide sizing DIEs are a little more cash.
Primers - Cost wise about the same. Small pistol and small rifle.
Brass - .357 (.38 Spec) brass is very common and the price reflect that. .30 carb is not so common and will run a little more.
Powder - Differing powders and charges but I will jump in with an 'all but the same' on this.
Bullets - The big separating point.
.30 carb gets junk 110/111 grain full patch stuff or expensive specialty jacketed stuff. And some lead round nose bullets. That's about the extent for the .30 carb. (Yes, some of these bullets will do a very good job, some don't.)
.357 get all of the same bullets available as the .38 Special and .357 Mag and all of those 'super mag' rounds as well as just about every description of cast and swaged bullets made. Weights from 88 grains to 260 grains can be had. Not that I see a great deal us use for some of them.

"easier and/or more cost effective" Ease is a toss up. Cost slips toward the .357. Function is the .357 all the way.

With today's frenzy in the market. I would be more interested in just what I could find/get.
As you have eluded to Lever Actions. I find them also to be very appealing. With that thought, I wouldn't limit my quest to 'only' a .357. I would also look at all of the straight walled pistol rounds as well as the (more) common conventional rifle chamberings. The over all costs to reload are not significant (when using case bullets) and availability of both weapons and components may be a factor.

Always error on the side of safety.
Enjoy,

OSOK
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