revolver loads any different than semi-auto loads?

rbf420 · October 21, 2009, 09:07 AM

so im going to begin loading .38spl, and .357... are there any key differences or points of concerns in dealing with relvolver loads than there are with semi-autos? i will be casting my own boolits is there something in that area that would be different as well?

AlaskaMike · October 21, 2009, 09:19 AM

The biggest difference I think is probably most revolver cartridges are roll-crimped instead of taper-crimped. I know that some do taper crimp some low recoiling calibers like .38 special because for them the accuracy is better, but the vast majority of the time they're roll-crimped.

With cast bullets as long as you have good bullet fit (ie, the bullet isn't undersized for the bore), and good lube you'll have good accuracy and virtually no leading. I have revolvers that have never seen a jacketed bullet, let alone commercial ammo.

Mike

Slamfire · October 21, 2009, 09:41 AM

If you can put it in the chamber and close the cylinder, it will shoot.

If you can rotate the cylinder, you can shoot again.

Semi autos are much more sensitive about ammunition than revolvers.

Be aware that if you shoot lead 38 Specials in a 357, you will develop a lead ring in the cylinder. This ring will make it hard to chamber and extract 357 cases.

The ring is not easy to remove.

jmorris · October 22, 2009, 06:30 AM

If you have a revolver and semi auto chambered for the same bullet (assuming the same barrel length) you’ll need a little more powder in the revolver to achieve the same velocity. I only roll crimp heavy recoiling loads as the brass lasts longer before splitting with a taper crimp.

Sevens · October 22, 2009, 08:06 AM

Quote:

Be aware that if you shoot lead 38 Specials in a 357, you will develop a lead ring in the cylinder. This ring will make it hard to chamber and extract 357 cases.

The ring is not easy to remove.

I've heard this for years and have never agreed with it.

I have only owned only one .357 Magnum in my life but the facts are that I bought it new in '89 (S&W 686) and while I've likely put maybe 5 or 6 hundred rounds of .357 Mag through it, I've put thousands of rounds of .38 Special through it in that time. An exact count would be impossible, but a minimum number? I think it's safe to say that it's eaten more than 5,000 rounds of .38 Special... some LRN, many hundreds of cast full wadcutters and thousands of cast SWC.

I clean my guns regularly and carefully because I like a clean gun. They get quite dirty, especially since they all eat my handloads and nothing else. Cast lead and a lot of smoky powder filth and residue are the norm.

NEVER have I had a problem chambering any round, .357 or otherwise. I've also never once had an extraction issue from any round... factory, handload, .38 or .357.

So either my revolver is the exception and the million others are share the same fate, or this is a very much overblown old wives tale.

wncchester · October 22, 2009, 08:24 AM

"If you can put it in the chamber and close the cylinder, it will shoot. If you can rotate the cylinder, you can shoot again."

Slam, you are a man after my own heart! Some folks make reloading a far more agonizing task than it needs to be, or even benefits from. Especially so for hand guns!

I clean my guns after firing. Conventional (book guru) comments aside, I've never had any kind of problem after firing tons of .38 cast bullets in a .357 revolver.

gb_in_ga · October 22, 2009, 11:08 AM

Pretty much what everyone else has said.

One thing I've encountered, though, is that I've never really had that much problem with case crumpling with semi-auto rounds, or with .38 Spl for that matter. But .357 Mag cases will crumple if you try to seat bullets and roll crimp at the same time, unless you are judicious about it. Thus, I separate the seating and crimping steps, especially when doing .357 Mag.

One other thing to keep in mind about .38 Spl/.357 Mag vs most autoloader rounds is that the revolver rounds headspace on the case rim whereas most autoloader rounds headspace on the case mouth. In general, this means that reloading for the revolver rounds is more forgiving, and it means that you can roll crimp without worrying about headspace problems.

One other thing to keep in mind is that if you are wanting to load up heavy magnum loads for use in lightweight revolvers, you need to make sure that you use a sufficient crimp so that the bullet doesn't jump the crimp and go over max length. Just because the rounds chamber right and the cylinder rotates manually doesn't necessarily mean that it will continue to do so when you are actually shooting them.

Another thing that applies to certain powders in .357 Mag. Specifically, I'm talking about W296 and H110 (which are actually one and the same thing). You have to use magnum primers for these, and you have to use a significant crimp. This is in order to insure good ignition. These powders are notoriously hard to ignite. They are great powders for use at the top end, but you just have to use them correctly. Oh, and do not go below the suggested minimum charges with these powders. BAD things can happen if you do.

October 21, 2009, 09:07 AM	#1
rbf420 Senior Member Join Date: August 1, 2009 Posts: 166	revolver loads any different than semi-auto loads? so im going to begin loading .38spl, and .357... are there any key differences or points of concerns in dealing with relvolver loads than there are with semi-autos? i will be casting my own boolits is there something in that area that would be different as well?

October 22, 2009, 11:08 AM	#7
gb_in_ga Senior Member Join Date: February 15, 2005 Location: Pensacola, Fl Posts: 3,092	Pretty much what everyone else has said. One thing I've encountered, though, is that I've never really had that much problem with case crumpling with semi-auto rounds, or with .38 Spl for that matter. But .357 Mag cases will crumple if you try to seat bullets and roll crimp at the same time, unless you are judicious about it. Thus, I separate the seating and crimping steps, especially when doing .357 Mag. One other thing to keep in mind about .38 Spl/.357 Mag vs most autoloader rounds is that the revolver rounds headspace on the case rim whereas most autoloader rounds headspace on the case mouth. In general, this means that reloading for the revolver rounds is more forgiving, and it means that you can roll crimp without worrying about headspace problems. One other thing to keep in mind is that if you are wanting to load up heavy magnum loads for use in lightweight revolvers, you need to make sure that you use a sufficient crimp so that the bullet doesn't jump the crimp and go over max length. Just because the rounds chamber right and the cylinder rotates manually doesn't necessarily mean that it will continue to do so when you are actually shooting them. Another thing that applies to certain powders in .357 Mag. Specifically, I'm talking about W296 and H110 (which are actually one and the same thing). You have to use magnum primers for these, and you have to use a significant crimp. This is in order to insure good ignition. These powders are notoriously hard to ignite. They are great powders for use at the top end, but you just have to use them correctly. Oh, and do not go below the suggested minimum charges with these powders. BAD things can happen if you do. __________________ COME AND TAKE IT http://www.tamu.edu/ccbn/dewitt/batgon.htm Formerly lived in Ga, but now I'm back in Tx! Aaaand, now I'm off to Fla...

October 21, 2009, 09:19 AM	#2
AlaskaMike Senior Member Join Date: September 26, 2005 Posts: 941	The biggest difference I think is probably most revolver cartridges are roll-crimped instead of taper-crimped. I know that some do taper crimp some low recoiling calibers like .38 special because for them the accuracy is better, but the vast majority of the time they're roll-crimped. With cast bullets as long as you have good bullet fit (ie, the bullet isn't undersized for the bore), and good lube you'll have good accuracy and virtually no leading. I have revolvers that have never seen a jacketed bullet, let alone commercial ammo. Mike

October 21, 2009, 09:41 AM	#3
Slamfire Senior Member Join Date: May 27, 2007 Posts: 5,261	If you can put it in the chamber and close the cylinder, it will shoot. If you can rotate the cylinder, you can shoot again. Semi autos are much more sensitive about ammunition than revolvers. Be aware that if you shoot lead 38 Specials in a 357, you will develop a lead ring in the cylinder. This ring will make it hard to chamber and extract 357 cases. The ring is not easy to remove.

October 22, 2009, 06:30 AM	#4
jmorris Senior Member Join Date: November 22, 2006 Posts: 3,077	If you have a revolver and semi auto chambered for the same bullet (assuming the same barrel length) you’ll need a little more powder in the revolver to achieve the same velocity. I only roll crimp heavy recoiling loads as the brass lasts longer before splitting with a taper crimp.

October 22, 2009, 08:24 AM	#6
wncchester Senior Member Join Date: December 1, 2002 Posts: 2,832	"If you can put it in the chamber and close the cylinder, it will shoot. If you can rotate the cylinder, you can shoot again." Slam, you are a man after my own heart! Some folks make reloading a far more agonizing task than it needs to be, or even benefits from. Especially so for hand guns! I clean my guns after firing. Conventional (book guru) comments aside, I've never had any kind of problem after firing tons of .38 cast bullets in a .357 revolver.