I have 94 Win. in .357. I want to load 38 spec cases rather hot but let the bullet stick out to .357 OAL. (Wouldn't this effectively act like mag cases? Is there a big difference in the 2 cases? I have heard to NEVER load this way. ( I want to use LEE tumble lube bullet and just crimp on a lower micro band.) any thoughts?

Dale, I hesitate to tell anyone to do something that might be unsafe, but I think that if you use fillers you'll be ok.

Seems to me that the idea is to reduce or eliminate the "empty space" between the powder and boolit, as well as to keep the powder packed next to the flash hole.

Main concern I'd have would be how well the boolit was held by the caseneck, to make sure it didn't cock sideways as it went through the action.

But, with all that said, why not just use .357 brass and be done with it? "Once fired" ("once," hell!! <GGG> .357 is pretty cheap.

Dale --What you are proposing to do is safe with one exception. If you have any 38spl revolvers you could possibly chamber one of these loads in the gun and that would be dangerous. That said your pressures and interior ballistics would be the same as if loaded in a mag case as long as you use the overall cartridge length of the .357 Mag. The only reason the mag case is longer is to prevent firing in a 38 spl. Nick

Dale,

There's absolutely nothing wrong with it unless you by chance put a hot load in an old junker .38 special. But the reason the .357 exists in the first place is because the manufacturers wanted to offer something equal to Elmer Keith's pet load (12.5g 2400 under Lyman 358429 in a .38 case) without blowing up some antique wreck. I've used his load for decades, though the .44's have taken most of my attention for the lasst 20 years or so. Using the same load with up to 13.5g H-110 is another winner. Accuracy with either is good to several hundred yards at the minimum. I once put five of them in a row through a fence post at a measured 200 yards, though I was cheating and using a rest. I gave a box of them to a game warden because he needed something to put road-hit deer out of their misery. He reported that they seemed to drop the deer about as well as a 30-30, and were a lot handier to pack around.

kbmoly

DE Hillyer: There was at least one bullet made to be used exactly this way; that is the Ray Thompson-designed Lyman SWC #358156. Quoting from Thompson's note in the original 1958 Lyman "Handbook of Cast Bullets", p. 89: "Bullet #358156 is designed with two crimping grooves - the first [front] groove is for use in crimping the .357 Magnum and the second groove [closer to the base] for crimping the .38 Special case, allowing more powder space using 2400 powder for Magnum loads in heavy duty guns [like the S&W .M23 .38/44]." I won't quote the powder charges from 1958, as there is suspicion that 2400 specs may have changed over the years. I would have no hesitation working up a load this way in a Win. 94 for myself, provided the SWC feeds OK. I have an "extra" SC #358156 mould I could loan you if you don't have one of your own. PM me if interested. floodgate

Thanks to all for the replies!

Grumble- You are probably right about the .357 brass but I have "some" 38 brass and being the cheapskate I am...... We usually shoot 3 -400 rounds a day in our "leverfun sillyettte" matches. ( 1/2 size animals- chickens And pigs at 50 m, turkeys at 75 m, and sheep at 100m or so.) No optics allowed. it's close to the most fun you can have with all your clothes on.

floodgate- that is a generous offer if ever I heard one! But thank you , no. I am the guy that tears up anvils with feather pillows! hmmmmm...... One of those molds wouldn't be in 4 cavity, would it? We could make a gob of them in a day. How far are you from S Illinois?

KBmoly- Nice to hear from you! hmmmm.... maybe all my guns are junkers!!But I don't have anything .38 special. I do want a warm load- the wimpy .38 won't always k-nock sheep over! I did email to order that mold ( Lee 6 cavity- 180 gr) That may be just the thing!

Hi fecmec! I don't think I have ever had the pleasure of replying to you before. Thank you for helping me! I really need the longer length for more power and the longer rounds feed really good in the Winnny94. I bought it on a lark.... it's one of my favorite guns now. Only took 6000 rounds to smoooooth it out so it is useable.