Loading .357 cases down to .38 +p, good or bad?

I just bought a Taurus 605 (24 ozs empty, 2" barrel), chambered for .357 Mag. I went to the range and fired 50 rounds of 38 Special and 100 rounds of .357 through it.

The 38s were sweet, but those .357s rocked me pretty good. So, I am thinking about using the .357 cases, but loading rounds to what may be said to be 38 +p or even ++p - just not up to .357 pressure levels.

I do it a lot with my 44 mag cases, (I mean loading them down to 44 Spl +p.)

I've never reloaded .357 and thought I'd toss out my idea and see what you all thought.

Thanks
Hack

Just load your .357 cases with data for the .38 special......If you have +P data for the .38 special you can use that.....

You can actually use any amount of powder shown for .38 special all the way to .357 mag as long as it's the same powder and same bullet. It's one of the good points of the .357 Magnum....very versatile.

The magnum case is only slightly longer then the special case. Any .38 special load should work very well in a .357 magnum case.

I have no trouble at all shooting 357 mag in a Colt Python with a 2 inch barrel..

But since I only shoot targets and the occasional small stuff in the woods, the 357 loads don't really give me anything the 38 Special loads don't give me...

in fact the 38 Special Loads are more accurate...

any pistol loaded with Trail BOSS makes an excellent low recoil shooter...

quote:

Originally posted by btefft:
I do it a lot with my 44 mag cases, (I mean loading them down to 44 Spl +p.)

I've never reloaded .357 and thought I'd toss out my idea and see what you all thought.

Thanks
Hack

You have the experience, just pick the energy level you seek and load for it. I like lead bullets for less than full power loads, and a Keith type SWC possessing a sharp shoulder would be both economical, and effective.
Don't overlook soft wad cutters at 600f/s as they make great varmint bullets.

I do it all the time for my .357 S&W.

My wifes concealed carry Smith 2" 357 was a real disapointment. You needed a pasture full of barn doors to hit one so I made it a winter project last year to find a load that would make it at least more effective than making lots of noise. I shoot out of a quonset hut at my house so it is real easy to build a rack of different loads and test them at the drop of a hat. I soon ruled out the full 357 loads. Man-- them mothers in that short barrel would make a Girl swear off guns for good! I tried every bullet and powder combination known to god as I have a lever gun in 357 and I love to shoot that thing so I have a box car load of components from A to Z I found it realy liked the old Speer 160 grain half jacket SWC and Accurate #5. The best loads for most bullets fell right between 357 bottom and 38 Special top levels. My final pet gave me 15 shots in a 2 1/2 X 2 3/8" pattern at 45 feet from a rest of course. 7.5 grains Accurate #5 and the Speer 160 grain SWC. -- right in the cradle between b 357 and 38 levels !! 110 and 125 grain of all makes were a dissapointment and most lead bullets were less than sweet. This experament sure opend my eys as to the value of load developement and how different bullets can perform great or positivly horrible!

Forgot to add --all cases were 357 as I dont like shootin short cases in the long chamber. Shorties leave a ring of crud that makes longer cases hard to extract and I have seen warnings about shooting 45 colt cases in the 454 Casull as this ring of crud causes hi pressures if not scrubbed clean. ALSO -- if you are loading 38 cases to near 357 levels, You MUST Make SURE they dont end up in an older 38 as it may come undone!

I have shot tens of thousands of rounds of 38's in 357 revolvers.Nothing a good brass brush won't clean up in the cly.

Yes if one dosen't clean it up in can cause trouble mostly hard chambering of 357 cases.

I like wasilla I found that +p 38 loads are much nicer to shoot out of the short light weight 357's. I load 125 gr rem hollow points to 950 fps.

Like wasilla says it is NOT A GOOD IDEA TO LOAD 38 case's TO 357 levels too many chances of getting them into the wrong 38. Down loading 357 cases to 38 levels nothing wrong with that.

As far as being able to shoot short barrel lite weight guns its all in the gun and the shooter. I found lots of short barrel guns shoot very well. Yes they are harder to shoot but lots of them well shoot better then the shooter.

I have killed yotes out to 50 yards with mine I have placed many hits on targets out to 100.

wasilla those 357 carbine's are a blast but even if one head shoots squrriels with them there is not much left. With good shot placement they kill deer well.

quote:

NOT A GOOD IDEA TO LOAD 38 case's TO 357 levels too many chances of getting them into the wrong 38.

For this very reason, I used to 'make' 357 cartridges using 38 special brass by seating the bullet to the first lube groove to get the correct OAL. These did not chamber in a 38 special revolver. Nor were they at full 357 pressure. Two crimp groove bullet moulds used to be available.

btefft, you don't say what bulet weight you were using in the 357. Often factory loads are 158 grain. You should try 125, 140 grain bullets and load these to your comfort level.
Peter.

Ignoring the issue of potential mixup of 38/357, is there any reason that good quality 38 brass can't be used for full 357 loads (158gn) in a medium or large frame sized steel revolver PROVIDED that the cartridge OAL is based on 357 data not 38. Sierra lists a 38 Spec load of 14.2 gn 4227 for a 158 gn bullet which must be getting close to 357 pressures anyway.

I've shot many a light load in .357 mag. The only thing that could be a problem is the potential for a double charge of powder. Using a slower powder will fill the case better, but slower powders translate to more felt recoil so what's a poor boy to do???!!!

Enter Hodgon with their fluffed up powder for just this purpose: to load a lighter recoiling round and yet still fill the case to the point where double charge problems go away. The cowboy action guys love it. I believe it's called trail boss. I'm sure Hodgon will be happy to tell you all about it and recommend some loads on their website.

I load the .357 brass to 38 Spl spec all the time.

The powder I prefer is Hodgdon HS6, which fills the case. I stay away from the "hot" stuff like Bullseye and Red Dot. But that's my preference.

Last time at the shop they were out of HS6 and so I got some Win. 231, which is in the same realm in terms of burn rate.

I agree about the "short brass" in the .357 chamber, which is why I jumped on the Smith Mod. 10 heavy barrel, ported, trigger job for IPSC in 38 Spl.

Everyone was passing up this gun because it wasn't chambered .357 mag. I nailed it a while back for $185 -- about 85%.

Somewhere out on the ranges I accumulated a sh*t pot full of 38 Spl brass.

Cheap plinker load, 158 gr. SWC Laser Cast Oregon Trails lead bullets, HS6 and load to max 38 Spl or +P levels.

The other "solution" to recoil in the .357 mag. is to shoot more. You'll come to like it.

quote:

The other "solution" to recoil in the .357 mag. is to shoot more. You'll come to like it.

That's true.
Heavier bullets produce a 'less sharp' recoil without power loss.

I found no difference between wadcutter bullet loads with Red Dot or Unique in either .38 Spl or .357 Magnum cases.

Like already and very rightfully stated, LOOK OUT FOR DOUBLE LOADS!

quote:

Originally posted by Zedo:
...The powder I prefer is Hodgdon HS6, which fills the case. ...Last time at the shop they were out of HS6 and so I got some Win. 231, which is in the same realm in terms of burn rate. ...

Hey Hack, I've never used HS6 in either the 38SPL or 357Mag, so I can't comment on it.

However, WW-231 is a good bit Faster then HS6. If a Reloader follows the natural progression of the above statements, it is misleading because it would lead a person to think it would be OK to "fill the case" with WW-231 and that would be Very WRONG.
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Downloading a 357Mag case to 38Spl levels is shown in all the Manuals and Powder Manufacturers web sites. As usual, stick with Loads shown there and you will do fine. Follow the Load recommendations on the net and you have the potential to cause serious harm to your firearm and yourself.

There is nothing wrong with shooting 38Spl cases in any 357Mag revolver. However, the concern about the Carbon Rings ahead of the 38Spl cases is real. Also agree with those who said the Carbon Rings can be removed with a good Brush and a lot of scrubbing. Just depends on how many 38Spls are fired. This is an easy issue to avoid all together by simply downloading the 357Mag cases.

Best of luck to you.