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Author Topic: 38 special loads, 357 dies  (Read 826 times)

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Offline 3030guy

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38 special loads, 357 dies
« on: February 09, 2011, 04:58:56 PM »
Is it possible and/or advisable to load 38 specials with 357 dies?
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Offline wncchester

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Re: 38 special loads, 357 dies
« Reply #1 on: February 09, 2011, 05:08:43 PM »
"Is it possible and/or advisable to load 38 specials with 357 dies?"

Depends on the dies but, no, not normally.  You probably won't be able to properly seat, certainly won't be able to crimp.  Going the oher way works tho.
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Offline Flynmoose

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Re: 38 special loads, 357 dies
« Reply #2 on: February 09, 2011, 05:35:56 PM »
I have RCBS dies and load both 38 and 357 with them. They state on
the box that they will also work with 357 Max.
FM
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Offline bilmac

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Re: 38 special loads, 357 dies
« Reply #3 on: February 09, 2011, 06:17:10 PM »
I load both and 357 max with one set of dies.
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Offline cwlongshot

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Re: 38 special loads, 357 dies
« Reply #4 on: February 09, 2011, 07:51:36 PM »
DO THEY SAY 357? I mean ONLY 357 mag dies?  What brand are they?

I have seen 38 Special dies, and 38/357 Mag dies. But I haven't seen just and only 357 Mag dies... (Read a little further OR go to company web site with die model number. I'll bet they are made for 38/357 mag.)

If ONLY 357 Mag, then I agree with wncchester, it will still re-size the 38 case, but , belling, seating and crimping will be the problems. They can be adjusted for the MAXI tho..

CW
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Offline tony212

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Re: 38 special loads, 357 dies
« Reply #5 on: February 09, 2011, 10:42:09 PM »
I use my RCBS 357 dies for eveything except seating. I have a seperate 38 seating die.
Tony212
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Offline yooper77

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Re: 38 special loads, 357 dies
« Reply #6 on: February 10, 2011, 12:17:33 AM »
I have a set of RCBS steel 357 Magnum only dies. These dies are useless to me, cases need lubed, and cannot crimp 38 Special brass.

It depends on what you have, but die set these days are sold to handle 38 Special and 357 Magnum, and also 357 Maximum.

yooper77
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Offline wncchester

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Re: 38 special loads, 357 dies
« Reply #7 on: February 10, 2011, 03:02:35 AM »
"It depends on what you have, but die set these days are sold to handle 38 Special and 357 Magnum, and also 357 Maximum."

Which means they are all simply .38 S. dies "these days."

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Offline mbopp

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Re: 38 special loads, 357 dies
« Reply #8 on: February 10, 2011, 01:12:16 PM »
I have a set of RCBS 357 steel dies that I later bought a carbide sizer for. The seater / crimp die was too long to crimp 38 SPL so I used a cut-off wheel to shorten it by 1/8" and re-chamfered the die mouth with a Dremel.
So yes there were 357-only die sets.
I use a set of 38 S&W dies I got cheap (expander and seater / crimper) for 38 SPL. Having 5 dies in the turret press keeps me from having to unscrew and install the spacer washer when switching between 357 and 38 SPL.
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Offline BCB

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Re: 38 special loads, 357 dies
« Reply #9 on: February 11, 2011, 12:23:03 AM »
Sure you can...

I speak of RCBS dies that specify both cartridges...

You can set-up for 38 Special and then put the spacer (provided) in place and reload 357 Magnum without readjustment (if cases are proper length)...

(I made a spacer for my set of dies to allow shortened cases for my Marlin 1894 to be reloaded without adjusting once set-up for 38 Special)...

BCB
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Offline SHOOTALL

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Re: 38 special loads, 357 dies
« Reply #10 on: February 11, 2011, 02:24:58 AM »
 I don't believe I have ever seen a die set that you couldn't .
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Offline bilmac

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Re: 38 special loads, 357 dies
« Reply #11 on: February 11, 2011, 06:14:01 AM »
Why shorten cases for your levergun BCB?  I'm guessing that you want to crimp a bullet that would be too long to cycle, but maybe you have another reason.
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Offline BCB

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Re: 38 special loads, 357 dies
« Reply #12 on: February 11, 2011, 06:28:44 AM »
Quote from: bilmac on February 11, 2011, 06:14:01 AM
Why shorten cases for your levergun BCB?  I'm guessing that you want to crimp a bullet that would be too long to cycle, but maybe you have another reason.

You are correct...

I am shooting the 358429 and to put the crimp in the crimp groove, the OCL is too long to cycle...

It is a bit of a hassle, but I guess it might be worth it...

I really just need to get a round nose cast boolit mold and that would probably solve the problem--But the 358429's shoot very well from the Marlin...

BCB
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Offline 3030guy

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Re: 38 special loads, 357 dies
« Reply #13 on: February 12, 2011, 02:54:11 AM »
Thanks for the replys. I have a set of Lee carbide dies marked "357 mag", so they may not work. I'm going to load up a few dummie rounds and see what happens, I'll let you know.
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