.357 &.38 loads

zacg

Bought a new Ruger Gp100 with a six inch barrel. I have shot it Quite a bit and ready to start reloading for it. I have loaded a bunch of rifle rounds but never pistol. Can anyone give me some info on were to start as far as powder and bullets? Would like some good plinking rounds as well as some hunting rounds. Any info would be appreciated.[:)]

Ray B

The main difference between rifle and pistol cartridges is that the pistol cartridges are straight sided whereas most rifle cartridges are bottle-necked. The bottle-neck allows sizing the case down then expanding the neck as the button in the sizing die, that pushed the spent primer out, is pulled back up past the neck. With straight sided cases another step is involved since two dies are needed to do this. As far as starting loads, it's been about 20 years since I shot reduced loads in a 357, but as I recall they were about 4 or 5 grains of bullseye or W231 and a 148 gr wadcutter. the fuller power loads were a 158 gr JHP with 16.0 gr W296, for a velocity of 1250-1300 from my 8" Python.

ibffsteve

advice...when you buy your dies, get the carbide dies so you dont have to lube the cases.

As far as powder I've used Win 231 and Titegroup under 148 gr wadcutters with good results.

Oregunner

My bang-around load for my old Ruger Security Six is a cast 158 gr. Kieth SWC over 5.5 grains of Red Dot. They shoot to POA & feel much like a standard .38 Special load. I cast mine out of straight wheel weights. Very little leading at this throttle setting. I haven't shot any over my new Chrony yet so I can't give you a velocity from the 4" barrel. I'll have to try that tomorrow if the weather improves a little. It was snowing like Christmas this afternoon. Sheesh

macabest

As always, check the book. Go with a 38sp load for plinking.. Lead bullets. I use W231 and round nose bullets. I'm making 38sp loads for cowboy action for around $.05 each, depending on the cost of bullets. For hunting go with the 357 load with the jacketed or hollow point of your choice. I don't hunt, but use a load with 2400 for my 357 mag bowling pin loads. The beauty of it is only one set of dies. Just have to readjust for the different case lengths.
Have fun,
Marc [8D]

Oregunner

One other thing- you can load .357's with .38 Special dies but you can't load .38 Specials with .357 dies without getting a .38 special seater/crimp die. Actually I don't shoot .38 Specials, the brass tends to mix together at inopportune times.

RCrosby

Just a thought;
A few years back I picked up several thousand 9mm bullets, round nose and swc dirt cheap. They work surprising well for low and mid-range informal practice in my Rugers and Smiths.

macabest

quote:Originally posted by Oregunner
One other thing- you can load .357's with .38 Special dies but you can't load .38 Specials with .357 dies without getting a .38 special seater/crimp die. Actually I don't shoot .38 Specials, the brass tends to mix together at inopportune times.

The dies are the same.. Just have to adjust for length. I load 357 and 38sp and only use one set of dies. You have to adjust the bell, seat and crimp dies for cart length, but use the same dies.

Marc [8D]

zacg

Thanks for the info. It will definatly give me somewhere to start.

Oregunner

"The dies are the same.. Just have to adjust for length. I load 357 and 38sp and only use one set of dies. You have to adjust the bell, seat and crimp dies for cart length, but use the same dies."

In an RCBS set the .357 bullet seater die cannot be adjusted deeply enough to seat & crimp a bullet in a .38 Sp. case. However, a .38 Sp. seater die can be backed out far enough to seat bullets in a .357. I'm not familiar with other makes of dies in .357/.38 but I know this to be true of RCBS dies, at least the older ones like mine.

dcloco

As Oregunner stated.

Unless the die set is stamped 38/357, generally, cannot use the other to complete all the operations of the other.