? for you reloaders / .44 and .357

DennisD · Post by **DennisD** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 3:08 pm

I've always loaded .38 spl cases for plinking in my .357 mag and I now have (or will have when I get it back from Marlin) a 44 mag rifle. A lot of folks say they use .357 or .44 mag cases loaded light (with .38 spl or 44 spl recipes) instead of the respective special cases. I've been thinking about doing this. I know the pressures will be down (max pressure is usually reached in these two cases before the bullet leaves the case) but for plinking it would not be that critical anyway. Can anyone point out a negative to doing this? Any of you do it?

1x2 · Post by **1x2** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 3:33 pm

No negative. One of the advantages of shooting .44mag and .357mag is to have a load that you can shoot out of your revolver and your lever gun. I develop the best load for my revolver and then shoot it out of both.

Not using .38 and .44 special cartridges obviates the worry about developing the lead/fouling ring at the front of the cartridge that shows up when using the shorter rounds. Many folks don't mind the extra cleaning involved, but it hasn't been my experience that a .38 is any more accurate than a .357 when both are shot at the same speed- but then my loads might be hotter than some others'.

I don't shoot SASS so I'm not concerned about loading a .357 to 550fps to win a match; all my stuff, even my .38s, run at least 860fps from my revolvers. My .44s and .45s currently run 1450-1500fps.

I did have a .44mag Marlin cowboy with the 24" octagonal barrel (kick me for selling it, go ahead), it was an awesome shooter at 90 yards with a 240gr bullet and Unique running at ~949 fps, out of the Lyman manual.

1x2

Scott64A · Post by **Scott64A** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 3:35 pm

Using .38spl loads in .357mag cases isn't so bad, provided you get enough pressure to fully ignite the powder.
I know I was having trouble loading Lilgun behind 125gr. JHP because it is a slower burning powder and better suited for 158gr and up.

Now, if you are using 2400 or 296 you'll do fine.

One other thing to consider, and there are many who don't care about this, is having a powder come close to filling the case for uniformity's sake. If a powder lies on one side of the case, as in a fast burning but low volume charge, it SUPPOSEDLY has effects on pressure, etc.

I don't know about all that but I like to see the case filled at least half way so I don't double charge.

So have a try at it, and post a range report - I'll be interested to see what you get.

From all I read, velocities are increased due to the more complete burning of powder while in the barrel, (up to a point,) hence: a longer barrel will give you faster velocities.

Read this article:
http://leverguns.com/articles/paco/357_ ... rature.htm

It shows the differences betwen say a 20 in. levergun and a 6 in. pistol.
Veeeeery interestink!

Terry Murbach · Post by **Terry Murbach** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 3:37 pm

THERE ARE MANY NEGATIVES ABOUT DOING THAT. STOP AND THINK ABOUT IT.
YOU HAVE A 357MAG GUN. SHOOTING 357MAG POPGUN LOADS IS BOOOORING. THE MARLIN WILL FEED 38SPL LOADS JUST FINE FOR POPGUN LOADS.
YOUR 44MAG LEVERGUN IS AN EXCEEDINGLY POWERFUL GUN WITH REAL 44MAG LOADS. THAT'S WHY ST. ELMER BROUGHT IT TO YOU.
YOU WANT POPGUN LOADS FOR IT USE 44SPL BRASS.
THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE IS YOU SHOULD NEVER EVER CONFUSE THE TWO CONCEPTS. THE TWO MAGS ARE FOR HELL-FOR-LEATHER BUTT KICKING LOADS.
THE TWO SPL'S ARE TAILOR MADE FOR THE POPGUN LOAD CONCEPT AND DOING IT THIST WAY WILL SAVE YOU FROM EVER LOADING A 357MAG OR 44MAG AND SHOOTING SOMETHING SERIOUS WITH A POPGUN LOAD.
WELL...IT LOOKS TO ME LIKE I PROBABLY SAVED YOUR BACON HERE. THE BILL WILL BE IN THE MAIL...

1x2 · Post by **1x2** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 3:42 pm

Terry Murbach,

Who is St. Elmer?

1x2

Terry Murbach · Post by **Terry Murbach** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 3:56 pm

1x2 wrote:Terry Murbach,

Who is St. Elmer?

1x2

ELMER KEITH.
YOU MAY GENUFLECT NOW....

nemhed · Post by **nemhed** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 3:59 pm

Mr. Murbach why are you shouting?

GANJIRO · Post by **GANJIRO** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 4:04 pm

nemhed wrote:Mr. Murbach why are you shouting?

He ain't shouting, Uncle Terry just talks alittle louder than most of us.

Worth listening to though.

GANJIRO · Post by **GANJIRO** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 4:05 pm

Terry Murbach wrote:
1x2 wrote:Terry Murbach,

Who is St. Elmer?

1x2
ELMER KEITH.
YOU MAY GENUFLECT NOW....

IN PUBLIC?

Tycer · Post by **Tycer** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 5:21 pm

nemhed wrote:Mr. Murbach why are you shouting?

Sometimes the truth gets lost in the masses if you don't speak up.

I have come to the belief that TERRY does not speak unless he knows his business. I'll probably go to my grave never learning as much about guns, loading and shooting as TERRY has forgotten.

Scott64A · Post by **Scott64A** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 5:37 pm

Terry is a riot.

He does raise an excellent point though: you might grab a handful of sneeze loads one day and miss out on a nice deer or worse, get shot by some rap artist because you had a lighty light load in a magnum case.

Say, I like to load magnum-lights, basical ALMOST the full-house load in my .357.
I use 16.0gr of Lilgun where the max is 19.0. It still shoots a whopper bullet at a decent velocity but doesn't try to leave a hammer mark in your forehead. 16 gets me inside of three inches at 25 feet whereas when they are hot loads, the group spreads out. Plus, I don't want to beat on my gun.

Just drop the maximum charge by 10% or so and try it.

They're lighter, but still powerful enough.

1x2 · Post by **1x2** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 6:00 pm

Oh, THAT St. Elmer....

1x2

TedH · Post by **TedH** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 6:26 pm

I guess I'm on board with Terry. With the exception of CAS, I don't see the point in shooting wimpy loads in a firearm built for magnum loads. I shoot full snort loads in my 357's and 44's. I could see MAYBE shooting 38's in a 357 if you didn't reload, might have some savings there. If I'm loading them all anyway, then I just keep it simple and stick with one load for each of them. If I want to shoot with no recoil, low cost, low noise then I pick up the .22s.

Hagler · Post by **Hagler** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 6:43 pm

nemhed,

This IS shouting!

All capital letters is just another way type your thoughts. Does anyone really follow the "all caps is shouting" rule? I think that is such a nit-picky way to egg-on someone. Some people complain about the all capital letters, but they fail to adhere to other Internet etiquette, noone in particular in mind, though.

Shawn

nemhed · Post by **nemhed** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 7:13 pm

My apologies Hagler and everyone, I'll keep my internet mouth shut.

Post by **Ysabel Kid** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 7:27 pm

If you mark the cases properly, you can still do this. I think the point was not to have four cases on had, but two. If that is the intent, and again, you know what is in each, this is not a problem.

Me, I welcome all cases - and I admit I am a range scrounge!!!

DennisD · Post by **DennisD** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 7:35 pm

OK, I see the point about possibly grabbing the wrong loads when I want the full bore real deal .44mag. I was just trying to cheap out and not have to buy .44spl brass since I only have around 100 on hand (got around 500 ~ 600 .44mag cases). I actually have more .38spl than .357mag so I will keep using that.

The reason I don't want to always shoot .44mag is my backstop is made out of three layers of railroad ties and hotter loads tear them up more, so I have to replace more often. I guess some .44 spl cases will be cheaper than doing that... even with the recent jumps in prices. Wish I could find some once fired.

jdad · Post by **jdad** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 8:04 pm

Terry ain't an artist.....he doesn't paint pretty pictures. He'll let you know when the Emporer has no clothes on......in all capitals.

Hagler · Post by **Hagler** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 8:41 pm

nemhed wrote:My apologies Hagler and everyone, I'll keep my internet mouth shut.

You do not have to keep your mouth shut. We need some input around here. I just find some of the "etiquette" (mainly all caps) to be quite trifling.

True poor etiquette is this:

tHisiswh atid onotlik esoman ypeopleju keeponpo stininlow erca sewi noc ppitlea &inprpperputuatshun

My wife & I know someone with Friedreich's Ataxia who also had a stroke. She was pretty hardpressed to type before her stroke, but now she just leaves the capital lock on. All of her e-mails are capital letters only. It is a convenience & a nescesity.

Shawn

Hagler · Post by **Hagler** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 8:52 pm

Gents,

I got me some of the same thoughts, now that I got me some reloading equipment & supplies.

I also, now, have a .357 Magnum Rossi 92, plus my old Charter Off-duty Special. The Charter revolver is not made for "+P" ammo. I would like to make up some .38 Specials to fit my revolver & my Rossi, but would like to have the .357 Magnum option on-hand. With my limited space, though, the .38 Special-only route looks like the one I will take for the foreseeable future.

I have a B92 that is a .44 Magnum. All I have found feasable to buy is Magnum rounds. I have not tried any Specials in the gun. I will probably find just one load that I like, and stick to it, because of the above-mentioned reason.

When I finally get a house, I may just set up one press for .38 & one for .44, and stick to those rounds & loads.

Shawn