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.356 in a 357
- Thread starter 225win
- Start date
Sorry guys, but the two blanket answers given (before) MAY be not valid. Whether the .356" bullets will work well in a 38/ 357 mag. depends on the ACTUAL barrel bore/ groove diameter. It is not really common knowledge, but many 38/357's actually have barrels TIGHTER than 0.357". Just as many 9mm barrels are not actually 0.355" in groove diameter, which is the spec'd diameter....many 38/357 barrels are not actually 0.357".
Many (I can't say all, though) Smith & Wessons, fit this scenario. I have two S&W 64-3's and one 60-3 right now....ALL having barrels of close to 0.355". ALL of them shoot cast bullets of 0.356" diameter just fine. In fact, I have over a thousand 0.356" diameter, 125 grain "9mm" bullets, which I am using in my 38's (as I no longer have any 9mm pistols, nor load 9mm ammo). I've already put hundreds of these through these guns. I even had some 115 grain 9mm bullets that I already used.
Not a trace of leading from these bullets in any of my 38's.....and excellent accuracy, to boot.
So, the CORRECT answer to the OP's question is - MAYBE. If the barrel diameter is close to 0.355, there is an excellent chance that the 0.356" bullets will do just fine. As for the 38/357 CASES (which is actually how the question was phrased)....the 0.356" bullets will fit, but may be a little loose. I would recommend NOT flaring the 38/357 cases, before loading the 9mm bullets. Make sure to do a firm crimp, as well.
In any event, 165 grain bullets can be very problematic in 9mm, as the length is too great for the tapered 9mm case. That is, unless the bullets in question have a very long, heavily tapered nose......and a "normal" length bearing area. Even if they cause no problems in actual loading, they will require light charges (in order to avoid going over pressure).....and the resultant loads may not cycle the action in many 9mm pistols.
Many (I can't say all, though) Smith & Wessons, fit this scenario. I have two S&W 64-3's and one 60-3 right now....ALL having barrels of close to 0.355". ALL of them shoot cast bullets of 0.356" diameter just fine. In fact, I have over a thousand 0.356" diameter, 125 grain "9mm" bullets, which I am using in my 38's (as I no longer have any 9mm pistols, nor load 9mm ammo). I've already put hundreds of these through these guns. I even had some 115 grain 9mm bullets that I already used.
Not a trace of leading from these bullets in any of my 38's.....and excellent accuracy, to boot.
So, the CORRECT answer to the OP's question is - MAYBE. If the barrel diameter is close to 0.355, there is an excellent chance that the 0.356" bullets will do just fine. As for the 38/357 CASES (which is actually how the question was phrased)....the 0.356" bullets will fit, but may be a little loose. I would recommend NOT flaring the 38/357 cases, before loading the 9mm bullets. Make sure to do a firm crimp, as well.
In any event, 165 grain bullets can be very problematic in 9mm, as the length is too great for the tapered 9mm case. That is, unless the bullets in question have a very long, heavily tapered nose......and a "normal" length bearing area. Even if they cause no problems in actual loading, they will require light charges (in order to avoid going over pressure).....and the resultant loads may not cycle the action in many 9mm pistols.
firewrench044
New member
I use a .355 102gr HP bullet for a training round in 38 SPL( low recoil )
( for beginners )
tried them in S&W- 2 Inch and 6 Inch, Tarus- 2 inch and 5 inch and
a Rossi 2 inch none of these had any problems ( taper crimp )(38 SPL & 357 )
added a cantalure to 115 and 124 gr .355 Dia. bullets for 38SPL and 357
and they also work very good with no accuracy lost
I am shure there is some type of pistol that will have trouble with the smaller
bullets but I have not found one yet
( for beginners )
tried them in S&W- 2 Inch and 6 Inch, Tarus- 2 inch and 5 inch and
a Rossi 2 inch none of these had any problems ( taper crimp )(38 SPL & 357 )
added a cantalure to 115 and 124 gr .355 Dia. bullets for 38SPL and 357
and they also work very good with no accuracy lost
I am shure there is some type of pistol that will have trouble with the smaller
bullets but I have not found one yet
You can always try them. But I wouldn't set your expectations very high. For most guns, .357 (lead) will drift about the target. .356 would only be worse.
Just speaking for myself, I wouldn't bother. The smallest I'll load for lead is .358, and have the best results with .359. I don't cast, but if they were mine, I'd try to sell (or give) them to someone who does. They should probably be melted.
Just speaking for myself, I wouldn't bother. The smallest I'll load for lead is .358, and have the best results with .359. I don't cast, but if they were mine, I'd try to sell (or give) them to someone who does. They should probably be melted.
Slugging the barrel of the gun for which the bullets will be used is, of course, the BEST thing to do. Then, an educated decision can be made about use of the bullets.
Since the bullets are PLATED, you have a bit more flexibility with them.
Even if the barrel groove diameter of the 38/357 (in question) is 0.357", the .356" bullets MAY work OK. However, if the barrel is LARGER than that....then probably not (and in that case, I wouldn't bother with test loads). If the groove diameter is SMALLER than 0.357", to which I alluded in my first post, then there is a good chance that 0.356" plated bullets will work fine.
Many revolver barrels ARE undersized (as I stated in my first post). They aren't all 0.357" in diameter. So, simple blanket statements, based on that number, are NOT necessarily valid.
Always load PLATED bullets to CAST bullet velocities and pressures. However, plated bullets can be more flexible than cast, in that they will sometimes work in barrels a bit larger than normal for cast bullets.
Normally, cast bullets work best when sized to about .001 " - .002 " LARGER than the barrel groove diameter. Plated however, can sometimes work, even if the same as the barrel groove diameter....or slightly undersized.
Testing them is the only way to know for sure. But, as I said, if the barrel groove dia. is larger than 0.357" in this circumstance, I would not bother. If smaller, though, you have a good chance of making the bullets work.
Since the bullets are PLATED, you have a bit more flexibility with them.
Even if the barrel groove diameter of the 38/357 (in question) is 0.357", the .356" bullets MAY work OK. However, if the barrel is LARGER than that....then probably not (and in that case, I wouldn't bother with test loads). If the groove diameter is SMALLER than 0.357", to which I alluded in my first post, then there is a good chance that 0.356" plated bullets will work fine.
Many revolver barrels ARE undersized (as I stated in my first post). They aren't all 0.357" in diameter. So, simple blanket statements, based on that number, are NOT necessarily valid.
Always load PLATED bullets to CAST bullet velocities and pressures. However, plated bullets can be more flexible than cast, in that they will sometimes work in barrels a bit larger than normal for cast bullets.
Normally, cast bullets work best when sized to about .001 " - .002 " LARGER than the barrel groove diameter. Plated however, can sometimes work, even if the same as the barrel groove diameter....or slightly undersized.
Testing them is the only way to know for sure. But, as I said, if the barrel groove dia. is larger than 0.357" in this circumstance, I would not bother. If smaller, though, you have a good chance of making the bullets work.
Ditto. Not going to hurt anything by giving them the o' college try.If it were me, I'd simply try some and find out.
Copper plated ?? hmm , give em a qwik kik in the butt with 5.5gr of Hodgdons CLAYS powder , pressures will rise fast enuff to upset em a bit ,but not fast enuff to strip the plating off .
Just don`t go for magnum loads & I bet they do fine. If accuracy is mediocre up the charge to 6 gr, just wacth the plating on some recovered bullets & bore & make sure it`s not being stripped off .
I tried different brands of plated fodder for the 357 & found the plating to be .007" or less , just too thin for magnum velocitys.
I think the bullet you have is for the 38 super.
GP
Just don`t go for magnum loads & I bet they do fine. If accuracy is mediocre up the charge to 6 gr, just wacth the plating on some recovered bullets & bore & make sure it`s not being stripped off .
I tried different brands of plated fodder for the 357 & found the plating to be .007" or less , just too thin for magnum velocitys.
I think the bullet you have is for the 38 super.
GP
NoSecondBest
New member
Measure the base of the bullet. I recently purchased some bullets from Hornady that were supposed to be .358 but the base of the bullets were .355 and they shot poorly out of both my rifle and handgun and my friends rifle and handgun. Called Hornady and I guess they thought neither of us could use a set of calipers. They finally agreed to replace them with "good" bullets that measured correctly at the base and the difference in accuracy was night and day. Even at .357 or .358 in the middle of the bullet isn't enough. It's the base that fills up first and if it's too small accuracy will suffer.
Jim Watson
New member
As TimSr says, you "acquired" the bullets, so load some up and YOU tell US how well they work.
There are a good many undersize jacketed pistol bullets out there, plated ought to work ok if you don't drive them too hard.
The only thing I would watch out for is bullet pull. You might need a smaller expander or a tighter sizing die to keep them from being pulled by recoil. No crimp groove.
There are a good many undersize jacketed pistol bullets out there, plated ought to work ok if you don't drive them too hard.
The only thing I would watch out for is bullet pull. You might need a smaller expander or a tighter sizing die to keep them from being pulled by recoil. No crimp groove.