Load 38 spl cases to 38 spl +p
- Thread starter BondoBob
- Start date
+P loads can be loaded in regular .38 Special brass without issue, however you'd need to make sure the ammo doesn't end up in a gun only rated for regular .38 Special rounds.
+P headstamp means the original factory load was +P. There is small variation in brass between various manufacturers, different plants / lines with the same manufacturer, and probably small variations over the decades. Any of these variations could be more significant than the variation between regular and +P brass.
FWIW +P .38 Special loads are only about 15% higher pressure than regular .38 Special and both are considered low pressure rounds.
+P headstamp means the original factory load was +P. There is small variation in brass between various manufacturers, different plants / lines with the same manufacturer, and probably small variations over the decades. Any of these variations could be more significant than the variation between regular and +P brass.
FWIW +P .38 Special loads are only about 15% higher pressure than regular .38 Special and both are considered low pressure rounds.
TruthTellers
New member
I'm not advocating you do this, but some people load .38 brass way over +P pressures with the sole intention of shooting them in a .357 Magnum.
That goes to tell you how strong the brass is.
That goes to tell you how strong the brass is.
As a historical footnote, the original .357 Magnum loads were developed in .38 Special cases. The .38 spl CASE has both the strength and the room for this.
The .357mag case was made .135" longer than the Special, so magnum loads would not fit in .38 special GUNS that weren't made to handle that pressure.
Another point of safety:
If you do intend to load 38 Special cases to 357 Magnum pressures/performance, do NOT use 357 Magnum published data/charge weights.
The smaller 38 Special case with a 357 Magnum propellant charge would develop tremendous pressure. The result would likely be catastrophic.
So even if one decides to load 38 Special cases to 357 Magnum performance, the propellant charge weights will be lower. To be clear: I do not recommend this practice. Elmer Keith didn't have a choice; we do.
If you do intend to load 38 Special cases to 357 Magnum pressures/performance, do NOT use 357 Magnum published data/charge weights.
The smaller 38 Special case with a 357 Magnum propellant charge would develop tremendous pressure. The result would likely be catastrophic.
So even if one decides to load 38 Special cases to 357 Magnum performance, the propellant charge weights will be lower. To be clear: I do not recommend this practice. Elmer Keith didn't have a choice; we do.
valleyforge.1777
New member
"The smaller 38 Special case with a 357 Magnum propellant charge would develop tremendous pressure. The result would likely be catastrophic."
Where do people come up with this kind of stuff?
Seriously, we're all interested in being safe, but come on, this is an example of the kind of stuff that gets posted to Internet forums that is totally baseless and ultimately leads people to ignore sound and prudent safety advice when it is offered because they are so used to ignoring obvious nonsense offered in the name of safety.
"develop tremendous pressure"
"The result would likely be catastrophic"
For crying out loud, you are hilarious.
Where do people come up with this kind of stuff?
Seriously, we're all interested in being safe, but come on, this is an example of the kind of stuff that gets posted to Internet forums that is totally baseless and ultimately leads people to ignore sound and prudent safety advice when it is offered because they are so used to ignoring obvious nonsense offered in the name of safety.
"develop tremendous pressure"
"The result would likely be catastrophic"
For crying out loud, you are hilarious.
using the same bullet in both cases, loaded to the SAAMI max spec length, the difference is 0.04". COL .38Special is 1.550" COL .357 is 1.590"
SO, the difference in the powder volume area would be a cylinder approx. .357" (or so) in diameter and 0.04" thick.
I'll let you do the math to figure out what volume that is, and what percentage of the overall case volume it is.
I think this is a measurable but not a significant amount.
A .357 level load in a .38 case catastrophic? only if you're shooting it in a gun that isn't safe for the pressure.
SO, the difference in the powder volume area would be a cylinder approx. .357" (or so) in diameter and 0.04" thick.
I'll let you do the math to figure out what volume that is, and what percentage of the overall case volume it is.
I think this is a measurable but not a significant amount.
I think the 17,000 psi or so a standard ,38 runs at is tremendous pressure already. I think every gun runs at what I consider tremendous pressure. That's how they work.
A .357 level load in a .38 case catastrophic? only if you're shooting it in a gun that isn't safe for the pressure.
I didn't say "a 357 level load." I said "a 357 Magnum propellant charge." Meaning the exact same charge weight.
The smaller case with the same propellant charge weight would likely yield a higher peak pressure. My point was that it may not be prudent to simply take 357 Magnum load data and put the charge in a 38 Special case.
That said, I ran the numbers in QuickLoad for a 125 JHP and Power Pistol. As it turns out, the difference in pressure is not as much as I would have thought. So yes, my original post (#8) was unduly alarming; so I stand corrected.
At least my error was on the side of caution.
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