Loading .357 and .38 special for rifle

[Levant]

I want to reload .38 special and .357 for use in my Henry Big Boy. I can find some data for .357 but none for .38. I am new to reloading so I'd appreciate any suggestions or comments about what special considerations must be dealt with when reloading pistol calibers for a lever action rifle.

Thanks,

Levant

[Chuck 100 yd]

There is at least tons of loading data out there for the .38 sp.
What loading manual do you use?
Here is some on line.
http://www.imrpowder.com/
http://www.accuratepowder.com/Default.htm
http://loadswap.com/
http://www.alliantpowder.com/products/p ... atalog.php

Any load safe in a revolver will work in a rifle. You will need to watch overall length for feeding problems and some very light target loads could stick a bullet in a very long barrel.

[JerryB]

I load 32-20 for an old 1892 winchester,.45 Colt for a Rossi 92, and .38 and .357 for a Rossi 92 and a Marlin 1894. All my loads are for the pistol data for each caliber. These will work fne for rifles, just don't try to run .38 148 grain wadcutters through the rifle magazines. I load the semi wadcutters and round nose both and don't have any problem in any of our rifles, some rifles are a bit picky about bullet shape. Good luck and stick with the load books.

[Levant]

Any load safe in a revolver will work in a rifle. You will need to watch overall length for feeding problems and some very light target loads could stick a bullet in a very long barrel.

I'm sitting here with the Speer book in front of me. There is no load data for .38 in a rifle. The .357 data for rifle is full of warnings about light loads, etc. I looked through the online data at Hodgdon pretty thoroughly as well. Again, some data for .357 but none for .38 in a rifle.

Interestingly, the .357 rifle data does show the same loads as for pistol when they are in both, there are just fewer of them.

[Hobie]

Levant,

I'll repeat. Safe in a revolver, safe in the rifle. The only thing that will differ is the resulting velocities. RELATIVE velocities as compared to the .357 Magnum remain roughly the same.

Not to bust YOUR chops but there is some sort of odd intrangience to accepting that data for say the .357 Magnum has to be different for every firearm in which it is fired despite all meeting the same SAAMI standards. I can't tell you how many times I've seen or been asked something similar to, "I've got a Ruger GP100 .357 Mag, what loads would be good in it? That's a 4", how about my 6" GP100? Ok, so how about my S&W M28?" While every gun will produce slightly different results (the reason one works up from the published minimums), they aren't going to be hugely different (if manufactured within normal tolerances).

[Levant]

Levant,

I'll repeat. Safe in a revolver, safe in the rifle. The only thing that will differ is the resulting velocities. RELATIVE velocities as compared to the .357 Magnum remain roughly the same.

Not to bust YOUR chops but there is some sort of odd intrangience to accepting that data for say the .357 Magnum has to be different for every firearm in which it is fired despite all meeting the same SAAMI standards. I can't tell you how many times I've seen or been asked something similar to, "I've got a Ruger GP100 .357 Mag, what loads would be good in it? That's a 4", how about my 6" GP100? Ok, so how about my S&W M28?" While every gun will produce slightly different results (the reason one works up from the published minimums), they aren't going to be hugely different (if manufactured within normal tolerances).

Hobie, for high end loads, what you are saying makes perfect sense. The warnings, in the Speer manual for instance, are all about light loads that develop enough pressure to push a round out of a 10 inch test barrel but might not have enough pressure to push a round out of a 20 inch barrel.

And do you have any input on the second part of my question - about loading .38 for in a rifle? Again, the question isn't about maximum pressures, I am confident the rifle can handle that, it's about light loads.

[J Miller]

Levant,

Here is some info from actual field use. Not the book warnings or paranoia, but actual firing of live ammo.

I had a Marlin 1894CS in .357 Mag. From it I fired standard pistol level .38 special ammo with great results. No special considerations, no worries, no fretting. I just filled the magazine and shot them.
As long as you are shooting standard loads don't worry about it.

In recent decades reloading manuals, especially CCI-Speer-RCBS have become extremely PARANOID. They are putting all sorts of warnings in that are over done.

As Jerry said, the light target wadcutter loads should be avoided but other wise any standard safe 38 Special load is fine.

Joe

[Levant]

Thanks all. That puts my mind at ease. I stumbled on a new-to-me term while researching this: cat sneeze load. So I guess as long as I am not loading cat sneeze loads, I'm ok .

[Hobie]

You really have to reduce charges to get down into the "just barely getting out of the barrel" range. I've shot wadcutters (maximum bore bearing surface area) over 1.5 gr. of Bullseye without sticking bullets and this was in longer barrels. Although every barrel is different, I don't think you've got a thing to worry about. Just pay attention.

[BHB]

It's common knowledge in the COWBOY ACTION SHOOTING (CAS) community that all leverguns chambered in .357 mag may not cycle .38 Special cartridges very well.

What kind of .38 Spec loads do you want?
Light charge?
Medium?
Heavy?
With lighter weight bullets?

My wife shoots .38 Special thru a 1873 Uberti levergun........we use 125gr slugs loaded fairly strong.
The light bullet lessens recoil but the higher velocity still rings the target well.

Tell us what you want to accomplish.

When you load a few cartridges........use the first ones to test if they cycle thru your rifle before you load a few hundred.
I've been in the situation where I loaded 200 rounds and they wouldn't cycle in the rifle because they too short overall.

[JerryB]

Levant when I mentioned the 148 grain wadcutters I forgot to say that you can single load them and shoot them. I have been at CAS matches and seen light loaded .38's hit the ground in front of the target. I load 4.0 grains of Unique and 158 grain lead round nose for .38 Cowboy loads for our rifles and my grandson's two Ruger New Vaquero's in .357 they shoot good.

[Levant]

Tell us what you want to accomplish.

When you load a few cartridges........use the first ones to test if they cycle thru your rifle before you load a few hundred.
I've been in the situation where I loaded 200 rounds and they wouldn't cycle in the rifle because they too short overall.

My goal is just to produce reliable and inexpensive rounds.

If I get enough equipment and opportunity, I might like to shoot CAS. I'm not looking for particularly light or heavy, other than meeting the velocity requirements for CAS - if I get that far. I don't really have to shoot .38 at all but I do have a few hundred shell cases in .38 I'd like to not waste. If the .38s don't cycle well, I can just load .357; in the end it probably doesn't make a lot of difference. But that is what raises the questions in my original post because shooting .357s is not particularly fun to do in a handgun - at least not in my 4 inch Taurus revolver and wasn't in my 4 inch S&W that I previously owned. Thus the worry about light loads in the rifle.

And a round certain to be under 1000 fps in a handgun and under 1400 fps in a .357 seems like a pretty light load.

Oh, and did I mention not wanting to have leading problems? And world peace?