Advice for .357

[MoJo]

According to a news release by CCI some years ago. There is no difference between magnum and standard primers except for the thickness of the primer cup. The thicker cup is to protect against primers being pierced under the higher pressures of magnum ammo. I use standard small pistol primers in everything I load. The only exception is Federal primers, I exclusively use Federsl magnum small pistol primers to offset some of the heightened sensitivity of the Federal primers.

[rotor]

This is from the CCI website for magnum primers
http://www.cci-ammunition.com/products/ ... aspx?id=29" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


Features and benefits
•23 percent hotter flame than standard primers
•Increased flame duration
•Initiator compound engineered to ignite
ball/spherical propellants
•Improved sensitivity for “critical-need” loading

Useage
•Large capacity cases
•Heavily-deterred propellants
•Ambient firing temperatures below 20° F
•Usage Note: Use Magnum primers only where
called for in published reloading data

Some real-world shooting conditions require more aggressive initiation than provided by standard primers. Large cases, cold weather, and certain propellants often require a hotter primer flame and a longer burn. CCI Magnum primers offer you that edge, plus you get all the attributes that make all CCI primers so great.
I have only been reloading for a short time and I just try to follow the reloading manuals. I use Lyman, Lee, Hornady and Sierra. They all tend to be different but all have useful data depending on bullet and powder. If it calls for a magnum primer that's what I use. CCI does make a #41 primer for use in AR15 rifles with decreased sensitivity to "NATO" standards. I use those in my 223 loads. There are so many comments on Google about the debate between magnum and standard primers. I don't know all of the answers so I just follow the receipes in the books.

I could not find any loads for True Blue that the poster wanted in any of my manuals or in the Ramshot data.

[MoJo]

The OP asked what advantage if any between using .38 Special brass over .357 Magnum brass. The first is brass availability there is tons of .38 special once fired brass on the market. Load data, there is much more target - plinking data available.

Of the powders listed 700X is the one I would use. Hodgdon's data shows a range of 4.0- 5.5 with a 125 gr cast bullet, 3.0 to 3.5 with a 148 gr wadcutter and a range of 3.4 - 4.9 with a 158 gr SWC. These are very low density loads so extra care to prevent multiple charges.

[lfinsr]

The reason I want to reload .357 vs .38 is that I have some .357 brass already. I've already found out there is far more load data for a .38 but I would have to buy brass for that. With limited funds and supplies I'm just trying to work with what I've got until the supplies return.

Regarding 700X, in my experience metering is miserable. I've used it for .45ACP and you have to watch closely for a double charge as the case will easily hold two. I've have introduced a process in my routine that prevents me from doing that but I don't like that it's possible. Besides I have True Blue just sitting around, gotta use it for something...

I do appreciate the input though.

Larry

[mr surveyor]

you'll be well served by developing an assortment of .357 loads from mild to wild, rather than shooting any .38 spl loads in your .357 mag revolver. It's no fun having to scrub crud rings from the chambers on a .357 after shooting too many short .38 spl rounds. Reloading makes life much simpler.

[lfinsr]

you'll be well served by developing an assortment of .357 loads from mild to wild, rather than shooting any .38 spl loads in your .357 mag revolver. It's no fun having to scrub crud rings from the chambers on a .357 after shooting too many short .38 spl rounds. Reloading makes life much simpler.

I purchased an ultrasonic cleaner for that and it works great!

Larry

[mr surveyor]

you'll be well served by developing an assortment of .357 loads from mild to wild, rather than shooting any .38 spl loads in your .357 mag revolver. It's no fun having to scrub crud rings from the chambers on a .357 after shooting too many short .38 spl rounds. Reloading makes life much simpler.

I purchased an ultrasonic cleaner for that and it works great!

Larry

sounds good to me. I use nothing but a u/s cleaner for my brass too

[Iunnrais]

It's not .357, but the concept should work just as well for you. For my .44 Mag, I just run Trail Boss in a magnum case. Gives me a very nice plinking load with not much load development needed. The cast lead bullets are reasonably priced and make nice holes in paper, tin cans, etc. I don't have to worry about a carbon ring in the cylinder from shooting the shorter special cases either.

Once you dial the load in, leading really isn't that bad (and much easier to deal with than copper in a rifle). I can generally go a couple hundred rounds without needing to pull a piece of brass screen through the barrel.

The full house rounds are limited to running JHP bullets so it's fairly easy to not get them confused. Silvery lead - Plink/Practice, Copper JHP - Hunting/Melon Exploding