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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 21,317
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 21,317 |
Wade nailed it. I think last time I bought once fired 38 sp. brass I paid ~$50 for 2000 cases shipped in a USPS flat rate box. It works perfectly for plinking loads and since I have both 38's and 357's, works great for me. I rarely see once fired 357 brass, and it's much more expensive than 38 sp.
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Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 3,286
Campfire Tracker
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OP
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 3,286 |
Waders.... sent you a PM. I didn't realize there was much price difference between the two. Dad mentioned 357 so I went with it. as for speed..... don't care really, just going to pick a light plinking load and let him go make some noise. So, looks like 38 brass it will be with some Universal or Unique powder with small pistol primers.
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Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 37,171 Likes: 5
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 37,171 Likes: 5 |
Don’t see the need for 38 special brass. 4-5.5 grains Unique in a 357 mag case yields 38 special velocity with a 158. It's about supply and price. In cowboy action shooting, .38 spec is a popular case in .357 revolvers. Unique is clean if you burn it hot, dirty in low powered loads. Lots of CAS shooters like Clays. Am. Select is another good one and pretty clean. I tested of a number of CAS powders, shooting low powered loads. Cleanest was Solo 1000. Clays was almost as clean. Tite Group has more flash but is clean. As posted before, with light loads that don't fill the case, you gotta be careful not to double charge. Lot of choices, lot of good advice on this thread. Check out cast bullets for CAS. Those guys know a lot about plinking type loads for .38 spec. DF
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Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 9,009
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 9,009 |
Check out cast bullets for CAS. Those guys know a lot about plinking type loads for .38 spec.
DF That's no joke--those guys have it dialed in. They'll probably have loads that barely spit out of a 4" barrel that will stick in a 6" barrel!
Wade
"Let's Roll!" - Todd Beamer 9/11/01.
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Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 37,171 Likes: 5
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 37,171 Likes: 5 |
Check out cast bullets for CAS. Those guys know a lot about plinking type loads for .38 spec.
DF That's no joke--those guys have it dialed in. They'll probably have loads that barely spit out of a 4" barrel that will stick in a 6" barrel! You been there... DF
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Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 3,366
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 3,366 |
Waders.... sent you a PM. I didn't realize there was much price difference between the two. Dad mentioned 357 so I went with it. as for speed..... don't care really, just going to pick a light plinking load and let him go make some noise. So, looks like 38 brass it will be with some Universal or Unique powder with small pistol primers.
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Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 3,366
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 3,366 |
Hard to beat this advice.
I started with this advice in 1974 and still use Unique and cast bullets. Also use a lot of HP-38.
Over the years we tried Bulls Eye, P-5066,Universal, Herco, Red Dot, 700X, SR4756,2400.and HP-38/WW231. Some Meter better but any medium pistol powder will work well.
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Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 1,348
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 1,348 |
If you want to keep it clean and load less than mid range "hot", try HS-6.
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Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 98
Campfire Greenhorn
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Campfire Greenhorn
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 98 |
In my 357 mag rifles Hodgon Lil'Gun provides some of the best loads, burns clean and provides some of the top velocities with lower pressures (according to Factory info). It does great in pistols also.
Steve.........
GOA Life Member NRA Patron Life Member North American Hunting Club Life Member
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Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 12,645 Likes: 4
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 12,645 Likes: 4 |
Started loading the .357 in the KISS mode. Had some 158gr Montana Gold HP, some Blue Dot, Power Pistol, and H110. Ended up loading a bunch to shoot with 10gr Blue Dot. Trooper MkIII and recoil weren't bad at all. Wasn't shooting groups and didn't bring a chrono. But SWAGing sight adjustment then blasting whatever was on the berm was quite fun. Daughter shot some as well and had a big grin. Same logic and used 15gr Blue dot with a Nosler 240 in a 629 Factory Comp. Daughter really grinned on this one. Was a bunch of fun. Blue dot seems a little dirty but sure works.
“When Tyranny becomes Law, Rebellion becomes Duty”
Colossians 3:17 (New King James Version) "And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him."
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Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 10,033 Likes: 4
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 10,033 Likes: 4 |
Titegroup is great if you just want standard loads but it's so dense and requires so little powder that you could easily double charge a case. A double charge would be catastrophic. Its charges are so small you could actually fit 3-4 charges in many cases and definitely damage or kill yourself if you fired one of those. I used to always run 7g of titegroup with a 200g cast as a light load in my 44s but I had to be very careful on the progressive.
Bb
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Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 12,346
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 12,346 |
Late to the show, but I'll opine nonetheless.
1) I used to shoot 38 SPL, but when I got into reloading, I opted for 357 Mag brass and 38 SPL loads. The brass lasts forever. I use Starline brass for my EDC and use 1-fired from Gunbroker for my plinking loads.
2) Universal is cleaner than Unique. I switched to Hodgdon Universal about a decade ago, and was so glad I did. Some folks say they can't get the same velocities with it-- Unique is the faster of the two. At practice load levels, it makes no difference.
3) If you're using a progressive, I use Universal. For single-stage loading I use Titegroup. You can make a pound of it go farther. However, you use so little per round that a Progressive has a hard time sensing no powder or double powder conditions.
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