38 special bullet question

[Kiowa Kid, SASS #69870L]

Howdy,

I use .358 sizes bullets if I were to use a .357 would their be any difference in the way they shoot, I wouldn't think so but I thought I would ask.

 

KK

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

Nope

Respectfully,

LG

[Throckmorton,23149]

.358 is 'the standard' for .357/38 special cast bullets.. a smaller daimeter bullet might shoot ok in some firearms,but I'd try a few before laying in a supply.My guess is at any distance they'll not be as accurate,and may tumble.

[Go West]

In most guns, I'd say no issue. You could slug one with one of the bullets if you're curious. I try not to buy any quantity before I'm sure they shoot well.

[Grizzly Dave]

I"ve used .357 in my Rugers and Marlin since day one. I exchanged some email with a commercial reloader/loader a while back asking if I should change to .358. He said that with the .358 sized lead it tends to seal the chamber a little better and minimize blow back I think was the term, the gases that go back and dirty the case. By that same logic, a .358 would likely produce a touch more energy since some gases weren't blowing back.

 

Just what i remember from what I've learned from other folks, YMMV.

 

Grizz

[Grizzly Dave]

Oh, and if you want a few .357 RNFP 130gr to test with, look me up, I'll be at the Boulder match this weekend and Pawnee Station match the following weekend, let me know and I'll bring some along.

[August West, SASS #45079]

You might get increased leading. Then again, you might not. Try it and see.

 

Pragmatism is the only World view that will help you here.

[el Gato Gordo - SASS #15162]

One concern might be the strength of your crimp in the rifle magazine. It is possible that you might have to adjust your crimp die a little tighter, to avoid the mag spring pushing the bullet back inside the case.

 

Buena suerte,

eGG

[Chickahominy Charlie]

I think the only way you'll know for sure (without actually doing it) is to slug the bore to find out whether your bore is tight enough to use the .356 instead of .357 without allowing blow-by and reducing accuracy. FWIW, the .356 is used in 9mm applications (for the most part) and not in .38 special.

 

Good Luck!

 

Chick

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

9mm=.355"

It's NOT the bore dia. you need to worry about. It's the groove dia

Respectfully,

LG

[Chickahominy Charlie]

9mm=.355"

It's NOT the bore dia. you need to worry about. It's the groove dia

Respectfully,

LG

 

 

I'm prolly wrong (and frequently am ), but I thought .355 was fer jacketed 9mm and .356 was fer lead 9mm. Oh well.....

 

Chick

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

Could be...Just don't know the WHY somebody would push lead from a 9mm/.38 Super pistol.

Different rifling types(Glock, H&K)that were never made to "grab" a lead bullet.

Respectfully,

LG

[Dirty Chris]

I'm prolly wrong (and frequently am ), but I thought .355 was fer jacketed 9mm and .356 was fer lead 9mm. Oh well.....

 

Chick

 

Correct.

 

 

Could be...Just don't know the WHY somebody would push lead from a 9mm/.38 Super pistol.

Different rifling types(Glock, H&K)that were never made to "grab" a lead bullet.

Respectfully,

LG

 

Glock and H&K are not the only ones who make 9mm pistols. And you can buy replacement barrels with standard rifling for shooting lead in those guns if you wanted to. Why shoot lead in a 9mm? Well if you want to shoot a lot, it's quite a bit cheaper to shoot lead than jacketed bullets.

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

Glock and H&K bbls last forever, and how much do you save buying an after market bbl(Bar-Sto)to shoot lead?

Then there is all that "Lead Mining" you will get to do after you shoot all that lead, BTDT

Cheers,

LG