357 v 38 loads with Vitavouri N32C

[lezmark]

I made a spontaneous buy (5 pounds) when I saw it available, and now I am wondering if I made a mistake. It seems to have very little load data. I am mostly loading for cowboy action, so going light on the loads is preferable. Question: I want to load 357 for the lever action rifle, but there is no load data for 158 lead, but there is data for .38. Sooo, what are the issues if I use .38 data/loads in a 357 shell? Anyone done this? Would it make any difference that I will use this in a rifle? thanks

 

[Dudedog]

I don't think there would be any issues (But I have been known to to be wrong in the past...past 10 seconds, 3 days, etc.) using most 38 special loads in a .357 case as long as the powder is not position sensitive or something that you should not reduce like 296. You will have a little bit lower velocity/pressure due to the larger case.

VV data shows this
158 FNCM Gunhill 1.583 N32C Start 4.5 869 Max 5.7 309 1014
for .357 which is almost the same as what they show for .38 with Tin Star (N32C) powder.

 

[Kosh75287]

+ 1 for Dudedog's assessment. If it's low velocity load in a .38 Spl. case, it'll probably just be a lower velocity round in a .357 case.

The only POSSIBLE problem I could see MIGHT be shooting a very, VERY low-velocity load in a carbine, and having the projectile stick in the longer barrel. But I think the odds of this happening are essentially ZERO, if you stick to loads developing over 800 f/s from pistol-length barrels.

The 2 or 3 cases I've seen or heard of this happening involved loads which left pistol-length barrels at less than 650 f/s. If you stick to loads that develop velocities 150 f/s over that, I cannot imagine your having any such problem.

 

[Walkalong]

.38 Spl max loads in .357 brass work just fine. They will be slightly slower.

N32C is a lot like Trail Boss powder. It's very, very bulky. It would he hard, if not impossible, IMHO, to get enough in the case to hurt anything. (Just my opinion, don't go out and jam cases full of it and start shooting.) It is like TB in the sense that it likes lead much better than plated or jacketed.

I loaded up some .357 brass primed with WSP primers using 8.0 Grs N32C (Slightly over 100% Load Density) under a 135 Gr Gold Dot. It gave me an average (six shots each) of 933 FPS from a 4" Security Six and 887 FPS from a 2 1/2" 686 @ 92 Degrees and 52% Relative Humidity.

This load appears safe in my guns using my scale and my reloading technique. Use at your own risk! It is over any data I have seen!