Lee .38 Special dies for .357 Magnum

[.45Coltguy]

Indeed. Here's the .135" spacer referenced. It came in this set bought in '75-'76. Works.

 

[deadeye dick]

The answer is maybe.
Just a couple thoughts,

Will the .357 case go up in the 38 spl resizing die far enough to size the entire case or does it hit something up inside the die.
The other two dies can be raised up in the press to accommodate the longer .357 case.

The only other thing that comes to mind is if the seating stem has a round profile for the old soft lead RN bullets.
You may want a seating stem that will work for hard cast SWC for .357 since they seem to be the most common lead bullet used.

I have loaded .357 and 38 SP for over ten years now an use the same seating stem for every style bullet, I load HBWC, DEWC, SWC, RNFP, REN, with no problems at all.

 

[armoredman]

None if you must drive very far

45 miles one way.

 

[tightgroup tiger]

I have loaded .357 and 38 SP for over ten years now an use the same seating stem for every style bullet, I load HBWC, DEWC, SWC, RNFP, REN, with no problems at all.

I can't with my RCBS dies, I need to change out the stem to the flat seating profile, for SWCs if I want my bullets seated straight. That's why they included two seating stems with the die set.
One for round nose and one for flat (SWC).

 

[Hole maker]

Like the title says, I have been loading 38 Special for some time, but it looks VERY likely, (when I pay off the layaway), I will have a 357 back in the stable, a caliber I haven't owned since before I started reloading. Yes, I know I can shoot 38 Special out of it, no problem, but I might want to load some rip-snorting 357 mag ammo for it, too. So, the dumb question of the day, can my 15 year old Lee .38 Special Deluxe Die Set do the job with .357 Magnum, (which I highly suspect it will), and has anyone had any issues using Lee 38 Spl dies for the 357 I might want to know about? I just don't feel like ordering a duplicate die set if I don't need to.
Thank you for your replies, much appreciated.

Like the title says, I have been loading 38 Special for some time, but it looks VERY likely, (when I pay off the layaway), I will have a 357 back in the stable, a caliber I haven't owned since before I started reloading. Yes, I know I can shoot 38 Special out of it, no problem, but I might want to load some rip-snorting 357 mag ammo for it, too. So, the dumb question of the day, can my 15 year old Lee .38 Special Deluxe Die Set do the job with .357 Magnum, (which I highly suspect it will), and has anyone had any issues using Lee 38 Spl dies for the 357 I might want to know about? I just don't feel like ordering a duplicate die set if I don't need to.
Thank you for your replies, much appreciated.

I have a Carbide 3 die Lee set bought 2yrs ago, it says screw sizing die down to touch shell holder and tighten the locking ring, works for both 38sp and 357mag, if you use bullet seating die you touch the shell holder then back off 3 turns for the,38sp and 1 and a half more =4 3/4 for the the 357 I flare/expand the mouth with the Lee hand held press but it needs to be adjusted for each different round, that way no changing three dies on main press, note when using seating die make sure you raise the bullet seating adjustment before crimping which is done by lowering die by 1/2-3/4 turns depending on how much crimp you need or want, it is a roll crimp, Have fun but when loading don,t be distracted, Ron.

 

[AJC1]

I have loaded .357 and 38 SP for over ten years now an use the same seating stem for every style bullet, I load HBWC, DEWC, SWC, RNFP, REN, with no problems at all.

I do exactly the same. Haven't loaded a round nose since forever...

 

[armoredman]

The mold I have is a SWC, when I get it heated up this weekend.

 

[cfullgraf]

I reloaded 357 Magnum and 38 Special in the same set of dies using the RCBS spacer ring. It worked fine.

As funds became available and I added alternate presses, I have been able to buy dies that I can set for 38 Special itself and 357 Magnum itself.

The spacers from RCBS and, I guess Redding has one as well, will work well if you want to economize and one set of dies.

 

[Walkalong]

I reloaded 357 Magnum and 38 Special in the same set of dies using the RCBS spacer ring. It worked fine.

As funds became available and I added alternate presses, I have been able to buy dies that I can set for 38 Special itself and 357 Magnum itself.

The spacers from RCBS and, I guess Redding has one as well, will work well if you want to economize and one set of dies.

Same here.

 

[stchman]

The Lee carbide die set I have (90510) is used for .38SPL and .357 Magnum, says right on the package.

 

[e3mrk1]

My Lee Dies say they load 38 spcl and 357 Magnum.

 

[LV Gun]

Like the title says, I have been loading 38 Special for some time, but it looks VERY likely, (when I pay off the layaway), I will have a 357 back in the stable, a caliber I haven't owned since before I started reloading. Yes, I know I can shoot 38 Special out of it, no problem, but I might want to load some rip-snorting 357 mag ammo for it, too. So, the dumb question of the day, can my 15 year old Lee .38 Special Deluxe Die Set do the job with .357 Magnum, (which I highly suspect it will), and has anyone had any issues using Lee 38 Spl dies for the 357 I might want to know about? I just don't feel like ordering a duplicate die set if I don't need to.
Thank you for your replies, much appreciated.

Like the title says, I have been loading 38 Special for some time, but it looks VERY likely, (when I pay off the layaway), I will have a 357 back in the stable, a caliber I haven't owned since before I started reloading. Yes, I know I can shoot 38 Special out of it, no problem, but I might want to load some rip-snorting 357 mag ammo for it, too. So, the dumb question of the day, can my 15 year old Lee .38 Special Deluxe Die Set do the job with .357 Magnum, (which I highly suspect it will), and has anyone had any issues using Lee 38 Spl dies for the 357 I might want to know about? I just don't feel like ordering a duplicate die set if I don't need to.
Thank you for your replies, much appreciated.

As some of the others have mentioned for the price of a set of dies I would just do that . I am also lazy and don’t want to spend time readjusting dies every time I go from one to another. I reload 10 different handgun calibers all with Lee dies , Classic Turret press , Old Value Turret Press and powder measures, I have been Reloading for 30 years, my best advice just buy another set of dies you’ll be glad you did.

 

[armoredman]

So finally I stopped by Ace Hardware.

The only 7/8, 1/8 thick washer they had, hardened steel, so this thing will never wear out. Here it is under the expander die, which is also holding the powder measure.

Worked perfectly, no need to adjust a thing. First .357 Magnum testers are loaded up!