Is it advantageous to have a 38 Special ONLY die set?

[Follow Me]

Greetings to all
As a relatively new reloader I find myself asking more and more questions about reloading and finding fewer direct answers to those questions. I search but seldom find satisfying/suitable answers.
All that having been said, Is there an advantage to a 38 only die set? I have Lyman 38/357 mag M-die set but I've never readjusted to load 38's.
I would appreciate your counsel.

Col C aka Follow Me

I am the Infantry, Queen of Battle, Follow Me.

[ioon44]

Welcome to the forum.

You didn't say what press you use, I load on a Dillon 550 and load both .357 mag and .38 spl with the same dies I just readjust each time I switch.
It would be easier to have two sets of dies but I don't load enough of either one to justify the cost.

[dudel]

If you reload enough 38Spl, 357Mag and 357Max, then it might be worthwhile to have a dedicated set of dies set up in a tool head or turret. The adjustment time doesn't take that long, and there are things you can do to minimize setup time.

1) The sizing die won't change settings. It needs to touch the shell plate for all of them.
2) Seat and Crimp in two separate steps. Makes the settings easier and if you change projectile, then you only need to change the seater die.
3) Make up dummy rounds of the ammo you make. Then raise the seating stem, raise the ram with the dummy round and lower seating stem till you make contact with the round, then lock it. Seating stem set. Raise the crimp die, raise the ram with the dummy round into the crimp die, and lower the crimp die until you make firm contact with the case of the dummy round, lock it. Crimp die set.

I load mostly 38Spl; but some 357Mag, and 357Max. I just keep one set of dies set up for them, and adjust for the other calibers. OTOH, I once reloaded 45ACP and 45GAP in sufficient quantities, that I have die sets and tool heads set up for each. I don't load much 45ACP any more, so I may just have a spare tool head and die set!

[Tatume]

If I understand your question correctly, you're asking if there is a reason to use a 38 Special ONLY die set to load 38 Special (as opposed to loading 38 Special using 38/357 dies). There is no such advantage.

As others have pointed out, if you load both it might be advantageous to have two sets of dies to save setup time. There is no reason why both sets shouldn't be 38/357 dies though.

Take care, Tom

[Mk42gunner]

Like most anything else involving reloading, it depends.

In reality, no there is no advantage to having two sets of dies for basically the same cartridge.

If you were using steel sizing dies, maybe.

If you have a progressive press with interchangeable toolheads like the Dillon 550B, maybe.

If you just want more stuff to play with, yes.

Robert

[dondiego]

I bought an RCBS .357 mag die set in the 70's thinking that it would work fine for 3spl. The size die and the flare die worked for 38 but the seat/crimp die was too long to crimp a 38. Had to mill off 0.10" to get to work.

[Ed_Shot]

I use Lyman dies and routinely reload 357 and 38 Spl. I do trim-to-length my 357/38 Spl brass. I got an extra M-die w/plug on ebay so I'd have a seperate dedicated expander for both 357 and 38 Spl to save time. Since I use several different boolits I'm always adjusting the seating die anyway.

[Wayne Smith]

As Don Diego said your problem will be crimping 38 Special in a 357 die set. Otherwise everything else works.

[mdi]

Readjusting is no big deal. But, as noted above crimping a .38 in a 357 Mag. die may be problematic. As for reloading a .38 Special cartridge in a dedicated .38 Special only die set, nope no advantage over a 38/357 set. I've collected a bunch of "older" die sets and have a couple .38 only sets and the 357 set I use often (I even have one of Lee's "Speed Die" set; a single die for every operation). I just have to make sure I don't get them mixed up...

[44man]

No need at all. The size die stays the same but the expander and seat die needs a change but the easy way is to use washers of the correct thickness under the die nut. Just use or remove the washer as you change cases. I make my own but they actually sell washers.
I HATE to adjust dies and even a change to a Lee boolit crimp needs a few thousands.

[NavyVet1959]

I always found it interesting that the SAAMI max OAL for .357 is 1.59" and for .38 special is 1.55" -- only 0.04" difference. I suspect that most people don't load their rounds to the max OAL in .38 special though.

I find separating the seating and crimping stages makes it easier for me to setup. I use the Lee FCD for the crimping, but have it set to just remove the flare from the case mouth.

The only .38 special that I have is an old S&W Model 10 which I have not fired in over 30 years. I normally fire .357 mag handguns, even when they are just loaded to .38 special levels.

[Echo]

Many decades ago I had my Dad make a washer about .110 thick, about 2" dia, with a 7/8 hole. Loading 357's, I would use the washer under the expander/beller and under the seater. Worked...

[gwpercle]

I Think you're asking if there is an advantage to loading 38 specials with one set of dies and 357 magnums with a separate set.

Other than the convenience of not re-adjusting dies, there is no advantage. I bought my first set in 1968 , 38/357 , and found a washer at the hardware store for a spacer and they work fine. Gun Shop owner said buying 357 only dies was a waste of good money , I'm glad he advised me of this . I'm still using them for 38 and 357 .
Readjusting the dies are still required (except for the sizer) but the resulting loaded ammo will be the same.
No real advantage other than convenience .
Gary

[Blackwater]

Back before you could get them commercially and commonly, I had a machinist buddy make me a washer .135" thick with a 7/8" hole in the center, and I just use that to space my seater die for .357's. Use dies without the spacer for .38's. Actually, the sizing die doesn't requre the spacer, but the decap/expander die does as does the seater. And it works for both calibers, too.

[Petrol & Powder]

I think it has all been addressed by the prior posts. I will echo that if you are using a press with a removable tool head there may be some time saving advantage to a second set of dies if you switch back and forth between 38 & 357.
As for the dies themselves, it doesn't matter one bit.

[Shiloh]

One set works for all. Usually labeled 38/.357. A minor adjustment is all that is needed. If you have a progressive press you will have to adjust the powder die, the seating die, and the crimp die. If you run up a .357 case into a powder die adjusted for 38, you make trumpets.

Shiloh

[Le Loup Solitaire]

I load 357 mag on the same set of dies that are for the 38 spl. I use the classic spacer washer and it works very well. The process is well described by Blackwater in post #14. LLS

[dikman]

The only advantage is convenience. I was fortunate that when I bought a second Pro 1000 (used) it came with a set of Lee .38/.357 dies, so I set up a spare turret for .38 sp. If I want to load .357 I just swap out the turret.

[lightman]

The difference between 38 special and 357 mag dies is in the seating/crimping die. Newer dies are made to work with either. Like dondiego, my first set of 357 dies were 357 only. They all worked ok except for the seating/crimping die. I felt like I was ripped off. The newer die sets do both calibers and most even come with a washer to make swapping easier.

[Follow Me]

Greetings to all
To all of you who responded to my question, I say "Thanks" . I certainly got some satisfying answers that put my question to rest.
Thanks again
Follow Me
(Hope I did this Thank You correctly)

[44man]

Yes you did! You are in good company.
I do see an advantage to a turret set up but a washer is just as easy to change. I have too many turrets set up for different calibers to consider buying more. I ran out so I use a single stage for the rest. For me it is expense.

[Green Frog]

Many years ago, some die sets had a size-only die, a second die that de-capped and belled the case mouth with one stem in the middle, then a third die to seat and crimp. On this die set only, the de-cap and belling step would require different dies (or at least stems.). Fortunately these die sets are long obsolete and seldom encountered.

Froggie