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Thread: Is there a common BP cartridge in .357?

  1. #1
    Boolit Master greywuuf's Avatar
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    Is there a common BP cartridge in .357?

    looking to rebarrel a roller and kinda considered .357 mag carbine ...but then got to thinking what if a 38-55 was necked down a smidgen? Then I got to thinking.? Is there anything that all ready exists ?

  2. #2
    Boolit Master


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    I've had those thoughts, too. I have a rimfire Remington 1 1/2 that cries out for this sort of project. The 357 Maximum case is quite like the antique 35-30 case, and folks writing in Black Powder Cartridge News some time ago reported good results with the Max and black powder. I think you could get about all the performance you'd want from a 35 bore in the Max case from a pressure limited RB action and smokeless powder.

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    Boolit Grand Master Outpost75's Avatar
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    Common, cheap and plentiful ordinary .357 Mag brass holds the same amount of black powder that the pre-WW2 .38 Special balloon - head cases did. Off the shelf Cowboy rifles shoot well with correctly assembled black powder loads using 1 to 30 tin-lead and suitable "big lube" bullet designs from Accurate which have sufficient lube capacity to prevent foul - out in rifle barrels using Goex powder with SPG lube, or 50-50 olive oil and beeswax. K.I.S.S. principle!

    Typical carbine velocity with 150 - grain bullet is 1080 fps, like Eley Tenex that grew up. Shoots well in revolvers too giving familiar .38 Special ballistics with normal accuracy. Standard - weight bullet which is stable in slow twist, of correct diameter which fits, using a proper soft BP lube is key. I do use a compression die.
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    Boolit Grand Master Nobade's Avatar
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    38 Ballard extra long is almost the same as a 357 maximum case although it used an outside lubricated heeled bullet. It makes a very nice cartridge as well.

  5. #5
    Boolit Master
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    As usual Outpost75 is right on target

    The 38 Special was originally a black powder cartridge.

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    Boolit Master Castaway's Avatar
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    35 Winchester or 35 Newton. Both use a 0.358 bullet and cases are 2.41” and 2.52” respectively. 35-30 Maynard used a 0.359” bullet with a 1.63” case. But roll type cap as a primer
    Last edited by Castaway; 09-30-2021 at 03:26 PM.

  7. #7
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by greywuuf View Post
    looking to rebarrel a roller and kinda considered .357 mag carbine ...but then got to thinking what if a 38-55 was necked down a smidgen? Then I got to thinking.? Is there anything that all ready exists ?
    357 mag makes a sweet blackpowder round without any fussing around - about 26 grains of BP - LEE 158 flatpoint mold works good - yr in business cheap and quick !

  8. #8
    Boolit Buddy
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    Is there much fouling blowback when loading .357 with BP, assuming a full charge?

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    Boolit Buddy
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    Extra virgin?

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    Boolit Master Castaway's Avatar
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    Dave M. If you anneal your brass and have a full case of black in a single shot rifle, your case should keep fouling limited to the barrel. Five or six damp patches, followed by a couple dry patches and an oiled patch and you’re good to go for the next shooting session

  11. #11
    Boolit Buddy
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    Quote Originally Posted by Castaway View Post
    Dave M. If you anneal your brass and have a full case of black in a single shot rifle, your case should keep fouling limited to the barrel. Five or six damp patches, followed by a couple dry patches and an oiled patch and you’re good to go for the next shooting session
    Thank you. I've done a fair amount of BP cartridge with .38 WCF and .44 WCF but never .38 Special or .357 Magnum.

  12. #12
    Boolit Grand Master Outpost75's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by DaveM View Post
    Is there much fouling blowback when loading .357 with BP, assuming a full charge?
    Not if you anneal cases.
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  13. #13
    Boolit Grand Master Outpost75's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by salvadore View Post
    Extra virgin?
    I use cheap Spanish olive oil. No need for extra virgin, you aren't eating it.
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  14. #14
    Boolit Grand Master uscra112's Avatar
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    Olive oil is a good lubricant. During WW2 an R4D (Navy C-47) was flown several hundred miles with one engine running on olive oil. Allegedly, when they got it back to base, they just replaced it with regular oil and kept on flying it.
    Cognitive Dissident

  15. #15
    Boolit Grand Master Outpost75's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by uscra112 View Post
    Olive oil is a good lubricant. During WW2 an R4D (Navy C-47) was flown several hundred miles with one engine running on olive oil. Allegedly, when they got it back to base, they just replaced it with regular oil and kept on flying it.
    My buddy in Italy runs olive oil in his Fiat farm tractor and vintage 124 mini. He says that during WW2 when petroleum products were rationed and expensive olive oil blends were widely used. A 50-50 blend of olive oil and 190 proof grappa substituted for Diesel in farm machinery.
    The ENEMY is listening.
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  16. #16
    Boolit Buddy
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    What, no apre ballis nosh?

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    Boolit Master Jim22's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by greywuuf View Post
    looking to rebarrel a roller and kinda considered .357 mag carbine ...but then got to thinking what if a 38-55 was necked down a smidgen? Then I got to thinking.? Is there anything that all ready exists ?
    That sounds an awful lot like the modern .35-30 - the .30-30 necked up to .35. Not uncommon.

    Jim

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check