.38/357 reloading

[rue]

I bought RCBS .38/357 reloading dies so I could reload for my 38 and 357.
I've got my dies set for .38 right now on my press but I now want to reload .357. Is there anything I need to do special adjustment wise to make it work? Obvious the bell on the mouth needs to be adjusted up and the crimp/bullet seating needs adjustment too but the part I'm curious about is the decapping/resizing die. It looks like I can run a full case up the die to the shell holder and pop out the spent primer but it's a little tougher and has more resistance than the .38 cases I reloaded before that. Is that normal?
Thanks in advance!

[anyracoon]

Just re-adjust them. RCBS used to ship a spacer ring with thier 38/357 die sets, Made going from 38 - 357 & 357 - 38 adjusting quicker.

[Fjold]

The .38 Special case measures 1.155 inches in length, while the .357 Magnum case is 1.290 inches long.

All you should have to do is back out your dies 0.135" to reload .357, if your brass is all rimmed to nominal length.

[rue]

Well for the resizing die I guess I'm asking if I need to adjust it at all?

It will take the whole case to the shell holding just fine and deprime it.

[Fjold]

Since there is no taper in either the 357 magnum, or 38 special cases you don't have to adjust the sizer at all, just the belling and seating dies

[rue]

Ok just making sure that's just what I needed to know.

[Beelzy]

Just get some big washers and stack them to make up the length
differential on the belling and seating dies. :-)

[djp7558]

Just re-adjust them. RCBS used to ship a spacer ring with thier 38/357 die sets, Made going from 38 - 357 & 357 - 38 adjusting quicker.

The spacer is available from MIDWAY U.S.A. As Product # 312-274 @ $3.49

[Ceemack]

It looks like I can run a full case up the die to the shell holder and pop out the spent primer but it's a little tougher and has more resistance than the .38 cases I reloaded before that. Is that normal?

Yeah, that's normal. .357 cases always take more effort, probably because the longer case means there's more surface area dragging against the expander ball and the die wall.

If you'll recall, when you first set up the sizing die, you adjusted it in relation to the top of the shellholder when the ram was at the top of the stroke, not to the length of the cartridge.

As somebody who reloads both .38 and .357, don't be too surprised if you find yourself wanting to buy a second die set somewhere down the road, so you don't have to keep re-adjusting the case mouth expansion and the crimp.

[dachan]

The washers that came with my RCBS set worked fine, just slip the washers in place to load 357mag and out for 38sp. No fine adjustment of the expander or seater die has ever been necessary to go between 357mag & 38sp.