I recently purchased in error a box of 200 gr. Hornady ftx bullets (.358) for my friends Marlin 357. I didn't realize the 140 gr. versions were meant for the 357, and the 200 gr. for the 35 Remington.
Has anyone reloaded this bullet for a 357? or we'll just trade them in on something at the next gun show.
I have found a few loads for other 200 gr. bullets in a 357. But caution is a good lifesaving skill.

The likely issue will be cartridge overall length-- same problem as with the 265 versus 225 FTX in 44.
Hornady makes the 225 for the 44mag and the 265 for the 444. Most people conclude it can't be done.
But if you search here for the discussions on it, you will find at least one person who thinks they can.
I wasn't convinced enough to try it myself although I think I would like to.

Peace

 

Overall length will probably be against you in 357 brass but if you take some measurements you may find that using 38 SP brass may work.
If you do a search for the Glen Fryxell article on the Marlin 1894 you will note he recommended the 38 SP brass for a number of heavy loads due to length issues.

 

200gr and over is not new to the 357mag. It's been done forever - in fact S&W put out a revolver "a long time ago" designated 38-200 - it was for a British contract and many of them either came back to the states or never left. My Dad had one that he tried to shoot standard 38 S&W (not specials) with the 158gr loads, and they went everywhere. I tried some 214gr cast without sizing so they were crowding .360 pretty hard and they worked fine. I later tried some 158's unsized and they worked "ok" but not as good as the 214's. Later Dad read somewhere that they were put together at .359-.360 on purpose. Sure made for sloppy shooters with standard 38S&W ammo. When I was playing with my 357 S&W model 19, I used mil-surp 38SPL cases for a lot of my heavy loads and all of my 180gr and up loads. The OAL has to fit the gun it goes in, so that is your criteria. Finding a starting load is a matter or research. Finding your go-to load is a matter of development. That's what handloading is all about. Good luck and stay safe!!

Jeff
NRA Life

 

The 200 gr.FTX bullet for a 35 rem. is a longer and more pointed bullet than the 200 WFN bullets used in the 357 mag. The extra length is what will mess with the load data and bullet seating, by the time you have it to the max overall cartridge length the 200 gr. FTX bullet will take up a lot of the case volume negating any hope for a decent velocity. That is why they made the 140 gr. FTX for the 357 mag., cause it fits proper. Bullet profiles, and seating depth can change load pressures by a significant amount and great caution is advised in trying to stuff a longer rifle bullet in a pistol length case. It may have been done but like I said it leaves little room for powder and not much velocity = why?

 

My advice would be if you want a 200 gr. FTX bullet to achieve velocity of a 35 remington, then get a 35 remington and save the 357 mag. carbine for 357 mag. performance. A pistol length cartridge is what it is, a pistol length cartridge, not in tended for rifle caliber performance with bigger longer bullets.

 

The 200 gr.FTX bullet for a 35 rem. is a longer and more pointed bullet than the 200 WFN bullets used in the 357 mag. The extra length is what will mess with the load data and bullet seating, by the time you have it to the max overall cartridge length the 200 gr. FTX bullet will take up a lot of the case volume negating any hope for a decent velocity. That is why they made the 140 gr. FTX for the 357 mag., cause it fits proper. Bullet profiles, and seating depth can change load pressures by a significant amount and great caution is advised in trying to stuff a longer rifle bullet in a pistol length case. It may have been done but like I said it leaves little room for powder and not much velocity = why?

Well said.

 

I'd be concerned that at 357 velocities that 200 grainers would NOT open up and just punch a hole thru.

Tom

 

Hang on guys, the man is not looking for 35 Rem performance.
He bought the 200Gr 35 Rem bullets in error and wants to know if they are usable in the 357.
I don't think he would be silly or naive enough to think he can come even close to 35 Rem performance.

Alliant lists a few loads for 200 Gr lead round nose bullets for the 38 special, I would hazard a guess and suggest that if you seat the FTX into the 38 Sp case about as far as the LRN is seated you could still be within .357 OAL and therefore good to go. You could also do a search for the old Keith 38-44 data and see if anything there is of any use to you.

 

Hang on guys ...

Good point, Bob. He also indicated that safety was his major concern and that he would be willing
to hold off and trade them if it were the concern. I think he should find your suggestions most helpful,
especially the pointer to the Glen Fryxell article on the Marlin 1894.

Peace

 

Most stores would let you return/exchange bullets (I would think) but not ammo. If you haven't used any of them or messed up the box, I would at least ask. Good luck, Jack

 

Thanks for the input.
I picked the bullets up in another city while travelling and not sure where the receight is. Not sure what the return policy is at the store I purchased them from anyway. (wasn't planning to return them)

Regardless, I can see that this likely wouldn't be worth the trouble just to use them up.

 

I'd use them up!

They'd have to be single-loaders in a .357 case probably but I'd definately use them up.

Jon

 

You could just load them in the .357 case to a working length and work up your load.Nothing says that they have to be crimped in the crimp grove. Really you could most likely run a full magazine without to many problems but to be on the safe side load one in the chamber and two in the mag. With only one bullet ahead of the bottom round i doubt that the bullet would telescope into the case.

If you go that route i would size and not use the expander die so that you have a good grip on the bullet.

Heck i do it all the time with cast bullets and never had a problem.

 

I think i would try your idea of trading for the bullet you wanted. If you want a 200 g bullet in the 357 i would go for a wide flat nose.
Trying to seat that bullet in a 357 or 38 case to an OAL that would feed would cause me more concerns over loss of case capacity/compressed loads than I would be comfortable with UNLESS I founld the exact load data for that bullet/case combo in a couple of manuals.

 

and then the exact load data would only be exact for whatever it was developed in. Your loading manuals are only exact for whatever the lab used and won't be exact for any other, except by chance. It is reasonable and safe data, but far from exact.

Jeff
NRA Life

 

If it were me, I would sell/trade them, and be done with them. Fortunately I own a 1894C in .357 Mag and a 336C in 336C in .35 Remington, so if I make a purchasing error things usually work out reloading on my own. At least I like to think so
Personally I'd try this forum or a couple others to see what I could work out to my benefit.

 

Hey Mike I have some quality 38/357 bullets in different weights & profiles on hand if you want to work out a trade. Shoot me an IM and we'll talk.

 

That's one of the things that I like about QuickLOAD. You can enter that bullet and your OAL and it will point you in the right direction for powders and charges. Not the be all-end all that some folks make it out to be but it gives you a starting point and warning points.

 

Wouldnt you have a problem with the larger diameter bullet. The 200 gr. ftx is .358 while all other jacketed bullets for the 357 measure a true .357. I would think that this would cause higher pressure but that is just guessing.