That is not quite the case as the setup instructions are specific as to the adjustment. Touch the shell holder and back one turn.cj8281 wrote:I wonder why they would make 2 different ones as you can just adjust the die to accommodate the longer cartridge, probably even the 357 Maximum.Ranch Dog wrote:I thought you might have a 357 Mag expander plug but that plug is only .964" in length which makes sense as the longer cartridge is using the same die body.
The body of both my 38 Spl & 357 Mag PTE dies are the same length, 2.175", so the only way to accommodate the longer brass of the 357 is to shorten the overall length of the plug. The die bodies are marked specific to the 38 Spl and 357 Mag, but in reality, only the plug is different. The SAAMI case length for the 357 Mag is 1.290", the 38 Spl 1.155", a difference of .135". In that I came up with a difference between the plugs of .134", I would suspect that my measurement of one of the plugs is off .001" or maybe I missed both by .0005".
I've always felt the handgun die instructions are written with Lee's progressive presses in mind. That setup is very crucial to ensure that there isn't any uneven pressure on the die turret against the shell holder. My experience has been that anytime you are outside the specific adjustment instructions, with any of the dies, there are problems with the loading cycle. That would include the adjustments on all the dies. With a single stage or turret press, it really doesn't matter how you adjust the die but something is wrong if it has to be adjusted outside of the recommended setup.