"Ask the Rabbi" by R. Mermelstein

First I would like to thank you for answering all of my previous questions. I have often read that firing .38 cartridges in a .357 magnum revolver and firing .44 special or .44 russian cartridges in a .44 magnum will cause erosion to the forcing cone.

Does this same caveat or a similar one apply to lever action carbines chambered for magnum pistol cartridges?

Also, following the advice you gave earlier, I have obtained an RCBS catalog. What equipment do you recommend for .44/.357/.454 magnum and 6.5x55 reloading? I am trying to keep expenditure under $700.00 if possible.

Thank You,

Doug Beatty

You can stop worrying about throat erosion from shooting the shorter cartridges in the longer magnum chambers. Make sure, though, that you use a phosphor bronze bore brush (not stainless steel!) to clean the chamber(s) after each use. The worst that can happen will be a tough buildup of carbon just forward of the shorter case's mouth position in the chamber. Should this happen, soak the chamber(s) with any decent bore solvent and let the gun sit wet overnight. The following morning the carbon ring will be soft enough to be removed. If you have a stainless steel bore brush, put it where it belongs: in the garbage. Gunsmiths of note have remarked that one pass of a stainless steel brush through a bore will permanently destroy the barrel's accuracy potential.

If you use RCBS handloading tools, you will be using the finest available. Buy a single stage Rock Chucker press, an RCBS 10-10 scale, Uniflow powder measure and stand, plastic loading block, case trimmer with the appropriate .26 caliber pilot and #1 collet to trim 6.5X55 cases, chamfering/deburring tool, dial caliper, primer tray, RCBS standard priming tool, dies, and shell holders for what you plan to reload, and you will not have exceeded your $700 limit. There are plenty of "bells and whistles" on the market, but these tools will be more than adequate to start. BTW, order both the pistol and rifle rotors for the Uniflow powder measure. RCBS offers everything I've listed. You can order everything from Midway (1-800-243-3220) at a big discount over retail prices.

Sincerely,

R. Mermelstein