Neomet Posted June 28, 2016 Share Posted June 28, 2016 (edited) I've got an SC and a newer 9. Loved playing with powders in SC like some master chef looking for the "perfect" load. (Spoiler alert....The answer is fill the case with N105, scrape off enough to stuff a 115 JHP on top and call it done) I found that at 61 I like not scrounging for scalding hot brass bent over in the AZ summer heat way more. I still finish around the same group I always do regardless of which caliber I shoot and have more fun at the match. 9 hits a little harder but I never notice it on the clock, only when shooting it back to back with SC. Edited June 28, 2016 by Neomet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hi-Power Jack Posted June 28, 2016 Share Posted June 28, 2016 fill the case (of a .38 super) with N105, scrape off enough to stuff a 115 JHP on top and call it done) : I like not scrounging for brass I still finish around the same group I always do regardless of which caliber I shoot 9 mm Major hits a little harder but I never notice it on the clock ^^^^^^ Words of Wisdom ^^^^^^^^ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikeski Posted June 29, 2016 Share Posted June 29, 2016 I actually went with a DVC Open in 38 Super. I am not reloading and the cost of buying ammo from Atlanta Arms is the actually less if I buy the case of 38 Super Comp vs 9mm Major. Most of the people I know who shoot 9mm Major are reloading and most when asked said if they were not reloading they would shoot 38 super. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hi-Power Jack Posted June 29, 2016 Share Posted June 29, 2016 Congratulations on your purchase - I'm sure you'll have an absolute BLAST (pun intended) with it. You might ask AA if they'll buy your brass back from you (lower your ammo costs). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steelix Posted June 30, 2016 Share Posted June 30, 2016 If just sell the brass here, once fired 38s is about .11 cents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1911A12011 Posted July 4, 2016 Share Posted July 4, 2016 When powder supply is not scarce, I would recommend 9mm (plus 9mm brass is less expensive than 38 Super). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Meyers Posted August 1, 2016 Share Posted August 1, 2016 More flexibility with .38sc loads, but hunting for brass all the time can be a pain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisstophere Posted July 30, 2018 Share Posted July 30, 2018 Sorry to revive an old thread but it came up in my search but didn't answer the question I had. If starting out new to open, but well involved in prod\CO, would 38SC be a worthwhile choice if the pistol was purchased used at an incredible value? Opinions are appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EEH Posted July 30, 2018 Share Posted July 30, 2018 Only thing you’ll have to do is chase brass, but if you get the gun like you said, I would do it. If I knew or know who owns the gun. Yes go for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steelix Posted July 30, 2018 Share Posted July 30, 2018 If your getting a great deal on the gun you will have the extra money to buy the brass. Or you can have the barrel changed out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisstophere Posted July 30, 2018 Share Posted July 30, 2018 2 minutes ago, Steelix said: ...Or you can have the barrel changed out. This is something that interests me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hi-Power Jack Posted July 31, 2018 Share Posted July 31, 2018 11 hours ago, chrisstophere said: If starting out new to open, is 38SC a worthwhile choice if the pistol was purchased at an incredible value? If you're going to really shoot lots of matches, the cost of the pistol is a very small part of your actual annual cost. If the gun cost $3,000, and you shoot it for 4 years, that's $750/year, plus $2,000 worth of ammo and $6,000 worth of other expenses (travel, range and match fees) etc. Get the pistol you want for a $1,000 more, and shoot it - saving a $1,000 and getting a gun you don't want is NOT an "incredible value". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aircooled6racer Posted July 31, 2018 Share Posted July 31, 2018 Hello: You can have another barrel fitted and see which one suits you better. I have shot both and actually prefer 9mm. I am not the fastest open shooter but I know that it is not my caliber choice that is holding me back. I have one pistol that I fitted two barrel setups with my comps on them to do the testing. I used the same powder HS-6 to make things fair. I also played with different power factors to see which one I liked better. The 9mm just felt quicker and flatter to me. As Jack pointed out the gun is only part of your cash outlay. I like 9mm also since I can just leave the brass lay after a match and don't feel bad about it. Don't get me wrong I am a brass rat but when it's 100 degrees with 90% humidity who wants to be searching for brass after the match? All I want to do is have a cold beer and some Mexican food. Thanks, Eric Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisstophere Posted July 31, 2018 Share Posted July 31, 2018 If you're going to really shoot lots of matches, the cost of the pistol is a very small part of your actual annual cost. If the gun cost $3,000, and you shoot it for 4 years, that's $750/year, plus $2,000 worth of ammo and $6,000 worth of other expenses (travel, range and match fees) etc. Get the pistol you want for a $1,000 more, and shoot it - saving a $1,000 and getting a gun you don't want is NOT an "incredible value". [emoji4] That's the thing though, I don't know what I really want in terms of hardware. What I do know is that I will shoot lots of locals with it and want something that is reliable and trouble free with only regular maintenance needed. Sure, a SVI or similar would be awesome to have but I'm honest enough with myself that dumping another 2k to get a new middle tier or used top tier open gun would be a waste when I can get one in decent condition, known to run and has been taken care of, and comes with mags, and in this case of 38SC, brass, for the same price. My question really was soley on the caliber choice of said gun. If someone was starting out completely new to open, would 38SC be a good path to take or had someone's experience taught them that marking and picking up brass just isn't worth it, even with the benefits 38SC has over 9. Since posting the original question, I did more searching here and found the answer, for me at least, yes, it's worth it. If a year down the line this division continues to be as fun as it is when I started, then I can invest in a much better gun and have the experience (hopefully) to know exactly what I want. But right now I want 30 rds to start, major scoring, and a big red dot while I run around the field course. :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisstophere Posted July 31, 2018 Share Posted July 31, 2018 Hello: You can have another barrel fitted and see which one suits you better....I like 9mm also since I can just leave the brass lay after a match and don't feel bad about it. Don't get me wrong I am a brass rat but when it's 100 degrees with 90% humidity who wants to be searching for brass after the match?...This was the biggest part that I struggled with, the picking up brass at the high point of the afternoon after a morning of running around in the heat and humidity. And I don't want to be one of those guys trying to pick up brass while others reset. I hate that crap. But what you mentioned to have another barrel fitted seems to give me the best of both worlds and allow me a chance to have time behind both calibers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judo Posted July 31, 2018 Share Posted July 31, 2018 9 major Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fo0 Posted July 31, 2018 Share Posted July 31, 2018 13 hours ago, chrisstophere said: This is something that interests me. i think you could use the same 38 super comp barrel but would just need to chamber for 9mm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aircooled6racer Posted July 31, 2018 Share Posted July 31, 2018 7 hours ago, Fo0 said: i think you could use the same 38 super comp barrel but would just need to chamber for 9mm Hello: You will need and want two barrel setups. Shooting 9mm in a 38 barrel will not be the best setup since you are trusting the extractor to hold the round in place. What I see happening here is that those long time 38 shooters are going to 9mm now. Sure there are some die hards that are sticking with 38 but some of them are sponcered or are just afraid to change up their reloading setup. If you can I would try shooting an open pistol. It may not be for you. They are not as loud when you are shooting them but some are harsh to shoot on your hand. Good luck in your search. Thanks, Eric Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foxbat Posted July 31, 2018 Share Posted July 31, 2018 I started on 38Super and 38SC, then one season shot 9Major out of them, then switched to 9mm guns, and never looked back. Kinda like when your kids move out and your dog dies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acsr Posted August 1, 2018 Share Posted August 1, 2018 Started with 38 and new custom gun is a 38, there are a few local 9mm major guys, and they all say if it wasn't for the brass issue/cost they would shoot 38 either way its the funnest division out there, be happy with what you bought and shoot the heck out of it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRPOperator Posted August 1, 2018 Share Posted August 1, 2018 38SC to me in the few guns I have shot is lower pressure and the most stable, with less dot movement or as some say flatter shooting. However, for me who shoots a few sectionals and maybe a area match, but mainly local stuff. The expense of 38sc is not worth it to me. I can load 9mm cheaper as I can get brass for free. That is my reason for shooting 9mm. If I was higher class or wanted to compete more I would buy 38sc, but 9mm works well for most, I think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SWprotected Posted August 2, 2018 Share Posted August 2, 2018 Its a personal choice, I dont think there is a right or wrong. If you are building a gun then you may have issues as some guys dont like to build 9 major guns. I shoot 3 to 4 matches a month plus 8 to 10 majors year and all 3 open guns I have owned have been 9. In 2 years I have had a handful of malfunctions and they were due to weak mag springs. Both are fine 38 will be a little flatter but I have shot targets at 15-20 yards with my 9s and 2 shots as fast as I can pull the trigger are both still in the A so I think they are flat enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nevadazielmeister Posted August 2, 2018 Share Posted August 2, 2018 For what it is worth, when you pick up your own brass, you know the history of that brass. When you pick up range brass or you buy it in bulk, you get all kinds of cases and tolerances. I found that this caused inconsistency in the feeding and shots, especially while reloading. When the brass is consistent, the is reloading is MUCH easier and smoother. Just something more to think about. And for the people not happy picking up brass, maybe consider a brass marker. That way, when they are marked, they are super easy to spot amongst a pile of other brass and so you save time and in the long run, money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foxbat Posted August 2, 2018 Share Posted August 2, 2018 (edited) Inconsistency? That has not been my experience. I shoot crazy mix of assorted 9mm brass, some of it might be 35 years old, been through reload dozens of times, and I might get one FTE in 1000-2000 rounds. Otherwise it all goes Bang. How do I know some is over 35 years old? Funny story... somewhere around 1982 I bought a small lot (200rds) of Israeli military brass. It has unique marking. A few months ago there was a discussion of different brass on another forum, so I sifted through my random, regularly rotated bucket of brass, and sure enough I found some there! How many times has it been through reloading, only Heavens know... Edited August 2, 2018 by Foxbat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nevadazielmeister Posted August 3, 2018 Share Posted August 3, 2018 (edited) 18 hours ago, Foxbat said: Inconsistency? That has not been my experience. I shoot crazy mix of assorted 9mm brass, some of it might be 35 years old, been through reload dozens of times, and I might get one FTE in 1000-2000 rounds. Otherwise it all goes Bang. How do I know some is over 35 years old? Funny story... somewhere around 1982 I bought a small lot (200rds) of Israeli military brass. It has unique marking. A few months ago there was a discussion of different brass on another forum, so I sifted through my random, regularly rotated bucket of brass, and sure enough I found some there! How many times has it been through reloading, only Heavens know... Yeh, I have come across some military brass in which the primer pocket was crimped, much like 5.56mm LC brass. So I would have to stop production, either ream the edge of the primer pocket or use the Dillon Swager. I can only imagine how crazy that would be with a Mark 7 or something else automated. The only time I have fired off a primer on my Dillon 650 was with crimped brass and I was applying "a bit too much pressure". I swore a little bit of pooh came out. (Always wear glasses kids.) Edited August 3, 2018 by Nevadazielmeister Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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