38 sc vs 9mm open major

[hanexp]

ICS, the load was 124g bhp PD over 10g VV 383n OAL 1.235. Three holes. Usually averages PF 168. This case was likely armscore.

[Honkeymcgee]

On 7/10/2017 at 11:52 AM, jcc7x7 said:

Very comfortable with 9 major.  Shot 38 sc for several years and got tired of chasing brass.  Went 9 major and have had one head separation with a stepped case in about 20K rounds.

Also had two separations while shooting 38 SC due to very old brass coming apart.  Stuff happens at major pressures with either.

I'm more diligent than before about brass regardless of caliber when loading 38 or 9 to major.

Just pay attention and either is fine

I have found that stepped cases are rather easy to identify when sizing. 

 

When it feels like a case is just really tough to size, it's the expander hitting the step. 

 

Every time I check after realizing this, sure enough a piece of brass goes in the trash. 

[Jerry Anderson]

.38 Super. The 9mm cases dont last that long.

[Hi-Power Jack]

7 minutes ago, Jerry Anderson said:

.38 Super. The 9mm cases dont last that long.

Mine last pretty long, and they're really inexpensive    

[Honkeymcgee]

Another thing about separated cases that I have seen is, the one or two I have had in a 9 major were when I got lazy and didn't case gauge for a local match. 

 

Generally a bulge or small crack near the case head won't gauge when checked. I have culled several pieces of brass in this manner. 

 

That being said, I recently had a case come so close to gauging, I normally wouldn't even have looked at it, but I decided to grab it and check. 

It had a split, straight down the length of the case. I honestly have no idea how my dies ambushed it enough to make it gauge so well. 

 

All this being said, I'm about to switch to SC.  I stay busy enough between shooting pistol, long range, and work.

I never have sorted 9mm brass and never plan on it , granted this is probably why I have the occasional failure to extract. 

 

If you have the time, go for it. I'll just pay a little more and be a range chicken with a little more piece of mind. ?