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Don't shoot .38 Short Colt in an S&W 9mm 929, trust me on this one :)


ysrracer

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It blows out the case, and even after you resize it in a .38 special sizing die, it still won't chamber in a .357 revo.

 

(L to R)

 

Fired case

Fired case in a S&W 9mm 929

Resized case in a .38 special sizing die

 

.

 

 

Screenshot_20200922-185126.png

Edited by ysrracer
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8 minutes ago, ysrracer said:

It blows out the case, and even after you resize it in a .38 special sizing die, it still won't chamber.

 

(L to R)

 

Fired case

Fired case in a S&W 9mm 929

Resized case in a .38 special sizing die

 

.

 

 

Screenshot_20200922-185126.png

From what I have heard is if you are going to shoot in 929 resize with 9mm dies

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8 minutes ago, revoman said:

From what I have heard is if you are going to shoot in 929 resize with 9mm dies

 

Yes, if I was going to continue to shoot them in a 929, I'd resize them with 9mm dies.

 

I wanted to see if I could shoot them in the 9mm, then resize them, then shoot them in a .357. I guess it's one or the other.

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Ty Hambly does this. I have done it also, I took about 200 sc cases and loaded them up and shot them in my 929, I sized them back with a 9mm dies first then I resized them with my 38 short colt dies and reloaded them and went and shot them in my 627 with no issues. It did take a bit more pressure on the reloader handle, but no big thing.

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Could also be your reloading practices.....

 

does your resizing die go all the way down to the shell plate ?

 

are you using a Dillon resizing die ? (they are flared more at the entrance for progressive use)

maybe try another die or remove some of the bottom of the die your using ?

 

Does seem odd that your having issues when a lot of other folks have been doing this combo

since the 929's came out 🤔

 

Now none of us even touched on what kind of load your shooting and if you may be blowing out

the web of the case, saw that years ago when everyone started using 38 Short Colt with too short

of an OAL.

 

I shoot cut down 38 spcls in a 38 super cylinder, been doing this for awhile and I have the bulge at

bottom of the case like yours but I can still chamber my reloads in the super or 357 mag cylinders.

 

And the cylinder chamfer question, maybe post a pic, sometimes that can be done too much.

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Ok, I checked the alignment and it's fine. I realigned the .38 special sizing die with a piece virgin brass.

 

I loaded some virgin brass, and no bulge at the bass. I'm on my way to the range, so I'll post the results.

 

But, since a 9mm case is wider at the base than a .38 short colt case, if I fire a short colt in a 9mm chamber, won't I see a bulge?

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19 hours ago, ysrracer said:

Ok, I checked the alignment and it's fine. I realigned the .38 special sizing die with a piece virgin brass.

 

I loaded some virgin brass, and no bulge at the bass. I'm on my way to the range, so I'll post the results.

 

But, since a 9mm case is wider at the base than a .38 short colt case, if I fire a short colt in a 9mm chamber, won't I see a bulge?

Glad the alignment is good, as I mentioned, it could have just been the pic.

 

I think you will always see some sort of bulge due to the specs you mentioned about the base sizes.

 

When I first started using cut down 38 spcls in my supers I sliced a bunch of different brass brands length ways and was surprised at the base

webs I found, RP 38 spcl & Fed 38 Spcl had a nice gradual web, so much of the web goes up the case wall that with a 160 grn bullet I have to

use an OAL of 1.32-1.33 so I don't bulge the case at the base of the bullet. Same for Fed brass iirc (I use mostly/all RP brass, had a ton of it)

What I found with the Starline 38 spcl brass was the smallest/shortest web of everything I cut up, slice up a couple and see for yourself.

 

Okay, more info than you wanted I'm sure, so what are you loading ??

OAL ? Powder ? Charge weight ? Brass ? (Starline I'll bet as they are the only game in town for 38SC)

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Thanks for all the info. Here's my load

 

Name: .38 Short Colt: 160gr Bayou RN: Titegroup 3.2gr: OAL 1.20
Notes: S&W 627
Shots: 11
Average: 774 ft/s
SD: 13 ft/s
Min: 753 ft/s
Max: 790 ft/s
Spread: 37 ft/s
Power Factor Average: 123
Power Factor Low: 120
Power Factor High: 126
Barometric Pressure: 30 in Hg
Temperature: 66 F
Weight: 160.0 gr.
Bullet: Bayou 160gr
Powder: Titegroup 3.2gr
Case: Starline
Primer: Fed SPP
C.O.A.L.: 1.20
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2 hours ago, ysrracer said:

Thanks for all the info. Here's my load

 


Name: .38 Short Colt: 160gr Bayou RN: Titegroup 3.2gr: OAL 1.20
Notes: S&W 627

What about the 929 ?? There will be a difference between a 38/357 chamber and a 9mm chamber. (or so I've seen with my powder choices)

I know a lot of auto loader folks use Titegroup, never been a fan in the revo but it was more for heat than anything else.

 

Hopefully others will chime in on your data.

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Here's the .38 Short Colt load I used in my 5" 929.

 

Name: .38 Short Colt: 125gr Berry's flat point: Titegroup 4.0gr Star Line Case 929
Notes: S&W 929 5" barrel
1.075 oal
Federal primer
Star Line case
Shots: 6
Average: 1046 ft/s
SD: 7 ft/s
Min: 1037 ft/s
Max: 1058 ft/s
Spread: 21 ft/s
Power Factor Average: 130
Power Factor Low: 129
Power Factor High: 132
Weight: 125.0 gr.
Edited by ysrracer
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And the exact same load in my 627

 

Name: .38 Short Colt: 125gr Berry's flat point: Titegroup 4.0gr Star Line Case 627
Notes: S&W 627 5" barrel
1.075 oal
Federal primer
Star Line case
Shots: 9
Average: 950 ft/s
SD: 21 ft/s
Min: 920 ft/s
Max: 983 ft/s
Spread: 63 ft/s
Power Factor Average: 118
Power Factor Low: 115
Power Factor High: 122
Weight: 125.0 gr.
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On 9/25/2020 at 1:56 PM, ysrracer said:

And the exact same load in my 627

 



Name: .38 Short Colt: 125gr Berry's flat point: Titegroup 4.0gr Star Line Case 627
Notes: S&W 627 5" barrel
1.075 oal
Federal primer
Star Line case
Shots: 9
Average: 950 ft/s
SD: 21 ft/s
Min: 920 ft/s
Max: 983 ft/s
Spread: 63 ft/s
Power Factor Average: 118
Power Factor Low: 115
Power Factor High: 122
Weight: 125.0 gr.

 

On 9/25/2020 at 1:55 PM, ysrracer said:

Here's the .38 Short Colt load I used in my 5" 929.

 



Name: .38 Short Colt: 125gr Berry's flat point: Titegroup 4.0gr Star Line Case 929
Notes: S&W 929 5" barrel
1.075 oal
Federal primer
Star Line case
Shots: 6
Average: 1046 ft/s
SD: 7 ft/s
Min: 1037 ft/s
Max: 1058 ft/s
Spread: 21 ft/s
Power Factor Average: 130
Power Factor Low: 129
Power Factor High: 132
Weight: 125.0 gr.

So that shows the diff in PF between the 2 guns, and pressure will be a lot less in the 627 with all that free bore of the 38/357 chamber.

 

So anyone else using Titegroup for these kinds of loads ??

This one and the 160 load seem short on OAL but maybe that's just me.

Edited by 10mmdave
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