38 super comp die selection.

[AndyG]

Got a new to me open gun. So im slowly gathering components for 38 super comp, Picked up 500 Zero 125gr and 500 starline brass with 3n38. I was planning on setting up with all lee dies except the powder drop has to be dillon ( 650 )  Do yall have any advice? seems 123 is a pretty popular oal and I was going to start at 9.5 and work up to major. Looking to average about 168. What dies yall using? Anything you doing that you feel helps reliability? Very new to the cartridge any and all input is appreciated. Will be shot from a full size brazzos with 4 popples holes.

[jubi351]

With 4 holes you will probably need 9.9-10gr. to get pf. I use Lee dies, no problem. I use a u die, as was recommended here. I have found some range brass that would not case gauge in my hundo even after the u die so I now roll size as well.

[CocoBolo]

I use 9 mm dies on all but the sizing die which needs to be 38 Super.   The die I like best is the Hornady, but get a couple extra primer punches.  I've replaced a bunch of c clips on the Dillon die.    Make friends with someone that has a roller, I have one and when a round doesn't drop check I roll it, and after you shoot the same brass a few times you will get some that are a little fat at the bottom.   I use the same roller die for 38 and 9 mm.  It works.   

 

There are a ton of powders for 38 Super,  AA7 is my goto on 38S, with those 125 zeros 10.5gr will put you up at about 178 pf and then you can work down till it starts to bounce.  AA7 comes in 8# jugs.  A 1# only does about 650 rounds.

 

If your gun has accu-rail don't use AA7 it will lock it up, its a little dirty. 

[AndyG]

I tried a handful, unfortuantely I dont know what they meter'd at. But Dad had a a handful of aa7,Silhouette and 3n38 unfortuantely the 3n38 was a huge standout to me... I say unfortunate because of price.  So the brass will get a little chubby after a few fires huh? Whats the cheapest remedy for that? Maybe a push through die on a single stage press?

 

[shred]

Eh, I shoot SC until it cracks.  Rare to have one get larger anywhere but the rim which gets pounded a bit over time.

 

1.245" is my target OAL with a JHP.

 

[AndyG]

What kind of crimp are yall throwing on these? 

[DougCarden]

.377-.378 works well.

[shred]

I use a 10x loupe and look at the space between bullet and brass.  If there's more than a minute gap there, add more crimp.

 

[AndyG]

9 hours ago, shred said:

I use a 10x loupe and look at the space between bullet and brass.  If there's more than a minute gap there, add more crimp.

could you explain a bit more on this im not familiar with the measurment a minute.

 

 

Edited April 25 by AndyG

[Blackstone45]

1 hour ago, AndyG said:

could you explain a bit more on this im not familiar with the measurment a minute.

 

 

He might mean 'minute' as in tiny, rather than a quantitative measurement.

[shred]

Yeah, zero gap is good, a tiny gap when viewed at 10x is usually ok. Easiest is to look at some major brand factory ammo and compare.

 

 

[AndyG]

so you're just taking the bell out of the case essentially? Not much crimp*

 

[shred]

More than that, but not a ton more.   It's difficult to over-crimp on a jacketed bullet.  If you do it'll be obvious.  OTOH It's easy to under-crimp and have a variety of issues from chambering problems & setback to gauging problems.

 

Grab some premium factory ammo and take a look at how it's crimped with some magnifiers and copy that. If you like measuring, go with bullet diameter + 2x brass wall thickness, maybe a few thou under.

 

Also, take one of your newly loaded rounds, measure it, and push it into the side of your bench bullet-first with two thumbs pushing hard on the primer end, measure again.  If it got shorter, you've got problems.

 

 

 

 

[AndyG]

On 4/24/2024 at 3:18 PM, DougCarden said:

.377-.378 works well.

Thank you. I loaded up 500 at 9.5gr 3n38 I dont think they will make power factor but it will be close. Used 125gr zero jhp at 1.23 with small rifle primers. Im not shooting majors anytime soon and im sure itll run the gun just fine.  When looking at crimp I found one that looked appropriate for me it was .378.... Spot on Doug. Thank you.