Jump to content
Brian Enos's Forums... Maku mozo!

38 Spcl Brass


10mmdave

Recommended Posts

Well my batch of Starline brass is showing it's age, after 10-20 reloadings I'm getting

split cases all the time now. Bullet goes bang but gittin that sucker out can be a pain !

My question to the masses....if not Starline, then what brass do you use and what do you

think of it's usefull life ??

How's your particular brand of brass behave in your moonclips (I use the Brownells ones

mostly)

Any brass seem looser/tighter than others in your brand of moonclip ??

I did do a search, but maybe I'm not using the correct "key" words cause I am not seeing

anything.

Thanks for the info, DaveP

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I use plain R-P for .38 Special. I have literally mounds of .38 brass from PPC, so I pick out the R-P and use that. When it runs out I'll move onto something different.

I have no idea how many times I've reloaded the brass I use now, when a piece splits I toss it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have no idea how many times I've reloaded the brass I use now, when a piece splits I toss it.

I only use Starline, but as R112 said, when a case splits I just throw it in the trash. I have had a pretty good run with Starline. My fellow collegues down under here either use Federal or Starline.... they are the best of whats available to us.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You guys are throwing perfectly good brass away just because it's got a little bitty crack up at the end of the case???

What a shameful waste. Those cases are usually good for several more loading cycles.

I toss them when the crack reaches 1/4". And I've NEVER seen a primer pocket that I thought was too loose.

You guys need to quit being so dang prissy! ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

And I've NEVER seen a primer pocket that I thought was too loose.

too loose is when the primer stays on the anvil when your round changes stations. :blink:

I don't cull or pick out any particular brass for .38. The pressures are usually so low you can shoot with a 1/4 inch split and never know the difference. But I still throw it away when I find one.

dj

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well my batch of Starline brass is showing it's age, after 10-20 reloadings I'm getting

split cases all the time now. Bullet goes bang but gittin that sucker out can be a pain !

My question to the masses....if not Starline, then what brass do you use and what do you

think of it's usefull life ??

How's your particular brand of brass behave in your moonclips (I use the Brownells ones

mostly)

Any brass seem looser/tighter than others in your brand of moonclip ??

I did do a search, but maybe I'm not using the correct "key" words cause I am not seeing

anything.

Thanks for the info, DaveP

I´m using Fiocchi (bottom mark is G.F.L.) brass. Tightest cut found yet. Perfect with my moons and good for lots of reloading cycles. Don´t know, if available in USA?

DVC!

Sascha

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I use R-P for the moonclip guns, and Federal for the rest. I've got a five-gallon bucket of each I picked up <mumble> years ago, and see no need to worry about wearing them out. I do pitch them when the necks crack. Maybe I should do an article on velocity and accuracy with cracked necks, just to get you cheapskates to buy more brass.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I use R-P for the moonclip guns, and Federal for the rest. I've got a five-gallon bucket of each I picked up <mumble> years ago, and see no need to worry about wearing them out. I do pitch them when the necks crack. Maybe I should do an article on velocity and accuracy with cracked necks, just to get you cheapskates to buy more brass.

Ummm...

That sounds like Car..........ney!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guys - All the .38 Special brass I've found fits fine in my speedloaders. What are y'all doing wrong? :D

As moonclips are used, they get more forgiving. The narrower the moonclip (.022 ?) the more forgiving. I have yet to see the moonclip that accepts Winchester with alacrity. What moonclip are you using?? ooops, I have to read much more carefully.

Edited by underlug
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Mike;

Just for clarification my brass usually splits along the side, for almost the entire length of the case. The neck is usually intact, but the whole side is ruptured. You can try and reload 'em but the powder will dribble out the side.

Minor neck spilts don't really bother me, when I can hear that the case is split I'll look for it and toss it. I shoot on concrete a lot, so during a course of fire I can hear a split case hit the ground (a real off key !sprang!) or when I pick the brass up and jiggle it.

For moonclip guns I'll hear the brass make that funny noise when it lands in the de-mooner. It's rare to hear it during a match because I'm usually motoring away from it to get to the next shooting position B) .

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nah, I'm too cheap to pay for something I can make Sam do for free.

He won't be home forever !

Maybe I should do an article on velocity and accuracy with cracked necks, just to get you cheapskates to buy more brass.

How about an article on how loads act between 1st fired and 10-20th firing :D

How much of a difference in PF do you think you'd get ?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 8 months later...
For those people that check headstamps:

Do most people mix the Remmington and Federal brass and treat it the same, or use one or the other?

I just got a batch of Hearth clips (for the Rem/Fed brass)

For myself I use the same headstamp per batch of a particular loading.

I have two sizes of clips, some that hold RP great and some others that hold Starline pretty

good. Also have some that hold Winchester brass very well but not many of them :)

I've seen some big differences in PF between makers of brass so I like to keep it all the same.

And.....an update on the nickel plated subject (should have posted this long ago)

Bought some used nickel 38 spcl RP brass begining of the season, it's only had 2 loadings on

it and it's all cracking down the side, just thought I'd share the info.

Looks like Wincheter nickel and Federal nickel work out okay but this Remington stuff is

a whole different breed.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When I got my 686 it came with 32 moon clips (almost all Hearthco) and was told to run RP brass.

Went to Dillon and picked up 2K of new RP brass and I'm still running it now but I don't have all that many loads on them as I shoot my open gun most of the time.

I only wish I got all my brass back with my open gun as easy as the wheelgun...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...