reloading .38 Specials

Jim S

Jim S

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Location
Airdrie, Alberta
New to reloading, anf have a question. Reloaded 800 rouonds of .38 Special Tuesday with 158 Grain bullets and 6.3 grains of HS6. Out of the 800, 227 won't slide into the cylinder smoothly.What could I have done incorrectly?
I was using a Hornedy Lock and Load Press.
 
You either didn't completely resize, or completely remove the bell of the case mouth when you seated/crimped the bullet. Do they feel hard to insert right at the beginning or progressively as inserted? If right away, probably bell not removed, if progressive not completely resized or over crimped and bulged the case. If you have a caliper, measure and compare against ones that fit. Just my opinion and worth what you paid for it.
 
Probably a dumb comment, but have you made sure the cylinder is clean? Are the bullets seated deeply enough? Did the bullet distort the cases as you pushed them in? Maybe the cases weren't belled sufficiently and the bullets got lead slicing and distortion from being forced into the cases.

My fired 38spl brass and other revolver brass (45 S&W) doesn't even need case sizing. They drop right back into the cylinder they came out of. All I'm really doing when I resize them is deprime them. If they quite going back in, then I did something to distort them while reloading.
 
"...didn't completely resize, or completely remove the bell..." Yep. Check how tight the die is in the press(They can come loose. A wee nudge with channel lock pliers will fix it.) and how far down it comes. The shell holder should just kiss the bottom of the die with the ram all the way up.
While not likely, check the lengths of the cases too.
"...6.3 grains of HS6..." That's the max load for a 158 grain cast bullet. Did you work up the load or just pick one?
 
sunray said:
"...didn't completely resize, or completely remove the bell..." Yep. Check how tight the die is in the press(They can come loose. A wee nudge with channel lock pliers will fix it.) and how far down it comes. The shell holder should just kiss the bottom of the die with the ram all the way up.
While not likely, check the lengths of the cases too.
"...6.3 grains of HS6..." That's the max load for a 158 grain cast bullet. Did you work up the load or just pick one?
Click to expand...

Thanks to all for your advice. Worked up the load, started from Data From The Hornday Book. Trying to make 125000 Power Factor for IDPA, and Factory Ammo only gets 106000 to 10800. Have to use a +P Load.
 
If you want to try other powders, I got around 780-800 fps with 158 grn LSWC and 3.7 grains 700X or Titegroup.

Try 3.8 grains of either powder and see if that would get you in the 127,000 PF range. That's still far from a +P load and recoil would still be minimal.

If you still have problems chambering your reloads, posting pictures of your problem cartridges may help the experts around here troubleshoot.
 
easyrider604 said:
If you want to try other powders, I got around 780-800 fps with 158 grn LSWC and 3.7 grains 700X or Titegroup.

Try 3.8 grains of either powder and see if that would get you in the 127,000 PF range. That's still far from a +P load and recoil would still be minimal.

If you still have problems chambering your reloads, posting pictures of your problem cartridges may help the experts around here troubleshoot.
Click to expand...

thanks. I have a pound of tite group on hold until I can pick it up on Sat. They look identical to the ones that slide in smoothly, so I'll be using the caliper when I get home. Thanks to all.
 
Sounds like a classic case of overcrimping. Common to experience with new reloaders. Simple solution is to obtain a Lee Factory Crimp Die. It will resize your loaded rounds to ensure they ALL are within tolerance so you dont experience casings not fitting into the cylinder any more. Best $20 you will ever spend. Much better than disassembling problem cases and a heckuva lot faster too.
dB
 
daBear said:
Sounds like a classic case of overcrimping. Common to experience with new reloaders. Simple solution is to obtain a Lee Factory Crimp Die. It will resize your loaded rounds to ensure they ALL are within tolerance so you dont experience casings not fitting into the cylinder any more. Best $20 you will ever spend. Much better than disassembling problem cases and a heckuva lot faster too.
dB
Click to expand...

+1 on the FCD, I have one for .44 Mag and it works extremely well, leaving a perfect roll crimp and no case damage.

Mark
 
daBear said:
Sounds like a classic case of overcrimping. Common to experience with new reloaders. Simple solution is to obtain a Lee Factory Crimp Die. It will resize your loaded rounds to ensure they ALL are within tolerance so you dont experience casings not fitting into the cylinder any more. Best $20 you will ever spend. Much better than disassembling problem cases and a heckuva lot faster too.
dB
Click to expand...

thanks daBear.
 
Just get your existing dies set up properly and then decide whether you need a Factory Crimp Die. With all due respect, in my opinion, its unnecessary. I've loaded and shot thousands of rounds of 38spl and never had a problem with the Lee 3 pce die set.
 
I agree with the above post, IF u set it up properly. However there is the possibility from time to time where mechanical devices can be out of alignment and you need to take time to check your adjustments to ensure every round is going to work. Nothing more frustrating than going too fast and not discovering your error, especially when u show up at the range without checking your rounds first. I often switch from 38Spl to 357mag using different profile bullets and if I happen to make an error, the Lee FCD guarantees I will have a perfect fit and crimp every time. Yes, its an extra step, but its a godsend especially to a new loader faced with a few hundred that wont chamber.
 
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