A honest question for those that load the 38 Special. Besides the head stamp, is there any difference in the actual +P case, like a thicker wall, or just the head stamp ??? Thanks for your time, greatly appreciated !
If using a .357 revolver you can load pretty close to .357 ballistics with any .38 cases as long as you put some time working up safely. Comes from the fact all are made on the same equipment, to the same specs aside from length.
I agree. But if you do this and if you also own a 38 Spl, it is just a question of time before Murphy drops by to blow up your gun.
I agree. But if you do this and if you also own a 38 Spl, it is just a question of time before Murphy drops by to blow up your gun.
I have not done what Ganderite suggests and weighed the cases but my experience been this. When I load my cast 38 wadcutters (sized to .358) in Winchester 38 Special +P nickel cases the cases bulge where the base of the bullet is to the point where the rounds will not fully drop into a cartridge case gauge nor will they fully chamber in the gun's cylinder. With the same bullets I noticed little to no bulge in the following cases: Winchester 38 Special, Federal 38 Special, Federal 38 Special +P, Remington 38 Special, Remington 38 Special +P. Furthermore, they all dropped into the case gauge.
It is obvious that the Winchester +P cases are thicker towards the web than the other brands including standard Winchester 38 Special cases. This might not present a problem if loading semi-wadcutters that do not extend as far into the case but it made the cases unusable for the 38 Special wadcutter loads I use in PPC.
I was reloading and put a small sampling on the scale. The brass has been fired several times, was dry tumble and de-primed. I reload .357 lead HBWC and have not experience ted's problem, I guess I luck out. Unit of measure is in grain.
Remington brass: 67.4, 67.7, 66.1, 66.3, 67.1
Winchester brass 65.4, 66.2, 66.6, 65.9, 66.6
Winchester Nickel 61.7, 61.4, 63.0, 62.3, 64.2
Winchester Nickel +P 72.5, 72.8, 72.4, 71.8, 72.6
I have not done what Ganderite suggests and weighed the cases but my experience been this. When I load my cast 38 wadcutters (sized to .358) in Winchester 38 Special +P nickel cases the cases bulge where the base of the bullet is to the point where the rounds will not fully drop into a cartridge case gauge nor will they fully chamber in the gun's cylinder. With the same bullets I noticed little to no bulge in the following cases: Winchester 38 Special, Federal 38 Special, Federal 38 Special +P, Remington 38 Special, Remington 38 Special +P. Furthermore, they all dropped into the case gauge.
It is obvious that the Winchester +P cases are thicker towards the web than the other brands including standard Winchester 38 Special cases. This might not present a problem if loading semi-wadcutters that do not extend as far into the case but it made the cases unusable for the 38 Special wadcutter loads I use in PPC.
Yes it will. I ran the bulged rounds through a FCD and then they would chamber. However, they were obviously reducing the diameter of the bullet which I would have to think may have some effect on accuracy.Would a Lee factory crimp die help in this situation? From what I read the die will resize the case after the full loading sequence to ensure it will chamber in all firearms.
I'm guessing it will be sized below or at minimum SAAMI specs.
Only a guess on my part but my bullets are not hollow base so would be less likely to compress in the base area where the bulging appeared. if you are using HBWC I am guessing that the cases are slightly compressing the hollow base rather than the base expanding the cases as in my situation. Might be interesting to pull one of your bullets and see if the base diameter of the pulled bullet is smaller than the base diameter of a bullet that had not been seated.I was reloading and put a small sampling on the scale. The brass has been fired several times, was dry tumble and de-primed. I reload .357 lead HBWC and have not experience ted's problem, I guess I luck out. Unit of measure is in grain.
Remington brass: 67.4, 67.7, 66.1, 66.3, 67.1
Winchester brass 65.4, 66.2, 66.6, 65.9, 66.6
Winchester Nickel 61.7, 61.4, 63.0, 62.3, 64.2
Winchester Nickel +P 72.5, 72.8, 72.4, 71.8, 72.6