700 loaded casings are full of crap !! how to clean???

Most reloaders with any sense will provide a data sheet with the rds. Bullet weight, Powder used, Grains of powder used, C.O.L.
Since I have no way of knowing which powder was used. There is no way of knowing what is going to happen. Lesson learned.
 
I've pulled apart 200 of the .38 spl rds.
All charged to 15.5 grains.

I then pulled a few of the .357mag. And they are charged to 20 grains.
I emailed him asking which powder he used.
His response was. " this is a faster burning powder, don't seat the bullets any further down"

I've been hunting and hunting and hunting for which powder this could be. It's very small, flat grey circles. Maybe 1mm in diameter or smaller.

I can think of several shotgun powders that look like little flat circles, but none that would be 15 gr in a 38Spl.

The two slowest powders I have used in 38 are 2400 (11gr) and 4227(14 gr). 4227 is a rifle powder and is extruded, not disks.

His comment "this is a faster burning powder," is very troubling. If a lot of powder is used, it should be a SLOW powder, not a faster one. He does not sound knowledgeable.


I suggest you send a 10 round sample of his ammo to NARCAN and make a complaint and explain your concerns.. Ask them to test the ammo.

Their pressure gun will take 100,000 psi. It might need it....

And ask the loader to be specific in telling you what powder he used. Maybe it is some kind of rifle powder.

Judging by the picture of the powder, it looks like a power I have. I have 40 pounds of powder that is the sweepings from the bench and floor of the Dillon that has loaded 500,000 rounds of 308 ammo. The powder was supposed to be disposed of, but it was kept in jugs marked "sweepings". It is a mixture of various ball and extruded powders running in the speed range from 3031 to RL15. I ran the powder through a window screen, to filter out the dead primers, bugs, nuts and bolts, etc and now use the powder for my own plinkers.

It looks to me that your loader buddy may be using his sweepings to load ammo he sells. It looks like a mixture of ball powder and flattened ball. Stop him, before someone gets hurt.
 
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Yeah id ask what type of power it is, where did the load data come from and if you sent him 6 rounds will he fire them out if his revolver or see if he will load his own with 15gr of the same powder and shoot them.

And if the power looked different id guess it was a fast rifle powder, ive used irm 3031 in a 25-20win before with good results.
 
the key thing to look at also is where is the reloader located? a house/garage, or an actual commercial building. Even if it is in a commercial building, I think they cannot share a wall with another tenant.
 
Powder looks like Ramshot Enforcer. 15 grains or so would be a suitable load for .357 IIRC. It would produce about twice the max pressure of .38 special though... Damn.
 
I did test 1 loaded rd today.
Everything stayed together. Casing doesn't show any signs of over pressure.

So i'd say he got it right the second time.
When taking them apart. They were all 15.5 gr with no variation.
 
I did test 1 loaded rd today.
Everything stayed together. Casing doesn't show any signs of over pressure.

So i'd say he got it right the second time.
When taking them apart. They were all 15.5 gr with no variation.

This thread keeps getting scarier.

We WERE dealing with just ONE lunatic.
 
I did test 1 loaded rd today.
Everything stayed together. Casing doesn't show any signs of over pressure.

So i'd say he got it right the second time.
When taking them apart. They were all 15.5 gr with no variation.

What did you test it in?

If I decided I wanted to test it, I would have shot the 38 round in a Ruger 357.

Or a 38 I consider disposable. I have couple of those...
 
Tested the .38spl in a .357.
The rd kicks slightly less than a .357mag. More like .38spl +

It was tested in a safe manner to all around it.
No signs of over pressure. So I feel much better about them.
 
The powder in the picture looks a lot like aa#9 to me, but 20 grains in 357 with 125s would be too hot. Possibly h110/296?

I have loaded a lot of .357 with AA9. 15 grains under a 158 bullet would be a handful. I would get 1320fps out of a 4.25" barrel with campro 158 FCP bullets using 14 grains. Never saw any velocity increase after 14. It really looks like Enforcer to me. 14 grains would give about 1200 fps. H110 is much finer than that stuff appears to be.
 
Spoke too soon.

:mad:
Fired 3 more rds of his .38 spl reloads. first 2 kicked like a mule and the cases were bulged. 3rd gave a puff then there was smoke around the cylinder and a fizzle sound.It continued with thick smoke for about 5 seconds.
Waited 3 minutes. pulled the empty case. F&%KING THING IS STICKY !!!!
Not only did I have to pound the projectile out of the first 1/2 inch of barrel. Now the revolver is covered in what can only be described as molasses.

I gave him a chance to correct his mistake and he screwed that up too.






And goddam right I better be getting a full refund down to the last dime.

So then I buy some .357 from the range. All they had was Blazer. Beggars can't be choosers I guess.
HOLY HELL !
They were way over loaded ! The primers were extruding between the cylinder and the frame and the pressure wave made it feel like I was being punched in the nose.
and of 15 of those. 4 had primers so hard. They barely had a dent after 4 strikes.....
The universe just don't want me to shoot this revolver.




At least now I have enough to start loading my own.
 
Blazer may not be top shelf but it's always been decent, at least what I have used. It's definitely full pressure. Those primers look typical. The "molasses" is likely melted gunpowder. Your photo looks normal for an underloaded round with poor deflagration of the propellant. Insane that you go from squib to sticky cases. The charges are obviously all over the place...
 
:mad:
So then I buy some .357 from the range. All they had was Blazer. Beggars can't be choosers I guess.
HOLY HELL !
They were way over loaded ! The primers were extruding between the cylinder and the frame and the pressure wave made it feel like I was being punched in the nose.
and of 15 of those. 4 had primers so hard. They barely had a dent after 4 strikes.....
The universe just don't want me to shoot this revolver.




At least now I have enough to start loading my own.

Blazer is fine ammo. I have shot 9mm, 357 and 44 Magnum. No problems ever. It goes bang and in the magnums feels just the same as my full power reloads with 2400, or H110 / W296.

If your revolver isn't lighting them off, then it is probably time to take it to a smith and have it looked at. Either the spring is weak, the firing pin is worn, it is really dirty and needs a thorough (take it completely apart) cleaning. Could well be it needs all three.
 
Why are you even firing this ammo? This could end very badly considering how incompetent this person has proven himself. Don't fire anymore and get a refund.
 
Blazer is fine ammo. I have shot 9mm, 357 and 44 Magnum. No problems ever. It goes bang and in the magnums feels just the same as my full power reloads with 2400, or H110 / W296.

If your revolver isn't lighting them off, then it is probably time to take it to a smith and have it looked at. Either the spring is weak, the firing pin is worn, it is really dirty and needs a thorough (take it completely apart) cleaning. Could well be it needs all three.

My revolver is brand new. Less than 300 rds through it.
 
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