Pull down ammo for beginer reloader.

Insanity Required

Insanity Required

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I have just (well once the press actually arives) started to reload. In my search for brass to start out the few places that have new brass are sold out or expensive. I do have some new and some once fired but would like more. I have found some reloads to pull down for components. So the question i have is, should i avoid this as a new reloader or since it is just for parts would it be ok¿

Also another thought is what about the primer. Would it be best to deprime (live or shootoff at the range first) or would the primer be ok to leave in and use¿
 
If the price is right, use it. Do you have a bullet puller??

Some of the banner advertisers have decent prices on brass cases.

You don't mention cartridges and we aren't mind readers, so it can be difficult to give you an answer.

Western Metals, often has cartridge cases, both refurbished and new at very decent prices. I believe they are out of Calgary. Their banner doesn't appear at the top but it's often on the side panels. If you do all your browsing on a cell phone, you likely won't see any of them.

If you're purchasing components by 100 count boxes or 50 count bags, expect to pay higher prices.

Want better deals, buy in 1000 count lots.
 
Well - The decision to use the pulled down brass c/w primers depends upon whether the brass will chamber in your rifle. If the original reloading person partially resized, or neck sized the cases, problems can occur. Also, you shouldnt re-use the powder unless you have 100% confidence into its type.
 
Depending on caliber and availability, there are several sources for once-fired brass. Higginson Powders being one. Also: Black Sheep Brass. For factory-new Starline brass, you could contact site sponsor: Double Tap Sports. All these are Ontario-based retailers, but do ship.

Edit. Note: Black Sheep Brass website states that they are not currently taking factory-direct orders, under 10,000 cases. The site does list several other retailers that may.

Another Starline brass source: Site sponsor..Rusty Wood Trading. Mission, B.C.
 
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The cartridge is 38 S&W for a revolver. I have found that a lot of places do not carry it, new or once fired, with many of thoes who do being sold out. I had thought that as long as you do not damage the bullet when you pull it, then basicly all you have to do is replace the powder, and reseat the bullet. So a little cheaper than building new.

No I do not have the puller in my hands yet but it is on the way. Still gathering all the supplies.

I have NO intention of using the powder for anything but fertalizing the garden.

But from the few replys so far i am taking that it is ok even for a beginer. Basicaly when pulled down it is essentialy back to the basic component stage to be built up.

Sorry for not including the cartridge and creating the confution.
 
Are the cartridges .38 Smith & Wesson? or .38 Smith & Wesson Special? There are some differences between the two which you need to be aware of....if not sure. They are not the same.

Generally speaking, you can re-use pulled bullets. Also primers, provided they are not damaged. I would recommend only loading up a small test batch to begin with, to verify that the primers are okay.

The reloads that you have(the ones you want to use for components)...do you know their composition? Load data used...especially powder type and charge. If so...you could just fire them off at the range. If safe to use in your revolver. If not....pull the bullets, dump the powder and start again.

Are the bullets jacketed, or lead? If lead...running the bullets through a suitable diameter bullet resizing die helps smooth out any rough or scuffed spots on the driving bands. Plus, returns distorted or slightly squished bullets back to round. While you're at it, check the bullet lube for deterioration. You may need to re-lube the bullets. This can also be done when running them through the resizing process. May sound more complex than it really is....but a very simple operation, with the right tools.

This always bears repeating: If unsure about anything...be sure to ask plenty of questions. There are lots of highly knowledgeable folks here, that can help. That's how we learn.
 
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Insanity Required said:
The cartridge is 38 S&W for a revolver. I have found that a lot of places do not carry it, new or once fired, with many of thoes who do being sold out. I had thought that as long as you do not damage the bullet when you pull it, then basicly all you have to do is replace the powder, and reseat the bullet. So a little cheaper than building new.

No I do not have the puller in my hands yet but it is on the way. Still gathering all the supplies.

I have NO intention of using the powder for anything but fertalizing the garden.

But from the few replys so far i am taking that it is ok even for a beginer. Basicaly when pulled down it is essentialy back to the basic component stage to be built up.

Sorry for not including the cartridge and creating the confution.
Click to expand...


Well, the fictional claim about powder fertilizing the garden is of course fiction. It's been promoted for years. I poured some into my wife's flower bed over 20 years ago and you can still see the kernels if you look for them.

As for the powder in those cases, if you know what the powder is, use it again, there's likely nothing wrong with it. If you have a container of the same powder designation on the container, blend it in. No good reason to throw it away. Those primers are likely fine as well.

38 special isn't used as much as it used to be. There was a time, when you could get a five gallon pail of once fired cases for $20, just over the value of the brass.


38 Special, Fired Brass, bags of 250, Western Munitions, BR ...www.westernmetal.ca › shooting › 38-special-fired-bras...
Western Metal Inc. is now offering used range brass, sometimes called once fired brass or used pistol brass, for sale in Canada. All of our used range brass ...
 
My buddy had a little revolver in 38 s&w. Halifax army and navy store did have some in stock last year. They are on this site or can be found by google search
 
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I do not load for handguns, so mostly is my experience is with center-fire rifle and jacketed bullets. If I get a good price, I buy someone's re-loads - often for the more expensive or somewhat obscure brass - like 308 Norma Magnum, 7x61 S&H Super or 7mm Weatherby Magnum. Seems as if the "deals" are often someone younger selling off their "GrandPa's" stuff - no clue as to what was used for loading recipe, etc. I pull them down for the components. I do not often use the primers, since usually the seller can not give me a coherent "guess" as to what they might be. If seller can tell me what the primers are that he used (as happened recently), I will use them - at least for fire-forming loads. Same with powder - have pulled 20 bullets from a box of re-loads and found two different weights of bullets and 3 different looking powders, among the 20 rounds. Might have all made sense to the guy that did it at the time, but no notes, no information, so for me is to salvage the brass, mostly. I use an RCBS collet puller - about 80 percent of the pulled jacketed bullets come out without even a mark on them. I have also used an inexpensive (at the time) RCBS kinetic puller - slower, but it works fine, until I broke it. If I can identify the bullets, I often use them in a work-up pressure series - with the Magnetospeed chronograph hanging off the muzzle end, can not really check for accuracy or groups - so just "blasting" away watching for pressure signs and logging the velocities from the incremental powder charges. Might be more or less fussing required for straight wall handgun rounds and cast lead bullets, but I do not know.

These are 30 bullets pulled from somebody's 7mm Weatherby re-loads - the big ole round nose bullet was fairly obvious, but the flat base and boat tail bullets did not look much different when loaded. I pulled them and then ran them through a cycle with stainless steel pins in my tumbler - intending to use them in pressure series work-up - 7mm of various weights.

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Not 38 special. 38 smith and wesson. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/.38_S&W

The seller got them as part of an estate sale so has no idea of powder/ load data either.

They are lead rn bullets (not sure of weight probably 145). I will be using 158 but would reuse the 145.

Western metal does sell brass 20 once fired for $10.

Thanks for the store. Not everywhere pops up on a generic google search. Factory will yield brass ( once fired) to reload. the problem is that factory is loaded to the lowest common denominator which is a 120 year old break top of questionable quality. So weak loads for a webley.

Asking questions is how you learn and there is a lot of knowledge here.
 
Your comment about "weak loads" - not sure how experienced you are, but do you need "powerful loads"? Something down from max often gives great accuracy and is easier on the machinery and the shooter - at least with rifles. If you really do need more "power", maybe look at a different cartridge - say 357 Magnum? In my case - 30-30, 308 Win, 308 Norma Mag, 300 Weatherby. I no longer see the sense in trying to make a lesser one match a "bigger" one - accurate loads for each gets me to the velocity and "power" that I think I will need, without pushing or stressing any of them. And then comes the time when the 338 Win Mag or the 9.3x62 is the preferred choice... Not always about "power"...
 
From what i have been told by a person i trust on the matter. The factory is loaded at 145 gr and 650 fps for an old and weak gun and when fired from a webley which is much stronger and designed for a 200 grain bullet doing 720ish fps, At 7m there is a 6 inch drop. By weak i just mean it is not as strong as the load the gun was designed (and zeroed) for.
 
I misunderstood - makes good sense to "match" the load to original design to get the sights to work properly. Get similar issue with some mil-surp rifles - say a M1917 with the rear ladder sight - actually hard to find "modern" 30-06 factory ammo that matches to the original military ammo for the ladder sight increments to work, although not too many shooters try to do 800 yards with iron sights any more...
 
Insanity Required: Rather than trying to acquire .38 S&W factory ammo...or pay high prices for once-fired brass... one option might be to simply reload right from the start. Starting with new brass. In which case, Starline brass is available in that caliber. As previously noted: Rusty Wood and Double Tap Sports, both retail Starline. Your choice, whatever way you go. But may be worth inquiring. Regardless whether you have enough brass for your needs, or not.
Starline is excellent brass.
Just out of curiosity, what make and model of revolver is it? Do I understand correctly that it's a Webley?
 
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I had thought that as long as you do not damage the bullet when you pull it, then basicly all you have to do is replace the powder, and reseat the bullet.

If the cases were crimped when loaded then when you pull the bullets the crimp will remain in the end of the case . In order to seat new bullets then you would have to
flare ( Bell ) the case a bit, seat the new bullet and then crimp the case again.
 
A follow-up to Rifle Dude's message: Tradex(site sponsor), also lists .38 S&W brass, on their site. $16.00 per 50 pc.

Vicious is right. Nominal bullet diameter for .38 S&W is .360"-.361". You could likely get away with using .358" bullets. Provided they were soft lead. An alternative: hollow-based wadcutter bullets. These will expand upon firing and seal the bore, to a greater degree. Any retailer that stocks Hornady bullets should be able to get these.
 
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Lead 0.358 straight wheel weights work very well in my Enfield, Webley and also my S/W victory. Only way to know is try and see if they work. Unless your barrel is worn they should work. 148 gr WC’s work very well in all three guns. Currently experimenting with loading the Lyman and RCBS 35 Remington cast bullets 205 grs in my Victory. They are showing some promise.
 
The 38 S&W cartridge is a fun little thing out of an Enfield or S&W revolver. I've shot undersize bullets in both, and they always did alright, and you can safely outdo factory ammo...which is 595 or 625 fps IIRC. I'm just going to guess that superb, top notch accuracy is not the goal here. Too bad you're not local, as I'd have 200-300 pulldowns to sell or horse trade.
 
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