38 spl primer question for beginner

[alv7722]

Next question, sorry. After some homework I did, Lighter bullet, faster burning powder?

Asking because I have some Hornady 110grain XTP and would like to use either WST or Alliant greendot that I have around... can only find data for 158grain with the WST...

Only use PUBLISHED loads. A lb. of powder is generally less than $30, not worth risking problems. Having several manuals is also a good idea. Also look on the powder manufacturers website and see it they publish a suitable load for the powder you want to use.

 

[alv7722]

d'oh. Is there a way to resize already primed,powdered and bulleted cartridges? I just picked up the python and the chamers are so tight, only half my reloads fit in smoothly. (waaay sweet revolver btw. Absolutely flawless and smooth)

I have a theory on what happened, I might have bulged them a tad on the bottom when i squeezed the crimp. some of them fit half way, others fit "almost all the way". I can get them in but need to tap the ejector lightly with a piece of wood or so to get the ejection going.

If they work in the snubby, just shoot em. Then refine your methods so not have the problem. For case length uniformity, lee makes a slick set up that checks or trims in one operation. It is about $8 for the cutter, and about the same for the gage/lock stud. You will need a 2nd gage for .357.

 

[Certaindeaf]

I've never trimmed a straight walled pistol case in my life. Don't know any that have.
I have used a Lee Loader for same though and it only really neck sizes and the way you crimp and or remove the flare is pretty iffy since you're using a hammer and all and there's no stop like there is when seating. You're just freehanding and eyeballing it.

 

[Mikej]

I've never trimmed a straight walled pistol case in my life. Don't know any that have.

Agree on straight wall cases using a simple taper crimp. But, with roll crimps, if you have a mixed batch of used brass such as .44 sp/mag, .38 sp/mag, etc having different lengths varying by, say .004" and above, the crimp will be all over the place seeing as your crimp die comes down and stops at the exact same point every time. Brass varying in length will receive varying crimps.

 

[Certaindeaf]

Agree on straight wall cases using a simple taper crimp. But, with roll crimps, if you have a mixed batch of used brass such as .44 sp/mag, .38 sp/mag, etc having different lengths varying by, say .004" and above, the crimp will be all over the place seeing as your crimp die comes down and stops at the exact same point every time. Brass varying in length will receive varying crimps.

Yea, mine are acceptable to me using the regular roll crimp die included in all three die sets.

 

[homeuser6]

imo .356 bullets in colts, .357 in s+w , .358 in taurus and ruger. some revolver chambers are tighter than others.

 

[Knebel]

So I just shot most of my reloads. They work just fine with the universal! The 6" python was very smooth to shoot! What a pleasure. No idea on accuracy because the sight was moving and I forgot the little hex wrench for the set screw...damn. The 2" snubby however didn't burn all the powder and I had powderflakes all over on occasion. I loaded up 12 Cartridges with WST. Based on some load data I found. They were bunnyfarts lol! But shot just fine, Cleaner than the ones with the universal actually. No problems ejecting. I think i keep the rest of the ones that work in the snubby and just shoot them out of it.

On the topic of reloading presses, I found a lee press with a rotating turret used, but no idea what they go for new! I'd like something thats not 300$ and I wouldn't have to change dies out like in a single stage.

Man that new Python shoots so smooth, my wife shot it and had no issue. I am really proud of her because she is real recoil sensitive and does not like muzzleblasts! But she had lots of fun with it! Surprisingly I had 0 light strikes with the Reloads, but 2 light primer strikes with factory Armscor ammo.

 

[ageingstudent]

I've never trimmed a straight walled pistol case in my life. Don't know any that have.
I have used a Lee Loader for same though and it only really neck sizes and the way you crimp and or remove the flare is pretty iffy since you're using a hammer and all and there's no stop like there is when seating. You're just freehanding and eyeballing it.

Bigger hammer bro. Try a 12 lb sledge

 

[Knebel]

Bought a Hornady die set for a press and am using the full length resizer. I took out the decapping pin, then I press the casing in with the drillpress, flip the die around and use a metal pin to press the casing back out. Now they fit flawless in the chambers!

Bless my wife, we looked at some reloading presses and she was determined to shell out $500 bucks for one for me. Already gave her some options and explained to her the workflow of a single stage vs progressive and so on.

Guess what I'm getting for my birthday this month

 

[awshoot]

... I know BullsEye is economical ...

Also, dirt is cleaner.

I second the Accurate line mentioned earlier (the numbered powders, haven't tried the named powders). Meters excellent, burns clean, load data is free: http://www.accuratepowder.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/WPHandloading-Guide-7.0-Web-REV.pdf

I will note that Ramshot Competition (one I have not used) has load data for 38 special 110 grain Hornaday XTPs, which is exactly what you have. Pretty small spread between max and minimum loads though so you have to exercise care in measuring.

 

[awshoot]

... then I press the casing in with the drillpress ...

Bless my wife, we looked at some reloading presses and she was determined to shell out $500 bucks for one for me. Already gave her some options and explained to her the workflow of a single stage vs progressive and so on.
...

You can find single stage presses in the $80 range on Amazon. Any one of them will last you the rest of your life and work better than a drill press (holy efing cow!!! ;-) *snort* )

EDIT: I admire the ingenuity, but really, your life will be so much better and your ammo so much more repeatable from batch to batch with a press, the few extra bucks will be well worth it.

 

[ron]

Did you trim your cases after sizing? Cartridges that use a roll crimp need to be uniform in length. Say, all withing .003" I prefer .002". If the brass is not uniform in length, depending on where you set the die to roll crimp, you will have crimps that are too little, too much= (folded brass) and just right depending on length of the

First cartridge I started reloading for was the 357/38 in 1978. I have NEVER trimmed a 38-357-44 case in my life. All mixed brass small variance
in case length will not affect accuracy or reliability. Started with a RCBS Rock Chucker. I have been loading on my Dillon 550 for 30 years.
I can highly recommend the Dillon 550 press. You only have to set the dies up once with the Dillon. I have separate tool heads for 357 and 38.
I use to do 100 rounds of 357 in over 3 hours on the single stage. With the Dillon I can do 100 rounds in less then 15 minutes once the
press is set up. Heavy roll crimp for magnum loads but not to the point were it folds the case mouth flat. Tapper crimp for 9 mm and 45 acp.
Load book from all major bullet and powder manufactures. Great to compare load data.

 

[Certaindeaf]

You can find single stage presses in the $80 range on Amazon. Any one of them will last you the rest of your life and work better than a drill press (holy efing cow!!! ;-) *snort* )

You can get the super bottom of the line Lee C press for $35 new so it stands to reason you could get a used one for $20.
Here it is with quick change collets..

Breech Lock Reloader Press | Lee Single Stage Reloading Press

The Breech Lock Reloader Press from Lee has a convenient integral lock collar. Instantly change dies with a twist of the wrist using this single stage press.

www.midsouthshooterssupply.com

anyhoo, it's miles better than loading pistol with the classic Lee Loader. For some rifles, mainly bolt bottlenecked, they can be great though.

 

[Flymph]

Calipers are your best friend...

 

[ron]

Calipers are your best friend...

 

[awshoot]

....
Load book from all major bullet and powder manufactures. Great to compare load data.
View attachment 656178

I second the One Book -- these run less than 10 bucks online. I was going to say it is easy to find, then tested that assumption by searching "one book/one caliber" -- not so easy! The search term you want is "loadbooks USA"

EDIT: you'll still want a real manual -- the One Books just gather load data across publications. A reloading manual gives you basic info on what to and not to do in general. Plus they have history sections on the cartridges and sometimes on firearms (so do the One Books, but only on ONE). When I think about buying a new firearm, about the second thing I do (after deciding I might be interested in X) is look in my reloading manuals about the cartridge.

 

[Dwesson]

As a Hornady progressive press owner I would second the recommendation of a Dillon, especially if you're not planning on loading a lot of different calibers.

Hornady is quite a bit cheaper setting up for a larger variety of calibers but Dillon makes better stuff from in my experience.

I have also never trimmed a 38/357/45acp cartridge.

As for Universal powder, unless you're loading it towards the top end of a listed charge I found it to be especially dirty with lots of unburnt powder. There are a lot of other more modern powders out there I think that are better for the 38/357.

Even a small single stage press is a cheap investment that should last you a long time and speed up your work flow and allowingn you to decap/resize/prime in one step.

Being anal retentive/ocd is a good mindset to have when reloading. After all a controlled explosion is going off inside a metal container close to your face. However, there's a trade off in the time/work. Another posted mention they load to different OALs for their pistols.

If you're not shooting bullseye/target that's a bit of overkill in my opinion. All my 45 acp fits in all my pistols. If I get a new projectile I may check using the old plug test, but these are getting loaded with a short enough OAL to fit all my guns. This is the benefit of not being at max charge weights or higher for a particular weight bullet.

Now if you're loading at the ragged edge already, your tolerances for loading that same bullet to a shorter oal that fits all your pistols may be dangerous.

As others have mentioned metallic reloading is a whole different ball of wax to shotgun and as you get more into it, rifle is a lot different than pistol. Even further, reloading for bolt action rifle can differ from semi-auto rifle.

Reloading is a lot of fun and you can go as far down the rabbit hole as you want.

 

[Knebel]

I load mainly for Targetplinking with my son. And now with the new Python, i really have to crank out cheap ammo lol. I'll look into the different presses you guys suggested, thank you!

 

[CLT65]

Cool. My teenage son goes through a LOT of 38 Special too, in an old S&W 66. I recently cast and powder coated 3k 125gr .38 bullets.

Progressive presses are great for cranking out huge quantities of ammo, but for starting out you don't really need to spend much. Older used equipment can be a bargain. I was in a second hand store yesterday and saw an older RCBS Rock Chucker press for $50. I was tempted to buy it, but I just got rid of my spare presses and don't need another.

 

[RVTECH]

I might have bulged them a tad on the bottom when i squeezed the crimp.

Drop what you are doing and go get a collet style Lee Factory Crimp Die.

You will never have to deal with the case length issue common to roll crimping