Titan ReloadingLee PrecisionRotoMetals2Inline Fabrication
RepackboxLoad DataReloading EverythingMidSouth Shooters Supply
Wideners
Results 1 to 12 of 12

Thread: Help identifying a headstamp

  1. #1
    Boolit Master



    mac60's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    Alabama Gulf Coast
    Posts
    1,042

    Help identifying a headstamp

    The brass in question is .38 S&W. The h/s reads; FMI ASSOC - no other markings. The brass also has large primer pockets. Anybody know who made these?
    So many guns, so little time
    _____________________________

    You must pay for everything in this life - nothing is free, except for the grace of God.

    "Free cheese only comes in a mousetrap"

  2. #2
    Boolit Grand Master

    Join Date
    Jun 2013
    Location
    NW GA
    Posts
    7,243
    I usually use this website to ID headstamps

    http://www.cartridgecollectors.org/headstampcodes

    But I did not see yours listed

  3. #3
    Boolit Master



    mac60's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    Alabama Gulf Coast
    Posts
    1,042
    I appreciate it doc - I've already looked there. The fact that the cases have LP primer pockets - together with the h/s has me curious.
    So many guns, so little time
    _____________________________

    You must pay for everything in this life - nothing is free, except for the grace of God.

    "Free cheese only comes in a mousetrap"

  4. #4
    Banned
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    ohio
    Posts
    569
    Cowboy action fast draw competition ammo , uses a large primer and a wax bullet . No powder .

    No idea who made it , but I've seen the head stamp on the fast draw ammo before .

  5. #5
    Boolit Master



    mac60's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    Alabama Gulf Coast
    Posts
    1,042
    Thank you very much redneck1! So - I'm assuming it was never meant to be fired with a conventional bullet. Any comments on whether it would be safe or not to load and fire this brass with a conventional bullet?
    So many guns, so little time
    _____________________________

    You must pay for everything in this life - nothing is free, except for the grace of God.

    "Free cheese only comes in a mousetrap"

  6. #6
    Boolit Grand Master

    Join Date
    Jun 2013
    Location
    NW GA
    Posts
    7,243
    Why bother if there is any question? It’s just not worth it.

  7. #7
    Boolit Master



    mac60's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    Alabama Gulf Coast
    Posts
    1,042
    Doc, I just paid good money for them - had the seller told me exactly what I was buying I'd have looked elsewhere. Anyway, I sectioned a .38 spl. federal h/s case and 1 of the .38 s&w cases in question. The .38 s&w case is thicker in the web area than the .38 spl. case. A #46 (.081") drill bit was a tight slip fit in the flash hole of both cases. Every dimension in a cartridge drawing was a close match for those on a case I measured. I'm not seeing anything here to tell me that it wouldn't be safe to load them.
    So many guns, so little time
    _____________________________

    You must pay for everything in this life - nothing is free, except for the grace of God.

    "Free cheese only comes in a mousetrap"

  8. #8
    Banned
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    ohio
    Posts
    569
    You'll have to adjust your loads accordingly for the large primer and what might be a slightly reduced case capacity .

    If you have a quantity of them it might just be easier to see if you can find a cowboy action shooter who might want them to load practice ammo .

  9. #9
    Moderator Emeritus


    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    SW Montana
    Posts
    12,452
    At one time if you bought 10 K brass you could have it imprinted whatever you wanted.
    [The Montana Gianni] Front sight and squeeze

  10. #10
    Boolit Grand Master

    Join Date
    Jun 2013
    Location
    NW GA
    Posts
    7,243
    Understood on the purchase. As with anything, work up your load. Let us know how it all works out.

  11. #11
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Indian trail NC
    Posts
    784
    that would be fun thinking about what to stamp them with (mt)

  12. #12
    Boolit Buddy Brokenbear's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
    Location
    SE Mo
    Posts
    209
    Well this is really out in left field but seems like once upon a time there was such a thing as a very heavy duty munition powered nail/anchor gun but I have no idea caliber or any other info ..just a grey memory ...but it could explain the "industrial" type name on the case head????
    Bear

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check