Some info on .38 SPL brass

[Dieselhorses]

I am a bit OCD with sorting by HS (in all calibers), but I have a reason. When loading brass with matching headstamps, the press 'feel' will be the same, case to case, so when something 'feels' amiss, then there is likely something wrong and it's time to check that out. When I'm loading mixed HS cases, there can be some very different 'feels' case to case, and it more difficult to 'feel' a problem.



To that question, I answer YES.

You got a good point. I had a mess of mixed brass I was de-capping/sizing and some you could feel resistance, some sized with no resistance! Same goes for priming, seating, crimping.

[Dieselhorses]

Thanks for all the input folks. In the name of accuracy, punch, dependability and just plain shooting fun, I can load 38's all day, every day!

[Follow Me]

What is the avowed purpose of sorting the brass by headstamp? There are a heaping bunch of answers to your question all of which are valid to a degree and each has a heaping bunch of adherants. As for me, my answer is yes, I would separate. But do I see any real value in doing so? No, and therefore, I reload pretty much any and all pieces of brass but at low pressure/velocity.
I only reload to plink at paper and beer cans with my grandchildren. It is a fun filled family time.
I am sure that this missive has nothing that will answer your question and/or serve to change your way of doing business. But it is my two cents worth. Have a good day
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[Dieselhorses]

What is the avowed purpose of sorting the brass by headstamp? There are a heaping bunch of answers to your question all of which are valid to a degree and each has a heaping bunch of adherants. As for me, my answer is yes, I would separate. But do I see any real value in doing so? No, and therefore, I reload pretty much any and all pieces of brass but at low pressure/velocity.
I only reload to plink at paper and beer cans with my grandchildren. It is a fun filled family time.
I am sure that this missive has nothing that will answer your question and/or serve to change your way of doing business. But it is my two cents worth. Have a good day
Follow Me

I sort brass, especially when testing. That way if something “out of the ordinary” happens, I can rule that it was or wasn’t the fault of brass. Called it “OCD” but I like to be consistent. Occasionally I will load mixed brass for plinking but not too often.


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[lightman]

If I were shooting at the National level I would sort them down to the exact head stamp or maybe even buy new brass from the same lot number. But I load most of my pistol ammo from mixed head stamps and it shoots pretty well. Probably better than I can!

[Martin Luber]

The internal profiles vary and that can roll in the base of a long hbwc. You can test with a drill bit as a pn gauge; the depth of insertion of an exact fit pin will be greater with wadcutter brass. Rem wc brass used to have two cannelure lines. WW was wadcutter, all others now vary. If using cast wc, you may get a bulge at the bullet base in some brass, if using soft hbwc, you can't tell because the base rolls in. Good luck

[MT Gianni]

If you are going to sort the smaller lots weigh them and see how they compare to the major brands. I would add what ever weighed the same to the majors.

[Bazoo]

I both sort and use mixed for pistol brass.

If I'm going to sort, I separate them out and do not include ww, ww super, or super x in the winchester brass. I can't remember the exact history now (I looked it up once), but winchester bought out the smaller companies and acquired the names. Some of that associated brass could have been made prior to winchesters acquisition. Does it matter? Probably not. Brass made in 1960 will likely be different than brass made in 1990 however. And WCC brass always feels different, harder to size and seat primers than winchester.

For plinking ammo sometimes I don't separate, but I can shoot a handgun better than most and I can tell a difference between ammo capable of 1" and 3" at 15 yards. The empty shotgun hulls can tell a difference too, they prefer mixed headstamps and inconsistent crimps.

38 special was also made with large primer pockets. I don't know if it was all makes in the beginning, or just a couple. I have only a few examples.

Most of the time I don't separate my 45 auto cases but I only expect around 4" at 25 yards.

[JBinMN]

Interesting topic & I am enjoying reading the posts. Thanks for putting the topic up!

I sort brass, especially when testing. That way if something “out of the ordinary” happens, I can rule that it was or wasn’t the fault of brass. Called it “OCD” but I like to be consistent. Occasionally I will load mixed brass for plinking but not too often.


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I think this^ is the only reason I separate by headstamp. Trying to keep as best a "constant" when testing loads. It is also the only reason I would see, in trimming handgun rounds that are not bottlenecked. except for making sure that crimping is constant as well.

If I am not mistaken, different mnfrs of cases usually have different interior volumes. Not much perhaps, but it "is" possible that it could throw off ones test results.

One of the reasons to consider why someone does this sorting ( or trimming) is to compare it to sighting for hunting & using the same mnfr shot shells, or even firearm ammo. If one changes up the mnfr from the sighting in shooting to the actual hunting shooting, there is a possibility that performance that was achieved & desired may change.

Just as one example, if one used Federal ammo to sight in & then used Remington ammo to hunt, the velocity might differ, but most importantly the POI/POI relationship may change as well.

What was in the bullseye grouping when sighted in, could be at whatever o'clock 4" or even more inches away from the bullseye when using a different mnfr ammo, making what would have likely been a kill shot if the Fed. ammo was used, now could create a wounding situation because the ammo was changed to Rem. ammo.

While the possibility of there being too much variation due to that change of ammo in handgun at short range, it might make a difference if one is shooting a handgun for hunting a longer ranges. (Example of that being a recent topic here in the forum about a member using a 41 magnum(IIRC) to shoot deer at up to 100 yards & recently shot one at 88 yards.

If it were possible to have a different POA/POI by not having the same interior volume, or perhaps a different crimp, etc., or different components used, causing the accuracy to be different, the possibility of wounding is increased if the POA/POI changes because of the ammo/components changes. If I am hunting I want a clean kill & not wounding, since the wounding not only results in taking the time to deal with the wounded game, but also the ethics I have in regard to hunting. Basically meaning, If it is not a kill shot, then I do not want to take the shot.


So, those are just a couple of reasons why I would sort headstamp( or trim) my handgun brass. Even if others think it is unnecessary... I do it to suit me & not others.


Anyway, perhaps I am over thinking to some, but at least part of the enjoyment of what I do is trying to use constants in the steps of production, as well as choice of components to achieve constants in results when I am actually shooting the ammo that I handloaded.

Hey, this is just my thoughts & opinion here on this subject, & everyone is welcome to agree or disagree with me. It should not bother me too much either way, since I like my own methods as I currently do things.


YMMV, of course.