reloading GI .38 special brass

[rojo]

hi , I have several hundred pieces of GI .38 special brass , has anyone tried to reload this kind of brass?? :groner:
i reload the .45 Gi brass with great results, please post, rojo

[ReloaderFred]

I've been reloading GI brass in .38 Special since the mid 1960's. It's generally very good brass, with a slightly heavier wall than most commercial brass. Most don't have crimped primers, but some do.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[Poygan]

My favorite is RA64 brass that I've been using since the sixties. Great stuff - I'd love to have more! I've used some other brass - not remington as I recall- that did have tighter primer pockets and, no, they weren't crimped. The RA64 has easily outlasted any other .38 special brass I've used.

[scrapcan]

as previously stated it is good brass. Make sure to check for and/or chamfer the primer pockets and you will have good luck with it.

[rojo]

hi guys , with the brass being thicker wil it bulge when using 148 gr WC oc 158 gr bullets ??
rojo

[ReloaderFred]

You won't have any problem with 158 grain bullets, but they're not made for shoving full wadcutters into. They were originally loaded with 130 grain FMJ bullets, which aren't very long. The wadcutters will work ok, if you use solid, but Hollow Base Wadcutters can be problematic in military brass due to the longer bearing surface.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[fecmech]

I have 2k WRA 74 brass that I got when I was in the Guard. It is thicker,it does bulge but it loads and shoots fine. I did a test a few years ago using the H&G #50 wadcutter over 3.1 of Bullseye which is the most accurate load for my K-38. There was no difference in group size at 50 yds between Mil brass and WW wadcutter brass (which I also have 2 K of from the Guard). I shot 5 six shot groups off the bench with each brass and both averaged 2.5" at 50 yds. From what I've read it's not supposed to work that way but I'm not going to argue with "Professor Gun".

[Guesser]

I like the military cases. Probably WCC71/72 are my favorites. The FC58 had shallow primer pockets and I really had to smash a CCI500 to get it to clear the recoil shield of any of my 38 or 357 revolvers. It is all serviceable components and lets face it--- the price was right.
I load my HBWC in R-P commercial cases, they are about the thinnest on the market.

[Char-Gar]

I have been reloading GI 38 Special brass for many years with no problems.

[skeettx]

I DO NOT like the Canadian 38 special cases with their crimped in primers, YUK
These are the ones marked IVI

[NoDakJak]

I have been shooting a batch of RA-64 brass since late 1964. Undoubtedly the best 38 brass that I have ever used. I can't even imagine how many times they have been reloaded but they are finally succumbing to split case mouths. Mighty good brass! Neil

[nicholst55]

I never could understand why the military crimped primers in .38 Spl. The original reason they adopted the practice, according to Gen. Hatcher, was to stop primers from backing out when firing automatic weapons. Since I've yet to see a buzz-gun chambered for .38 Spl, one has to wonder about the logic behind this decision... [smilie=f:

[USSR]

I never could understand why the military crimped primers in .38 Spl. The original reason they adopted the practice, according to Gen. Hatcher, was to stop primers from backing out when firing automatic weapons. Since I've yet to see a buzz-gun chambered for .38 Spl, one has to wonder about the logic behind this decision... [smilie=f:

Old habits are hard to break.

Don

[rintinglen]

I have some WCC74, some BCC81, and some 84. The crimped stuff is a real pain and not hardly worth the effort IMHO, the other stuff is excellent. howsome ever, if the brass fairy left a fair sized mound of it under the loading bench, I'm sure it would find a home.

[skeettx]

At one time, I heard that Canada special forces had an auto in 38 special and hence the crimps
Anyone verify?

[ReloaderFred]

I don't care if it's crimped or not, since you only have to swage the primer pocket the first time you reload it. It's good, heavy brass, and it lasts a long time.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[Multigunner]

I have had a revolver tied up due to a backed out primer, a very rare condition with factory ammo but not uncommon when trying cat sneeze round ball loads.
When the cartridge is fired the unstaked primer naturally backs out, but then the case head pushes back against the recoil shield and reseats the primer cup and theres a hair of bounce back from the recoil shield coupled with very slight cylinder slap in all but the tightest fitted cylinders. If the charge is too light or otherwise under normal pressure the primer remains backed out and theres no bounce back to put the case back in its place.

Staked primers aren't a necessity for revolver cartridges ,but its a step that most manufacturers of milspec ammunition don't mind taking to please the customer.

PS
Only .38 Special chambered auto pistol I can think of is the S&W Model 52, and its a wadcutter only design. The Army Marksmanship Unit did quite a lot of load development for these pistols. Being basically a retarded blowback action, staked primers would have been a plus.

[MGySgt]

For about 20 years I didn't load anything but Mil Spec .38's. Still have them and still use them. They work great - of course my boolit of choice was the 358477.

I just found a ammo can of 71 brass. Once fired - must have put them away and forgot them.

Drew

[Larry Gibson]

I shot many a 358156 seated to 2nd crimp groove over 12.5 gr 2400 in WCC68s out of .357s. Very good load for .357s....not for use in .38s.

Larry Gibson

[rojo]

hi Guys , my first GI reload , WCC 1987 brass , time load some more rojo
:castmine::Fire:


http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/h366/rojo2011/militatbrass.jpg

[skeettx]

I have a Colt 1911 38 Special

http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/medium/MVC-010S.JPG

http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/medium/MVC-011S19.JPG

It shoot quite well
Mike

[sixshot]

The easiest way to remove the crimp from 38 special brass is to use your inside/outside deburring tool that you use on rifle necks, just a couple of twists each way is usually enough.

Dick

[sargenv]

The S&W Model 52 was a 38 spl Semi-auto wadcutter gun.. it was made to shoot ONLY wadcutters... always kind of wanted one.. I've only seen a couple of these in general use..

[Le Loup Solitaire]

I've been reloading this stuff for a long time. Its strong solid brass with the walls a bit stouter than commercial. Since I do a lot of 38 work with wadcutters, I found that sizing down .001 to .356 prevented any bulging when deep seating. This brass does function perfectly in all revolvers and an M52, gives good accuracy and lasts a long long time. LLS

[beagle]

I had one batch.....I believe it was WCC stuff that gave me fits with crimping until I trimmed it to uniform length. After that, there were no problems. The white cardboard boxes are handy to have to store loaded ammo in as well. Last time, we went to the range when I was in the Army, the ammo sergeant said they had to turn them in for some reason and I said I needed some. He came in the next day with all the cardboard boxes packed neatly in .50 cans. Corky, sometimes it's nice to be da Sargent Major ain't it./beagle