38 special loads for my S&W model 64

[Jniedbalski]

I have loaded a lot of 38's for my S&w model 64 4 in police Trade in gun. I have been using range brass,my once fired brass and other acquired brass. What I have found is a huge difference in neck tension between brands.I started loading horandy 125 gr 357 dia xtp's using my lee speed die. Most where good seating the bullet. A few 4 or 5 out of a hundred cases where extremely tight and a few just slid in with no effort felt. I could hand push the bullet all the way in. I know I need to sort my brass but is brass thickness that much different between brands. I ordered noe's sizing pins to fit in my lee universal flaring die. They really helps using my cast boolits mostly lee molds unsized. With the noe sizing flaring pins some are really easy in and out of the die and some are very tight. It seems the wad cutter brass is the thinist even with noe's biggest expander I use for wadcutter boolits 356/360 expander button. The wad cutter brass is the easiest to expand feals like it not even going in and out and some brass it feels really hard. Most of the cases have good neck tension but some are real loose what's up. Iam guessing it is varing case thickness.

[ikarus1]

I also load .38 SPL for a Model 64, and pistol case neck tension has never been an issue. I run all my loaded pistol rds thru an FCD and that does the trick

[johniv]

Never been an issue with .38's loaded with Bullseye or other fast powder. 357's on the other hand , when loaded with 2400 or suchlike, benefit from a tight case and crimp. Not to say that mixing your cases is a good thing, as I think bullet pull should be consistent , for best accuracy.

[psweigle]

Check your bullets, I've noticed as of late that the Hornady bullets run on the small side. I can say in all honesty that for 38 special, I haven't noticed any difference with cast boolits between case manufacturers.

[shooting on a shoestring]

Brass hardness varies. I think that is a bigger deal than wall thickness for controlling neck tension.

Either instance of hardness or thickness, sort your loads by how the boolits seats. Have a pile for hard to seat, another pile for easy to seat, and the big pile that seat like they should. Shoot them keeping track of the groups from each pile. You'll probably see some discernible difference. If not, then just shoot and not worry about it.

[Jniedbalski]

The R-P where the cases that the bullet slid in with no effert. Only a few cases so no big deal.only a few where very tight and I did seperate them. Most of the cases are good. But separating might help my groups a little. I have a very few wadcutter brass wish I could find or get more