Help with Reloading .38 Special

[Hagler]

Good people,

While I wait for affordable Large Pistol primers, for my .44 Magnum reloading endeavor, I am going to crank out some .38 Specials.

What I have is:

[*]Cast Lead Round Nose bullets, 158 grains, sized to .357
[*]Hodgdon HP-38 powder
[*]CCI Small Pistol primers
[*]Winchester Small Pistol Magnum primers
[*]Remington #1&1/2 Small Pistol Primers
[*]A bunch of empty, fired cases that need preparing
[*]50 prepared cases, that someone else primed, with unknown primers

The data, that I got from Hdgdon's Web site, is this:

.38 Special

Bullet weight: 158 GR. CAST LSWC

Sized to: .358

Powder: HP-38 

Starting load: 3.1 Grains

Maximum Load: 3.7 Grains 

I would use these in my .38 Special revolvers (S&W Model 12; Charter Arms Police Bulldog; Taurus Model 80; all from the 1970s), and my EMF/Rossi Model 92.

My questions:

[*]Can I use the Hodgdon data, with my components?
[*]Should I use the already-primed cases?
[*]Which primers should I prime my cases with?

Thanks,
Shawn

[Hobie]

HP-38 is a Hodgdon powder, why would you NOT use their data?

[Chuck 100 yd]

I would load a few and try them. You may or may not get leading with bullets sized to .357.
You will have to try them and see. I would start with the starting load of HP38 and new primers of the type specified in the load manual.
Though you will likely find out the primed cases are ok, I would poke them out and replace them with a known primer.
Have fun!

[Hagler]

Hobie,

It is not a question of using the manufacturer's data, but rather wheather my components are sufficient for Hodgdon's data. I base this on an abundence of caution, and the fact that my components are not exactly like those that Hodgdon specifies. Remember, I am new to reloading. I want to keep all of my parts, and not damage my property.

Shawn

[MrMurphy]

Step one: Remove finger from trigger.
Step two: Operate cylinder latch
Step three: Open cylinder with off hand and depress ejector rod
Step four: Tilt gun vertically to dump empties out
Step five: Tilt gun forward and with your shooting hand, load fresh cartridges into the cylinder
Step six: Close cylinder ensuring it locks




Not what I think you're talking about though.....

[AJMD429]

Remember, I am new to reloading. I want to keep all of my parts, and not damage my property.

VERY GOOD PHILOSOPHY...!!!!

I can't think of a 38 Special load that I'd be afraid to fire in a Rossi 92 rifle as long as the powder and bullet were reasonable, regardless of primer, so as far as the already-primed cases, I'd just load them up using your other components and published data.

Don't know if that helps, but at least that's what I'd do about the "already primed cases" part of the question.

[TedH]

If it were me, I'd go ahead and load the already primed cases with the starting load of 3.1 gr. of HP38. With the smaller diameter (357") bullet, even if for some reason those are small pistol magnum primers, you will not be pushing the pressure limit. Load a few and try 'em. Good chance you could get some lead fouling with that diameter. Would be better to have .358-.359" bullets, but you never know till you try.

[Hagler]

Thanks, everybody.

I loaded all 24 of the primed cases. I took my time, and inspected each case. I double-checked my scale, using the 158 grain bullets to test calibration. I rechecked some of my charges, too. I am set up with 3, single-stage presses, and I work batches of the cases at each press. When I am done with one operation, I take the finished batch to the next press. 3.1 grains of HP-38 is a very, very small quantity of powder! Tomorrow, I might put on some goggles, and prime some cases. I will use the Lee Auto-Prime.

Thanks, again,
Shawn

[Tycer]

Shawn, slug your barrels and PM me the numbers or send me the slugs if you don't have calipers. .357" is pretty small and might cause leading which is a pita and is to be avoided. I'll cast you up some fatter ones and get them to you. Say hi to your bride for us.

[Griff]

What they said, Shawn. If you want... use the .357 bullets as trade fodder for some .358s

[Pete44ru]

It is not a question of using the manufacturer's data, but rather wheather my components are sufficient for Hodgdon's data. I base this on an abundence of caution, and the fact that my components are not exactly like those that Hodgdon specifies. Remember, I am new to reloading. I want to keep all of my parts, and not damage my property.

Shawn

Shawn, given your gunz, IMHO it'd be almost impossible to damage them by any load that could be stuffed into a .38 Special case , unless it was with an improper powder - which is a non-starter, given the powder you have.

The only real caveat I have is to fahgettabout using the magnum primers in the .38 Special.

I would additionally caution you to visually check the powder level in the cases before seating boolits, to ensure the levels in any given batch are equal - i.e., no under or over loads.
I do that via placing the charged cases into a loading block before boolit seating, whichmakes the inspection easier.





.

[Blaine]

My only thought is to load so the rifle won't lead.....

[AJMD429]

3.1 grains of HP-38 is a very, very small quantity of powder!

I have a RCBS 'Rockchucker' for my single-stage stuff (mostly for rarely-used cartridges or military-brass pocket swaging, or other 'special' tasks), a Lee 'Hand Press' (mostly for de-priming while I'm watching a movie - the only 'mindless' reloading task I'll do when distracted), and two presses for actual 'reloading' - a Dillon RL550 - which I use only for 'mass produced' loads like a few handgun ones and 223 rifle, and a Lee 4-hole 'Classic Turret' which I use for MOST reloading, as it can be used essentially as a 'single-stage' OR as an 'almost progressive'. As for powder measures, the Dillon is hard to set (Unique-Tek micrometer bar helps), but is part of the tradeoff for the way-faster production speed of the Dillon once you get it going; but for the Lee Turret, I either use the Lee 'Auto-Disk Pro' (way better than the lesser AutoDisk), or if the charges are small (22 Hornet, etc.), I use my Harrell's powder measure.

The Harrell's is a good investment, for when you want to be really, really POSITIVE that your charge is accurate.

Here's a bit about the Harrell measure - > Link = Harrell's Powder Measure

[Hagler]

Alright, everybody, I am still taking in all of your advice.

Tycer, I will slug my rifle's bore, and get back to you. I have been nursing allergies, today, and I try to slug the bore tomorrow.

Thanks, again,
Shawn

[piller]

Just my 2 cents worth, but the use of a reloading block to compare powder levels it a very good idea when using small amounts of powder. I am a little bit slow with reloading because I check the first 25 powder throws, and then every 5th one until done. The only thing I have ever had any question about is shotgun shells due to the way they are loaded. In some larger loads where there is several grains difference in the starting load and the max load, it is not such a necessity. In loads where the maximum and minimum are so close I am a little bit over cautious.

[Hagler]

Alright,

I slugged my .357 Magnum Rossi 92's bore. Man, is it tight!

Here is slug #1:

Slug measurement caliper.jpg

Here is slug #2:

Slug 2 measurement caliper.jpg

Here are the two slugs, showing the lands & grooves:

Slug lands & grooves.jpg

Shawn

[Hagler]

...here is my portable reloading bench, a Black & Decker Workmate:

Reloading press arangement 950.jpg

Yes, I have a relaoding block. I normally put the scale on a countertop, and I use a folding TV table for some of the smaller stuff.

Shawn

[Tycer]

So if I'm seeing that correctly it's a heavy 0.358". I'll size you some 0.360" and send them.

[Hagler]

Tycer,

I am seeing 0.3359375". Rounded up, that is .336". Someone, please, correct me, if I am wrong. My precision measuring is very rusty.

Shawn

[44-40 Willy]

My 1892 that was built by Rossi slugged .355

[Hagler]

I am sorry, I just rechecked my slugs. I must have rotated them, until I was not measuring the largest diameter. I am, now, reading a largest diameter of .359375". That makes more sense.

Shawn

[Mescalero]

What are you using to measure with that measures 6 places?

[Hagler]

Mescalero,

I am using my cheap, Harbor Freight Vernier caliper. Here is what I am doing:

The gross, 1-inch-scale measurement is 5/16" ("zero" line just past the 5/16 line):

Slug measurement 5 sixteenths.jpg

The fine, 1/128" measurement is 4/128" (the "4" line, on the top scale, lines up with the 9/16 line, on the inch-scale):

Slug measurement 4 onethentieights.jpg

To get a decimal result, this is what I do:

5 divided by 16= .3125"
4 divided by 128= .03125"

Take those numbers, and here is what I get:

.3125 + .03125= .34375"

Shawn

[Mescalero]

OK

[Chuck 100 yd]

Kind of a hard way to go about it but it seems you can trust the first three decimal places to be reasonable. You are assuming that the scale is accurate of course. I trust my Starrett to give me an accurate reading to 1 1/1.0000 (tenth of a thou.) but have no need to measure to 1 / 100000 "

That sounds like a proper sized bullet to be firing from a .38 /.357 gun for sure.

[Tycer]

Well I was not reading the vernier correctly. Those are mm on the bottom and you have your bullets turned wrong. Confirmation bias strikes again. Must fix.

[Tycer]

Shawn, check this out: http://www.stefanelli.eng.br/en/en-vern ... -inch.html

Gotta love the interwebs.

[Mescalero]

My reloading calipers are Etalon 0-.100 dial caliper.