.38 Special unknown load wadcutters in .357 Magnum revolver

doubleh said:

There is a pretty good number of HP jacketed bullets and primed brass to be had if I weren't so lazy.

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How does one tell what primers are in those reloads?
I tried an experiment with 2400 and small pistol and small pistol magnums, The same load of 2400 with magnum primers showed signs of over pressure while the standard primed shot just fine.
During a primer drought back in the 1990s I played with the idea of loading small rifle primers for 357MAG ammo, but thought better and did not. Small rifle primers are the same dimensionally as small pistol.

The lead will destroy itself pulling it apart with pliers. Get a hammer style kinetic puller.

Definitely NOT factory.
Use a kinetic puller.

orpington said:

IF I was to fire these in a .357 Magnum revolver, is there ANY conceivable load in .38 Special that could damage a .357 Magnum revolver?

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That answer is yes there is. If I had a registered magnum I would not be inclined to take any chance with it. As to shooting reloads, that is a somewhat harder question for me to answer. The most common thought seems to be to never shoot someone else's reloads. I suppose that is the most safe strategy. I have however purchased many rounds of ammo from small single person reloading shops, licensed to produce it. I have 50 years of reloading my own, and have not had a single issue with a round. I have 1,000 + rounds of .45 acp my late brother reloaded. I have been firing these through my Taurus 24/7 without issue. All three scenarios may increase my risk over major factory loads. So far, so good up to this point. I however will not fire loadings of unknown origin. In the OP's case a handful may not be enough to worry about either way as you knew the background of the loader. Their value however are not enough to take a chance on. I would pull them, replace powder with a known charge and type , then re-assemble to shoot. My 2 cents worth.

Kinetic pullers are about $20. Put an earplugs in the bottom and nothing will happen to your bullets (they won't likely be damaged based on their profile anyway). Load like any other case.

I have both. You need the correct size collet for the caliber in question (one size will handle all the 9mm-class diameters, another would be used for .45 and so on). The kinetic puller grabs the rim of the case. They usually come with everything needed to pull all common calibers.

The collet puller is typically more useful when dealing with large quantities and jacketed bullets, although I have had success using them with plated and lead. It will leave a ring/indentation on the bullet.

I take the die out of my single stage press and run the loaded round up through the hole, grab the bullet with a pair of side cutters and jerk the press handle back to lower the bullet. It always works for me, just toss the bullet in the melt pot to repour.

If you trust the man's reloading, fine. The one time I broke my rule of 'don't fire others' reloads, it was .38 wadcutters my son got from his boss. I figured, "How can you screw up .38 wadcutters?"
I had a squib load stop half in the cylinder and half in the barrel of a snub. Fortunately, I have a small 'squib rod' in my range bag. It was the first time I had to use it on one of my guns, it'd come in hand for others many times. I had to pound the wadcutter back down in far enough to open the action. I'm glad I had some of my reloads with also, so I could continue shooting. I've never had a squib load on my own loads, because I don't use a powder drop, (Lee dippers) and I visually verify (you pharmacists out there will know what I mean) the powder level each time before setting the bullet on top to seat. I also fill one, (Verify fill level) and immediately seat, not fill 50, then seat. Too easy to mess up.

entropy said:

If you trust the man's reloading, fine. The one time I broke my rule of 'don't fire others' reloads, it was .38 wadcutters my son got from his boss. I figured, "How can you screw up .38 wadcutters?"
I had a squib load stop half in the cylinder and half in the barrel of a snub. Fortunately, I have a small 'squib rod' in my range bag. It was the first time I had to use it on one of my guns, it'd come in hand for others many times. I had to pound the wadcutter back down in far enough to open the action. I'm glad I had some of my reloads with also, so I could continue shooting. I've never had a squib load on my own loads, because I don't use a powder drop, (Lee dippers) and I visually verify (you pharmacists out there will know what I mean) the powder level each time before setting the bullet on top to seat. I also fill one, (Verify fill level) and immediately seat, not fill 50, then seat. Too easy to mess up.

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We must be related.

I'm not a pharmacist - never played one on TV and I didn't stay in a Holiday Inn Express, ever - but that's how I was taught to hand load and I never veered from that path. My FiL is one of those who uses a progressive press, bullet factory thingy, and has had several squibs, a couple of overloads, in my presence, who knows how many he won't admit to, but insists churning out thousands of rounds at a sitting has never been problem. Sometimes, doing your own thing and bucking the herd is the right thing.

I'm not one either- sometimes I have to work in the pharmacy at work. Basically I cashier, and fill the supplies like bottles and caps. But I've become familiar with the process they use.

And I agree with you 100% on progressives. For those who like them, great. I like doing it my way.

.38 cases may not be long enough to allow a good grab on the bullet using the press.
I always use a fender washer to avoid damaging the threads in the press.

Another way to pull the bullet is to drill a hole and run a wood screw into it, then use a pair of pliers or wire stripper in the press to pull the bullet. For close range use they’re still reloadable for short range. If mangled to bad, I recast them...

I have an impact type puller, comes with a small and large shell holder, I put a foam earplug in the bottom so when the bullet comes loose it does not damage it. hammer onto a piece of wood, not cement to save the hammer. pour out the powder into a little dish so you can reuse it if you feel the need or you want to weigh it (I dont reuse if I don't know what powder it is).

As for loading, I don't shoot others reloads, I one time bought some reloads at a gun show, 50 rounds of 45 colt, and found several cracked cases, and very inconsistent shooting some felt heavy, some felt light, that was before I started reloading - never again I only shoot factory or my own reloads now.

I drop 10 or 20 charges and weigh each one until they are consistent = or - .1 for hand guns (I don't typically load at the top of the range for pistol); I pour each charge back in the powder flask for that first 10 or 20, then when I am consistent (= or - .1) and ready to load, I drop a charge in my pan, weigh the charge as a second check (zero the scale for an empty pan so you get powder weight), pour the charge in the case (funnel on a powder through die), look in the case to verify the charge went in the case, put a bullet on it, seat it, crimp it, one round done.

And yes, that is equal to or -.1 if I am for some reason heavy, I pour it back in and drop another charge.

I do this on a turret press one cartridge at a time. with practice you can get fairly quick this way, and you never find yourself in a position where you don't remember did I size, did I put powder in, etc, if I ever find myself in doubt of where I am I stop, and take bullets apart.

Slower than a progressive, but, knock on wood, I have not had any issues to date - I like my fingers and hands and eyes.

Dave

orpington said:

I was given a handful of .38 Special rounds, wadcutters,,nickel case, originated from the estate of a former gunsmith friend who recently passed. He was meticulous about reloading, so if his reloads, probably not a concern, but there is no proof these were not with an old gun he took in on trade. Would likely be at least 27 years old as he gave up the business in or about 1994.

IF I was to fire these in a .357 Magnum revolver, is there ANY conceivable load in .38 Special that could damage a .357 Magnum revolver? I would be firing in a Registered Magnum, shipped July 1937, as it’s the only .357 Magnum or .38 Special revolver I own.

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Pull one apart see if you can identify the powder weigh the charge & BULLET both if you can’t identify powder you can always shoot one to get a feel of what your dealing with...38 special is supposed to be 18k psi
357 mag is upwards of 35k psi not even close to same
If your still worried pull all the bullets reload them with your charge

orpington said:

Well, that’s what I was essentially asking when I created this thread. Can I without a shadow of doubt fire this in the .357 Magnum and have zero concern with regards to pressure? Many others said no. You seem to think it’s probably okay???

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I would not fire that ammo in any of my guns. Without knowing the powder or charge you are playing Russian roulette.

Shooting them is a bad idea all around. If it were me, the only thing I would consider shooting them through is my contender. If it were to blow the it likely would just blow the top out of the barrel, but anything else would be a hand grenade. Not any revolver, especially not a collectible one.

orpington said:

Well, that’s what I was essentially asking when I created this thread. Can I without a shadow of doubt fire this in the .357 Magnum and have zero concern with regards to pressure? Many others said no. You seem to think it’s probably okay???

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I’m saying PULL ONE APPART. 1st then analyze all the information
Find out what is inside? If you or your buddies can not identify the powder the do not move to step 2...
the reason i said SUPPOSED to be 18k is because many people myself included load specific loads in 38 special brass that will only be shot in 357 mag guns ....so if it’s20- 21 or 22k we are still fine in 357 guns
Information is king .....learn 1st regret less later.

I shoot only my own reloads...not my sons', nor their friends....Nada, no-one's but mine. It is relatively easy to make a catastrophic mistake while reloading...a moment's inattention and you're setting up a life changing accident. Hence my commitment to ONLY my own reloads.

Pulling them apart for the primed case and jacketed bullet is fine if you want to invest the time. But pulling apart a round loaded with a lead alloy bullet is far more difficult with an impact tool. More than a half-dozen and you'll soon tire of the effort. And as for attempting to identify the powder...short of a microscopic/chemical lab analysis, you're guessing, with all that that implies as to pressure/safety et. al.

My suggestion is to break them down if possible, or dispose of them in a safe manner. I'd never shoot them under any circumstances.

Be safe...don't shoot them.....Rod

On the plus side all of the reclaimed powder makes great fertilizer (nitrogen).