Revolver reload question before I go to the range.

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ANATION

ANATION

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Ok so I loaded my first ever 38 Special Revolver rounds, been reloading for years but only bottleneck rifle. At any rate, the reloaded rounds are tight in the chamber. They don't fall in like factory rounds. I don't have to force them in, but I have to gently push them in. They extract with a little difficulty but do come out. COL is based on similar factory loads. I guess I'm asking if this is a common problem or one I should try to correct with different hand loading practices? Did I not crimp enough and am getting a bulge? Doesn't look like it but I know there are guys on here, maybe a few gals(?), who have a lot of experience with pistol reloading. And generally I trust the advice that I'm given from the board. Only loaded a handful. Should I try to fire these or not? Load is light but I don't want a stuck cylinder. All and any help is appreciated.
 
The marker test may help you identify where you are hanging up. If your over crimping you should be able to see a bulge with a caliper and a flashlight. Put the bullet into the jaws long ways and the rim hanging out near the tips. Put a flashlight behind the caliper and you will see where the high spot or spots are. Then you will know where to focus your trouble shooting.
 
Too much crimp can cause a small bulge at the case mouth that makes chambering the round difficult.

Too little crimp and you may not be removing the case mouth expansion.

Or, you are expanding the case mouth too much such that the crimp cannot remove enough of the flaring. I expand the mouth enough so that the bullet just sits inside the inner rim of the case. If you are using lead bullets, you may want to chamfer the inside of the case mouth to reduce the case shaving lead from the bullet.

Re-size a case or two but do not expand the mouth and see if you have similar chambering issues. This may indicate that your die is not in spec.

At one time, I had a 357 mag sizing die that left a little bulge at the base of the case and they would chamber with difficulty. I doubt this would be an issue with 38 Special pressure levels but I include it for informational purposes.

I hope these ideas help.
 
Did you follow manual for COAL for selected bullet? Check sized case dims against SAAMI. Roll or taper crimped? Is thr "bell" completely removed?
 
cfullgraf said:
Too much crimp can cause a small bulge at the case mouth that makes chambering the round difficult.

Too little crimp and you may not be removing the case mouth expansion.

Or, you are expanding the case mouth too much such that the crimp cannot remove enough of the flaring. I expand the mouth enough so that the bullet just sits inside the inner rim of the case. If you are using lead bullets, you may want to chamfer the inside of the case mouth to reduce the case shaving lead from the bullet.

Re-size a case or two but do not expand the mouth and see if you have similar chambering issues. This may indicate that your die is not in spec.

At one time, I had a 357 mag sizing die that left a little bulge at the base of the case and they would chamber with difficulty. I doubt this would be an issue with 38 Special pressure levels but I include it for informational purposes.

I hope these ideas help.
Click to expand...
Eureka!! My problem was too little crimp. Should of went to bed two hours ago but when something is getting my goat I can’t sleep. Went back and adjusted for a tad heavier crimp and they fit like a glove.
 
Sorry to be late to the parade...

• 38Special gets its name from the brass case being a dimension of 0.380". Any part of the brass that exceeds that dimension will not chamber. Having a caliper makes it easy to find the offending location.

• I've previously had issues with 148gr DEWC that seat very deeply into the case. With some brands of brass (mainly PPU) the bullets, upon seating, will expand the brass amidships. Wanted to warn you about that. The only solution I've found is to cull out the suspect brands.

jI3nbYC.jpg


38 is more fun that a barrel of monkeys. Have fun.
.
 
Glad you found it.
Now are you crimping enough?
What kind of bullet are you using?

Lead - you want the edge of the case to turn in. Roll crimp.

Plated - just a taper crimp. Just enough to return the flare to pre-flare dimensions.

Jacketed or Semi-jacketed - here's where you probably want a tighter roll crimp - tighter than the roll crimp for lead.

Hope this helps.
 
OAL for revolver rounds are only important if the bullet sticks out the front of the cylinder. Whenever there is a fit problem, measure. For revolver rounds measure the diameter in a few places along the case to make sure there are no bulges. The location of the bulge can also help diagnose when the bulge occurs (bulged from large bullet diameter, bulged lower from over crimping)...
 
So I went to the range and fired my first ever handgun loads. The gun didn’t blow up, that’s the first win, and they were moderately accurate. Any accuracy issues, however, rest more with me than the load or gun as this is my first revolver.
 
ANATION said:
So I went to the range and fired my first ever handgun loads. The gun didn’t blow up, that’s the first win, and they were moderately accurate. Any accuracy issues, however, rest more with me than the load or gun as this is my first revolver.
Click to expand...
All fingers and toes still present is a very good result after shooting your first reloads! Congrates, keep going, be safe!
 
ANATION said:
So I went to the range and fired my first ever handgun loads. The gun didn’t blow up, that’s the first win, and they were moderately accurate. Any accuracy issues, however, rest more with me than the load or gun as this is my first revolver.
Click to expand...
Welcome to THR and your new addiction! Glad you found your crimp problem. You may want to get a cartridge gauge that can check these, but of course, your revolvers chamber also does a good job as your found out.
I remember trying my first reloads, and, accuracy wasn’t the first thought, it was a “pray the gun holds together”!
 
First time things can make a lot of people nervous;)
After the first time it's easier:D

Been a while but I remember the first one, I think I might have closed my eyes...
 
The only negative to all of this is my old RCBS partner press that I've been reloading on for years will have to be retired in favor of a progressive press. Loading 15 to 20 rifle rounds at a time is ok on a single stage, but now that I'm reloading for pistol, high volume, I will need to upgrade. (I guess I don't have to upgrade but it will save me valuable time.)
 
ANATION said:
The only negative to all of this is my old RCBS partner press that I've been reloading on for years will have to be retired in favor of a progressive press. Loading 15 to 20 rifle rounds at a time is ok on a single stage, but now that I'm reloading for pistol, high volume, I will need to upgrade. (I guess I don't have to upgrade but it will save me valuable time.)
Click to expand...

My Dillon progressives churn out most of my revolver loads these days, but my Partner press still sees its share of use. When I just want a few dozen of something "to try" it is too much hastle to go through all the adjustments on the big presses...
 
.38 Special said:
I held the gun in left (useless) hand and turned my head away. That really was the only sensible thing I did during my early handloading career!
Click to expand...

Lol. Oddly enough I was more worried about some light 38 special loads. It really is a weird psychology because I've never flinched, not literally speaking of course, loading any of my rifle calibers. And that includes pushing my 264 Win Mags to high levels.
 
Back in the day I had a similar problem, with the “plunk text” I wasn’t quite resizing all the way. Couple of adjustments job done mate...congratulations

Thewelshm
 
One other thing can cause a case bulge or deformation... seating and crimping jacketed bullets in one step. I found this out the hard way when I started getting case bulges and bending with some XTPs. Now I always do jacketed in two steps
 
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