38 special RP brass

[ole farmerbuck]

I'm having trouble with the R P brass i bought a gunshow a while back. After resizing and putting a slight bell on the case, i can push the bullets in by hand. Its only the R P stuff. Are the cases that much thinner? How do i solve the problem?

Yes....i'm in the market for some 38 spec brass.

 

[Doug b]

Yep they are that much thinner RP pistol brass is fit for nothing but the recycle bin.I won't even let it in the house.

 

[ole farmerbuck]

Wow! I guess i've never had any then. I hope the ole boy from the show is happy.

 

[MMCSRET]

I save my R-P cases in 38 Special for oversized cast bullets, at least .358 dia. It seems too work all right that way. I usually shoot my own cast bullets as cast and tumble lubed, some drop as big as .360.

 

[ReloaderFred]

I load and shoot several thousand .38's a year, as does my wife (but I do her loading). I have no problem whatsoever with Remington brass, other than it tends to split a little sooner than some of the other brands.

Check your sizing die to make sure it's sizing the brass enough, and then measure your expander plug to make sure it's not expanding it too much.

I have several .38 sizing dies, and some do a better job than others. My favorite is the Lyman Carbide die that I bought in 1970, since it sizes farther down the wall of the case than any of my others.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[ole farmerbuck]

I tried winchester,cbc and one other brand. The bullets were tight in all of them. I noticed these cases were all deprimed for some reason. I've loaded lots of 38's and 357's and have never had this sort of trouble. I know with the 40, the rem brass is loose on the expander too.

 

[Randy1911]

If you are looking for brass, try www.starlinebrass.com IMHO I think they make the best brass. I have a1000 rounds of it in 38 and some other calibers. I like it a lot.

 

[Doug b]

Fred what does farther down the case wall have to do with case mouth tension?

 

[ThomasT]

What bullets are you using? I have had a bit of trouble with Berrys being a little loose. They use a minimum sizer so they are small.

Also if your expander is too big the bullets will be loose. I only shoot lead bullets in my 38s so I don't have any problems with loose bullets.

One other thing you can do is order a Lee decapping die and do that step first. Then use the sizing die to resize the brass without the expander ball. Next use a Lee universal belling die to bell the cases. That should solve your problem.

Measure youe expander first. You can reduce the size just a little by spinning it in a drill motor or drill press and use a file or emory cloth wrapped around a file.

I personally prefer Remington brass and have never had any problems.

One last thing. How many times has the brass been reloaded? I bet you don't know the answer. After a while all brass becomes worn and looses its ability to spring back. You may have bought some ones worn out brass.

 

[Mal H]

'Fraid I have the same complaint about R-P handgun brass as several others here. It has always been a bit thinner and therefore looser when the bullet is inserted. Like MMCSRET, I only use R-P brass with cast bullets, never with jacketed. No complaints at all with their rifle brass.

ole farmerbuck - you didn't say which bullet you're using ...

 

[ReloaderFred]

Doug B,

The sizer going farther down the case wall really doesn't have much to do with neck tension, but does affect how the rounds chamber. I'm using mine mostly for Cowboy Action Shooting, so they have to chamber through the rifles really fast and smoothly. It just works out that the old Lyman I use is also the die that sizes the brass down the most, and allows all bullets, jacketed and lead, to be held in place firmly. The fact that it has less flare at the die opening is an added bonus.

My .38 shooting isn't limited to SASS, but that's where any problems would show up in the loads. When you put 10 rounds in a tubular magazine, there is tremendous pressure on the bullets, and any that aren't held tightly in place will collapse, and tie up the rifle, which blows the stage.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[Doug b]

Fred your lucky indeed one out of several dies you have will do a better job than others of resizing thin RP pistol brass.I stand by my post RP is fit for nothing but the recycle bin.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I've been using the same 1,500 pieces of Remington .38 Special brass for over 4 years now without a problem. I saved them from factory ammo I personally shot.

Since you said you bought them at a gun show and can't know it's history, it's possible, and even probable the brass is damaged. I prefer Federal and Winchester brass but like I said above, the same 1,500 cases have been in service for over 4 years and they are all still going strong. Before you condemn all Remington brass I would suggest shooting a new box and reload the brass you know to be once fired.

 

[Doug b]

Randy1911 nailed it reach for the stars www.starlinebrass.com

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I find Federal and Winchester handgun brass to be better than Starline. (although Starline isn't bad at all)

 

[Doug b]

Same here Archangel I like win.then fed.in that order.


But I think starline is thicker

 

[MMCSRET]

I also have several hundred Rem-Umc 38 cases, same thing, thin but very useable.

 

[ole farmerbuck]

I called Hornady and while talking to guy, i measured the case after resizing then measured the bullet. The cases are too thin. Might work with cast bullets? These are JHP's.

 

[Walkalong]

If your sizer is on the large side of OK, Remington brass will cause problems. A tighter sizer will cure that.

An undersized die will cure it for sure, but they are backordered at EGW, like so many things these days.

 

[ole farmerbuck]

I think my brass is .373 or .374. I only have 200 of the RP so its not worth getting a new die.

 

[ole farmerbuck]

I called EGW and Nate said that one of their undersized dies is not what i'm needing. He agreed that i should try cast bullets. hmmm

 

[Doug b]

Farmerbuck I tried the cast bullet thing with some Rem. 45 auto rim casings and got exactly one more reload before the cast bullets could be upset by pushing them against the reload bench.

 

[Steve C]

i can push the bullets in by hand. Its only the R P stuff. Are the cases that much thinner? How do i solve the problem?

Doesn't matter with revolver cartridges if they're tight due to case tension or not. Just roll crimp in the crimping groove and they'll stay in place. I've have lots of Remington brass in .32 S&W Long, 9mm, .45, .41, .38, .357 that I've loaded, many times over many years and have no problems with jacketed or lead bullet rounds, their accuracy, or bullets pulling under recoil.

The trouble you are alluding to is no trouble at all. You are imagining problems when no problems exist and it sound's like you haven't even shot any of the rounds yet.

 

[pwrtool45]

The trouble you are alluding to is no trouble at all. You are imagining problems when no problems exist and it sound's like you haven't even shot any of the rounds yet.

Depends.

If you shoot IDPA and use Safariland speedloaders, then you have to brace the bullets against something (either your palm or the loading block) to lock the plastic star in the "ready" position. I've had it be an issue, and I've had bullets push down in the case requiring me to unload that speedloader and pitch that round. (Or, I suppose, separate it, bring it back, pull the bullet and make a special trip through the 550 to recharge and reseat the primed brass...which is a bother.)

I've had issues with R-P headstamped brass, a bunch of it came from factory ammo I bought over the course of some time (so it wasn't worn out when I got it or just from one lot) and I've had the same issues as people in this thread. Honestly, I've just always thought I got several hundred pieces of loose brass. (Over the course of years... What are the chances?)

Personally, I treat all my .38 loads in R-P brass with kid gloves. Generally, I just load and make ready with an HKS loader and put the R-P loads in there. Hardly ideal, and one more thing to think about during a match, but eh, I've got a fair bit of R-P brass. Can't hardly just pitch it.

 

[ole farmerbuck]

The trouble you are alluding to is no trouble at all. You are imagining problems when no problems exist and it sound's like you haven't even shot any of the rounds yet.

Of course i havent shot any yet. I didnt know if they would be safe!