.38 Special Troubles

[Edward429451]

I loaded some 158g LSWC's with 3.0g Bullseye. The SWC's come from a LEE mould that I was given recently and have never loaded before. It was Lee mould #C358-158SWC which is a gascheck design.

They wont chamber in about four different guns, in fact, none that were tried. They hang up on the top end on the brass. Now the brass is bulged bigger where the bullet sits cause their reloads and the sizing die brings the brass down to smaller than factory specs, then the bullet being seated slightly bulges the brass as the bullet is seated. A telltale line midway down the brass where the base of the bullet extends to in the case is visible and is a common phenomenon with reloads. It happens most of the time with my .44 reloads even those with GC's and has never been a problem. The other kind of 38's I load are the 148g LWC from a Lyman mould and these bullets never give a problem chambering.

I think it's the GC. I used the same .357 sizing die as I use on the wadcutters and the only variable is the GC. The brass mikes out at .380 to .380.5 all the way down the length of the bullet inside the case. Lyman says .379, OK, their too fat. I did not overly bell the casemouth and certainly not that far into the case. Roll crimp looks good. The bullets and GC's are .357.

I've loaded alot of 38/357 and never had any problem, 44 ditto. New style bullet (for me) and a GC design too...Almost has to be it. But the slugs and checks mike out ok at .357???

 

[LAH]

About the only thing it could be is either the bell isn't removed and is causing the problem or perhaps the front driving band or some part of the bullet is touching the cylinder throat.

 

[DamnedDirtyApe]

A Lee Factory Crimping Die for under 20 bucks will fix you right up!

 

[Edward429451]

I thought of that and the front driving band is .357 so should slip right in.

My bell didn't go as deep as the bullet and the finished cartridge was .380 from top of case to bottom of bullet in case. Indicates to me that the bell is gone or would be even fatter up at the case mouth. I didn't taper crimp, shouldn't be needed for a revolver round anyway. Roll crimped.

I can understand a single model of gun maybe not liking a particular bullet style but this was 4 different guns in (IIRC) 3 different brands!

 

[Edward429451]

A Lee Factory Crimping Die for under 20 bucks will fix you right up!

Sure would beat pitching the mould. It's a nice bullet.

 

[stans]

I'm thinking the gas check may be the problem. The bullet may be long enough that the gas check is being located where the brass gets thicker as it leads into the case head. Gas checked bullets are usually not required for 38 Special, they are more suited for 357 Magnum.

 

[LAH]

FYI We load 38's using 158 gr. RNFP and 170 gr. Keith bullets both sized .358. The outside case measurement, except for the area just forward the rim, is .377.

 

[Edward429451]

I'm gonna have to try the LEE FC die since it's the cheapest most reasonanble thing to try. It is a longish bullet so you may have something there considering length of brass vs the .357 brass. Maybe I'll try seating a few into .357 brass and see if the results are the same.

Do you think I'd have a decent chance at accuracy if I loaded some without GC's? (in 38's)

LAH, your 38's are without GC's or with?

Tanks.

 

[lvl1trauma]

I know this sound like a stupid question but you put the gas check on before you crimped, didn't you? Some gas checks are press on. Others are not. All need to go thru the sizer.

Lvl1trauma

 

[LAH]

The 2 bullets mentioned are plain base bullets. We offer two gas checked bullets, the L-358156 and RCBS 38-158-SWC. Neither present the problem of which you speak.

 

[Edward429451]

I always prefit GC's onto bullet bases and they all went through the sizer.

I seated some more of these bullets into 38 & 357 brass last evening, with & without GC's.
With GC's in 357 brass...Final case dimension was .377
Without GC's in 38 brass....377
With GC's in different brands of 38 brass....380 every time.

So stans nailed it. It was the GC's, or more accurately, they're .357 bullets.

Mystery solved. All thats left now is try a handfull without GC's in 38 to see if by some freak chance they shoot ok since I have no .357

Thanks for the flashlight you guys!

 

[stans]

So stans nailed it. It was the GC's, or more accurately, they're .357 bullets.

Even a blind squirrel occasionally finds an acorn!


In 38 Special, you really don't have to use cast lead bullets. As long as velocity does not exceed about 850 to 900 feet per second, swaged lead works well, sometimes even better than cast. This is because cast bullets really need a good amount of pressure to upset the base and seal the bore. Swaged lead, being much softer, needs less pressure to seal the bore.

 

[swifter]

For cheap & easy, try this:

Remove decap stem from sizer, put a dab of lube on the round, run back thru resizer. Should chamber.

Downside: The bullet and case will compress slightly, the brass will spring back, lead will not. This may affect accuracy. The Lee FCD does the same thing, which is why I don't use 'em

Tom

 

[Edward429451]

At this point I think the easiest cheapest thing to do is to forgo the Lee FCD and just load them bullets in .357. No scrunching, crunching or mis application! Is what I'll do.

Cept for at least a test or two without GC's in 38