38Special +P loads- brass?

[xsquidgator]

I have hundreds and hundreds of 'ordinary' 38 Special brass to reload, most of it Winchester white box once fired that I saved and some of it scavenged out of the range (various headstamps).

I'm new to reloading (still on my first pound of powder) and am in the process of working up my practice loads. The starting load of 4grains unique with 158gr LSWC is a nice light target load in my .357 revolvers. I could load all my 38 Specials with this and it'd be just fine for practice.

But, I feel a strange urge to explore a little and maybe try making some 38 Special +P (just use starting/max of 4.7/5.2 instead of 4.0/4.7 grains unique with the same bullet. These loads are from Speer #13)

Is an experiment like this ok? I've never bought any 38+P ammo and so I don't have any +P brass to reload. I guess I could just work my way up to 4.7grains of Unique and then keep going up to 5.2 possibly if the cases look like they are handling it. Anyone here have any advice?

 

[cdrt]

It's my understanding that there isn't any difference between regular .38 Special brass and the stuff that is marked +P.
The manufacturers headstamp the hotter stuff +P so you won't fire it in your granddaddy's circa 1910 S&W and blow it up.

Only other advice is to work up to your max loads slowly and to make sure you're shooting them out of a newer, well maintained revolver.

Navy Vet & SWIFT Boat OIC

 

[CZ57]

I agree with cdrt. The WWB brass is fine. The only time I've seen any difference in .38 Special brass was with cases that were originally loaded with Wadcutters, so you might want to take a close look at the range brass you've picked up.

S&B brass is a little different also, but because they use an FMJ bullet in some of their loads that are seated fairly shallow, the cannelure is pretty high up on the case.

 

[WildeKurt]

I usually load +P loads. I only sort out the 357 magnum brass (never load those in 38 special brass) and use the 38 special brass for my +P loads. So far so good. My favorite load so far is 5.7 grains of Unique under a 125 grain JSP.

BTW, my favorite brass for 38 special is Remington +P. More consistant than Winchester. I found a bunch already fired at the range for free too!!!!

 

[Clark]

270 Win brass is registered at 65,000 psi, and that is really a little too much for that brass in mass production going to different rifles, but ok for handloads for a specific rifle.

The 38 sp small primer rimmed brass is so much stronger than the large primer rimless 270 brass [1892 7mm Mauser case head type] that they are not in the same league.

If there were a new cartridge based on the 38 sp case head, it could be registered at much higher than 65,000 psi.

38 sp is registered with SAAMI at 17,000 psi

38 sp +P is registered at 18,500 psi with a max proof load of 26,825 psi


What does it all mean?
The 38 sp brass is plenty strong for 38sp +P, it is the revolvers that are the limiting factor.

 

[xsquidgator]

Thanks for all the experience and info! I like my light practice .38 loads a lot, but I also am going to start turning out some +P then also.