plastic cased .38 Special

[kBob]

In the way back a friend tried to get me interested in a system that used reloadable plastic .38 Special Cases. They had a metal base like the German 7.62 Nato Blanks and plastic training ammo that had the rim and primer pocket and used a bullet that had a recessed tail ( like .22LR) that snapped into the case and something of a truncated cone nose. Reloading was literally by hand with a small tool like a one of the squarish non handled grip excercisors.

Anyone familiar with them?

Anyone have experience with them?

Anyone STILL using them?

-kBob

 

[Reloadron]

Haven't seen them in decades. The ones I recall were primer charged only using a plastic bullet. Problem was after several uses the bullets got real loose and primers wanted to fall out of the primer pockets. Speer still makes a version. Not quite what I remember but ....

Ron

 

[kBob]

reloadron,

Not what I meant. I have .38 and .44 Speer plastic training ammo. I used it a bit with students before "real" ammo. Honestly I like wax bullets in regular cases with an enlarged flash hole better for accuracy, but the Speer are easier to deal with. The Speer just rattle down the bore on top of the rifling.

This was a cartridge that launched a 150-160 grain bullet at your basic 850 fps service load velocity in .38 Special. I actually assembled and shot a few rounds then reloaded them and shot them again. I believe this was in the late 1970's. Once the cases got groddy from multiple reloads one put them in a delicates bag and ran them through the washer......just before the divorce I am thinking.

Biggest issue I saw was the need for a special bullet available only from the manufacturer of the set. As far as I know no one ever offered a bullet casting mold for such a bullet though it would not have been hard.

Supposedly the case life of the plastic shells was begillions of reloads.

-kBob

 

[Reloadron]

Hopefully someone else has a thought?

Ron

 

[ReloaderFred]

I remember them, but haven't seen them in decades. I used to have about half a box, but gave them to a cartridge collector quite awhile ago. They did take a heeled bullet, and I've also never seen a mold for them.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[Garrobo]

I remember them

back in the 70's I think. I could never decide why anyone would have a use for them. I heard that they had plastic bullets and that you could shoot them point blank at a block wall and not worry about them coming back I wouldn't do that on a bet.

 

[entropy]

Only version I remember is the Speer. I had a set. Fun in the basement in the winter.

 

[ReloaderFred]

These were full power .38's, shooting real jacketed bullets. The bases were brass and the case walls were plastic.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[Cbob]

scroll down a bit on this page:

http://www.oldammo.com/february10.htm

 

[Saw-Bones]

Cbob - I collect unusual ammo, so thanks for the link and the lead…..Doc

 

[horsemen61]

I have 10 of those bullets here somewhere another forum member gave them to me we had no idea what they went to but looking at the link i see what they go to now so thanks everybody

 

[Mad Chemist]

This company is doing something similar.
http://kineticammo.com/

Not personally interested but thought I'd share.

 

[GooseGestapo]

I remember them.
They were a little pricey for components. Not particularly accurate, and cases only lasted for 5-10 loadings. To resize, you boiled the aluminum/nylon case to restore it. I have a couple of rounds stashed/stored somewhere.

It just didn't get traction. Something like a Ronco version of reloading ammo. Too proprietary.
Berry bullets remind me of them, only with a nub on base to hold them in the case. Only truncated flat nose were ever available in my area. Not bad idea, but poorly marketed.