.38 Special
Member
- Joined
- Sep 15, 2006
- Messages
- 7,398
Yeah, but don't drop one in the empties bag. They are heck to find.
Oh, I don't know. Run 'em all through the decapping die and you'll have 'em sorted right out.
Yeah, but don't drop one in the empties bag. They are heck to find.
With regard to a combination decapper/trimmer, I've never heard of one. I've never looked, though, because not only do I not trim revolver brass, I don't decap as a separate step either. When loading in volume, I tumble the empties in corncob for a couple of hours, which gets them clean enough so as not to damage dies. Then I simply run them through the Dillon progressive, with lubed hollow base bullets and 2.7 grains of Bullseye dropped from the standard Dillon measure, and give them a mild roll crimp with the Dillon die.
Without exactly meaning to stomp on any toes, we're making this all seem quite a bit more complicated, for a new fellow, than we need to. If I was in shoes I'd be considering a different hobby by now.
you old timers got any range reports?Well, you know with Titegroup, you really need to spread it out on a clean piece of paper and measure each kernel with a caliper.
I'll let the other fellows tell you which kind of caliper you need - and what brand of paper.
you old timers got any range reports?
fare enough!!!Oh, none of has actually been shooting in years. We're much too busy arguing online!
When I was shooting revolver in IDPA, I was loading for myself and my partner and I trimmed a lot of cases for our competition loadsJust for what it's worth, I rarely trim .38 Special, even for competition - primarily because I was loading in batches of 1000 and there's just no way...
You're confusing reloading for handgun and reloading for rifles. Trimming .38Spl cases is a once-n-done thing.I wouldn't mind trimming every couple of loads...but man, I don't wanna do it every time.
You're also over thinking trimming .38Spl cases. All you need is the Lyman E-Zee Trim Handgun Set (<$45), chuck the trimmer in a drill press (or hand drill, I guess), place a case in the holder and start trimming.I've been looking at the Dillon RT1500.
In IDPA revolver class, what gun did you shoot?When I was shooting revolver in IDPA, I was loading for myself and my partner and I trimmed a lot of cases for our competition loads
Each year I trimmer ~2000 once fired W-W .38Spl cases for sanctioned matches, which I had to leave on the range as these were "Loss Brass" matches. Good thing I started with a bunch of once fired cases from my PPC days
When I was shooting revolver in IDPA, I was loading for myself and my partner and I trimmed a lot of cases for our competition loads
Each year I trimmer ~2000 once fired W-W .38Spl cases for sanctioned matches, which I had to leave on the range as these were "Loss Brass" matches. Good thing I started with a bunch of once fired cases from my PPC days
S&W M-686 or M-625 depending on my mood and my dexterity that seasonIn IDPA revolver class, what gun did you shoot?
The stage crew splits the brass for their efforts running that stage during the match...plus stages go a lot faster when folks are picking up brass. Make a big difference when you're shooting 12 stages in a day...it's only about 20 cases per stage; < 250 for the matchI never was involved in any of those lost brass matches. Would have been too offended.
I quit shooting uncoated/unplated bullets when I started having to do all my shooting indoors. Bare lead/lube bullets really smoke up a room, when the range is full I don’t make many friends leaving a lingering cloud after every cylinder full.
Wow, .38 + 750 = 4 pages in a day and a half. Glad my kids taught me common core math!
There is something special about .38 special, especially if it’s nickel plated! Complete with a leather bandolier.
My .02 - lots of good powders for your application have been mentioned, my tightest groups with my 686 have been with Titegroup powder and pretty much any bullet. Just be conscientious as a double/triple charge isn’t advised. It does burn really hot but meters very well in a Dillon. I’ve also found Clays, WST and N320 work very well with lighter target loads if you happen to see them on the shelf. I had great loads with IMR Target and Red, but they discontinued them.
Bayou Bullets sells a 138gr BNWC that I really like. Good luck and hope to hear how it goes.
If I were loading wadcutters, which I'm not, I'd get the longer powder funnel so as not to resize the wadcutter body was it is forced deeper into the case than other bullets...but that's only based on a feeling and physics; it might not make any difference at all.
The "Wadctter Seat Stem" you've linked is really designed to optimize loading SWC bullets. It "can also be used" to load WC bullets. So can the stem in the Dillon Seating die...you just have to reverse it in the body.
The biggest help to getting your WC bullets started straight in the case would be an expander with the Lyman M-profile to create a "seat" at the case mouth to hold the base of the bullet in place...especially between press stations