.38 Special/.38 Special +P same brass?

[Sideline Shooter]

Hello,

Looking for answers from seasoned reloaders. I want to buy some .38 special brass to load +P rounds. As of late, have the brass cases been the same only marked "+P" or is .38+P cases significantly thicker or last longer?

Amy particular brand in .38 special better for this application?

Thanks!

[Archon_g24]

The brass is the same. The head stamp is just for identification purposes. I use nickle brass for my +P loads regardless of headstamp.

If you want new brass, check out starline.

[rg1]

I've read that for safety ONLY new brass should be used for +P loads?

[ojisan]

Starline makes good brass.

+P brass should be the same as standard brass.
I suspect that brass from big-name factory +P loads is probably subjected to higher quality checks.

I like the nickel coated cases to help me identify my own "premium" hand loads.

[ojisan]

I've read that for safety ONLY new brass should be used for +P loads?

No, just be sure the brass is in good condition if we are talking about .38 Special.
.38 Special, even in +P loads, is not that high in pressure.
Note that the .357 Magnum is twice the pressure and uses the same cases as .38 Special, the cases are just longer.

Nickel cases do tend to split at the mouth earlier, I usually only reuse a nickel case about three times because of this.

[Sideline Shooter]

The split neck issue is what I have experienced, that is why I posted the question. I was using nickel cases also. Thanks for the replies.

[TAS]

The split neck issue is what I have experienced, that is why I posted the question. I was using nickel cases also. Thanks for the replies.

I usually use the nickel cases for identifying particular or 'special' loads but regardless of the load, the nickel cases are always likely to split before regular brass. The nickel just seems to be more brittle so I don't get as many reloads out of them, even with lighter loads.

[Bastard]

if you are buying brass - go with starline & according to their own website there is no difference in the +p brass

[hambam105]

Regarding American made +P .38 Special brass....

Some 10-15 year ago there was most definitely a huge manufacturing difference. The below issue may be dated. Currently, for all I know, maybe all 38 Special brass is made to the same specifications, maybe. The answer to that is probably a industry trade secret. But I sure can tell you why I have an opinion on this issue:

I assure you it wasn't me. In the olden days, at some revolver shooting events, Match Officials would weigh & chronograph the competitor's ammunition. Plenty of .38 Special home grown loads were regularly and intentionally assembled to exceeded current reloading maximum levels for that caliber.

A few of these alleged offenders confided in me, and about all the other competitors on the range willing to listen, that .38 Special +P marked cases could withstand the extra pressure whereas the non +P cases didn't always fair too well. Watching the range performance was proof enough for me that 158 grain bullets traveling +1,100 feet per second were being launched form .38 Special +P marked cases.

Everyone made it home in one piece and the practice of intentionally exceeding posted loads, if it continued, became a non issue. Eventually these offending competitors must have discovered the .357 Magnum case and now all is good.

Look for the related words to 'thickness' or 'webbing', maybe just one letter 'B', on case production if you require a definitive answer to you question.

I advise a healthy adherence and respect for the reloading manual's maximum pressure for the .38 Special loading and for all other calibers as well, all the time.