Reloading for .38 SPL

[Supersapper]

If you are shooting with the sun behind you, it's common to be able to see the bullet in flight.

If the sun is illuminating the back of the bullet, you are also going to get chronograph problems because the sun is not shining DOWN into the chronograph well enough to make readable shadows for the sensors to catch.

Interesting. This is a Caldwell chronograph and it requires that, even during the day, the infrared lights be illuminated, despite not really being able to see the lights. Ostensibly, that is what the sensors need. I'll probably see about using the chrono at my local range after i reload a few and see if this solves the issue.

[eaglemike]

I have a bunch of .358 appropriate coated lead. Some are 158 RN, think I also have some 135 TC.
I'm in the greater San Diego area. LMK if you want to try some. I started loading .38 close to 50 years ago.
I'll front you a bit to try if you'd like
Titegroup should be fine.

[Supersapper]

I have a bunch of .358 appropriate coated lead. Some are 158 RN, think I also have some 135 TC.
I'm in the greater San Diego area. LMK if you want to try some. I started loading .38 close to 50 years ago.
I'll front you a bit to try if you'd like
Titegroup should be fine.

eaglemike,

I sent you a pm.

[stevec223]

Separate your brass by headstamp.. With your bare eye you see which casemouth is thinner than the others after sizing .. Rem brass notorious for being too thin to hold a bullet.. Try loading a few of the thicker case mouth brass and see if you get better hold?HSM makes a plated 125gr bullet with a slight cannalure that helps with a slight-moderate crimp.. Sportsman?s usually stocks HSM ,, ymmv..
Cheers ?

[Supersapper]

Separate your brass by headstamp.. With your bare eye you see which casemouth is thinner than the others after sizing .. Rem brass notorious for being too thin to hold a bullet.. Try loading a few of the thicker case mouth brass and see if you get better hold?HSM makes a plated 125gr bullet with a slight cannalure that helps with a slight-moderate crimp.. Sportsman?s usually stocks HSM ,, ymmv..
Cheers ?

Good info here...I'll try that as well. I didn't think to consider that the brass was different by dimension like that. I've just never had this issue with 9mm, so...ya learn somethin' new every day.

[mindwreck]

the box says 357 bullets. but are they dimensionally correct? What are they mic'ing out to. you need to measure and confirm them. Ive gotten bullets that were undersized before. 9mm was so undersized i place a bullet in a charged case and the bullet just fell into the case. no seating die required!

what are the dimensions of everything before sizing after sizing. its a pistol cartridge.. it doesn't have an expander. its not a rifle case. There's the flaring insert in the powder through die that bells the case mouth. It doesn't sound like your even using it, Youre saying the bullet seats fine without flaring? sounds like the size of case or bullets is really off.

[rhodesengr]

I doubt 60-70 fps is real. One way to get a very low reading with an optical chrono is like this: muzzle flash triggers the first optical plane and then the bullet triggers the second. So the time between the triggers is much longer and the chrono always assumes the fixed distance between the two detectors.

Try using a baffle in front of the chrono to keep muzzle flash off the chrono. or try increasing the distance to more like 10 feet. or get a radar based chrono like LabRadar or the new Garmin.

[robledor]

I'm even loading .38 with cast coated. 356 124 grain bullets they shoot very well at 10 yards

[Supersapper]

the box says 357 bullets. but are they dimensionally correct? What are they mic'ing out to. you need to measure and confirm them. Ive gotten bullets that were undersized before. 9mm was so undersized i place a bullet in a charged case and the bullet just fell into the case. no seating die required!

what are the dimensions of everything before sizing after sizing. its a pistol cartridge.. it doesn't have an expander. its not a rifle case. There's the flaring insert in the powder through die that bells the case mouth. It doesn't sound like your even using it, Youre saying the bullet seats fine without flaring? sounds like the size of case or bullets is really off.

I did mic a couple of random ones and they came out to .357, so I guerss I'll select a larger bunch and check them as well

[bruce381]

see if the bullets DO NOT go into the SIZED case they should NOT, if NO they do not go THEN ONLY expanded a little to get them started try that and report. If they go into a SIZED case without expanding STOP something is wrong.

[Supersapper]

see if the bullets DO NOT go into the SIZED case they should NOT, if NO they do not go THEN ONLY expanded a little to get them started try that and report. If they go into a SIZED case without expanding STOP something is wrong.

And this is my concern. The mouth of the case has not been expanded in any way, ergo...I need to figure it out. I can't just push them in, but they seat easily and I can, with small effort, pull them or twist them.

[Sig so sour of ca]

What's your measurement of the case mouth after sizing? I've had a brain fart and not sized my 38 brass and the pill will fall right in.

[Tommy Gun]

Ran into the same issue when using RMR 158s. When using name brand bullets I never had an issue. Bought a undersize die for .38/.357 and problem went away.

[Supersapper]

Ran into the same issue when using RMR 158s. When using name brand bullets I never had an issue. Bought a undersize die for .38/.357 and problem went away.

In case this turns out to be the issue, where did you get the die and will it be usable in a Hornady LnL with the locking inserts?

[Supersapper]

What's your measurement of the case mouth after sizing? I've had a brain fart and not sized my 38 brass and the pill will fall right in.

The few that I checked went to about .357, so very close to the bullet diameter. I'm hoping this doesn't turn out to be the problem, but as I read and respond to the messages here, I'm learning a bit about how this could also be an issue, especially since there are variations in the .38 bullets from different manufacturers...ie .358, .357 and I guess apparently .356.