Petrol & Powder
Well-Known Member
You're a lucky man !
38 Spec. Brass
- Thread starter Ben
- Start date
JonB
Halcyon member
There is nothing more satisfying than coming across a thousand or two, gently used 38 spl cases.
a couple months ago, I seen 3 bags of 1K each, at the St. Paul gunshow. They were priced at pre-covid prices, I snagged the two bags of brass colored and left the one bag of Nickel cases, I'm still kicking myself for leaving the nickel behind.
a couple months ago, I seen 3 bags of 1K each, at the St. Paul gunshow. They were priced at pre-covid prices, I snagged the two bags of brass colored and left the one bag of Nickel cases, I'm still kicking myself for leaving the nickel behind.
I feel like I should order some 38 Special brass. 1k new, shiny Starline cases would be a beautiful thing.
My priorities for the next brass purchase will have to be 357 Mag, 44 Special and 30-30. I only have 200 222 cases, but like the 38 Special, they seem to last forever.
Last 38 Special brass I bought was 19 years ago at a show, when another seller offered me a huge bag (1k+) of dirty, mixed and well-used 38 cases for $2! You could see brass through most of the nickel cases.
No one else would buy it! I am still using it and have not thrown a single case out to date, Granted, I don't shoot that much these days, but I DO have to toss the occasional 357 case for a split mouth, so the 38 stuff holds up. I remember when ordering up 500 or 1k cases was like putting gas in the car. Used to buy a minimum of 500 for any new rifle - as I didn't want to be sitting on too many cases if I decided I didn't like the rifle.
@Ben isn't "lucky" so much as on the ball. I'm slipping in that department, with things getting harder to find - which is the WRONG time to slip.
My priorities for the next brass purchase will have to be 357 Mag, 44 Special and 30-30. I only have 200 222 cases, but like the 38 Special, they seem to last forever.
Last 38 Special brass I bought was 19 years ago at a show, when another seller offered me a huge bag (1k+) of dirty, mixed and well-used 38 cases for $2! You could see brass through most of the nickel cases.
No one else would buy it! I am still using it and have not thrown a single case out to date, Granted, I don't shoot that much these days, but I DO have to toss the occasional 357 case for a split mouth, so the 38 stuff holds up. I remember when ordering up 500 or 1k cases was like putting gas in the car. Used to buy a minimum of 500 for any new rifle - as I didn't want to be sitting on too many cases if I decided I didn't like the rifle.
@Ben isn't "lucky" so much as on the ball. I'm slipping in that department, with things getting harder to find - which is the WRONG time to slip.
Brother_Love
Well-Known Member
Ben’s thread got me to thinking about getting more 38 brass. I went out to shop this morning to inventory. I found 3k of 38 I forgot I had, it’s about 3 yrs old. I also found nearly 2k 30/30 and 1500 ‘06. Saved me some $$$$.
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CZ93X62
Official forum enigma
Nickel-plated brass made up most of what I tossed out. It started life as Winchester factory ammo loaded with 110 grain JHP bullets, which was Coin Of The Realm at my old office in 38 Special from 1977 until about 2010, when the State stopped buying it as part of the Group Buy LE Ammo Contract. When that nickel plating starts to chip off, it can play hell with steel die surfaces. The remaining nickel-plated brass I have in 357 Magnum will be getting shot up and discarded for the same reason--chipping and age of the brass. Some of it is as old as the 38 Special I scrapped.
The point of nickel plating? Gun leather chems and gun solvent elements react with the copper in cartridge brass and creates green nasties on said brass; nickel plating largely prevents that phenomenon, and that green gick in excess can affect cartridge chambering.
The point of nickel plating? Gun leather chems and gun solvent elements react with the copper in cartridge brass and creates green nasties on said brass; nickel plating largely prevents that phenomenon, and that green gick in excess can affect cartridge chambering.
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Rick H
Well-Known Member
Before all the latest silliness with components I purchased 1000 once fired military 38 special cases. All brass, all W/W. They are a bit heavier than civilian and I had to deprime and swage the pockets of the military crimp, but from all appearances they are pretty nice cases.....worth the few bucks.
I still have a quite a few nickeled 38 sp. +P cases but they are getting a bit tired.
I still have a quite a few nickeled 38 sp. +P cases but they are getting a bit tired.
L Ross
Well-Known Member
I have some of the military head stamped cases. Seating bullets in them is much firmer. I fear they swage down the bullet but I have not done any actual measurements. I just sort of segregate them when I run across them and have not needed to reload them lately.
I bought a 1,000 military 38 Spec. about 30 yrs. ago for $12 per K .
Still have about 800 of them.
There is a definite taper inside the case walls on my batch.
Shooting a 110 gr. - 125 gr. bullet works OK.
148 gr. Wadcutters usually won't chamber.
There is a noticeable bulge on the outside of the case.
Ben
Still have about 800 of them.
There is a definite taper inside the case walls on my batch.
Shooting a 110 gr. - 125 gr. bullet works OK.
148 gr. Wadcutters usually won't chamber.
There is a noticeable bulge on the outside of the case.
Ben
CZ93X62
Official forum enigma
A lot of that military 38 Special brass was loaded with 130 grain FMJ/RN bullets, and those don't sit very deeply into the case. Those bullets aren't going anywhere, either--they are sealed against Armageddon V.2.0 at case mouth and primer annulus.
In 2010 when our 38 Special ammo changed to the Rem 125 grain JHP +P, deputies bought a lot of the 130 grain FMJ for training ammo in their J-frames and found that it printed pretty close to where the war shots hit out to 25 yards and did a good imitation of the recoil impulse.
In 2010 when our 38 Special ammo changed to the Rem 125 grain JHP +P, deputies bought a lot of the 130 grain FMJ for training ammo in their J-frames and found that it printed pretty close to where the war shots hit out to 25 yards and did a good imitation of the recoil impulse.
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358156 hp
At large, whereabouts unknown.
Practically at 38 Colt velocities.
FrankCVA42
Active Member
Recently my old plastic shelving had the supports starting to buckle due to the weight of the "stuff" being stored on them. Bottom had one box 5.56 once fired cases, one box of LC once fired 7.62 Nato and one box of LC 30-06. Will be getting some heavy,steel shelving to replace the plastic junk. Frank
Matt_G
Curmudgeon in training
This thread reminded me that I got 3 plastic 5 quart ice cream pails full of brass from my FIL's reloading stuff after he passed.
One of them was R-P nickel plated 38 Special +P and another was Federal nickel plated 38 Special +P.
Went thru those two pails today and the R-P stuff looks pretty darn good.
Definitely keeping that stuff.
My pin gauges say it is even straight walled from the mouth down to about .650 from the mouth.
Good for wadcutters.
Unfortunately the Federal stuff is very old and worn out.
A lot of it looks sorta like brass, the plating is so worn.
Also, I was finding cases with the beginnings of splits in the walls of the cases.
Looks like this stuff needs to go to the range next time I go and be dumped in the scrap brass drum.
Still though, looks like I got close to a 1000 cases that I can use.
I'll set it aside and use it if I need it.
I have a bunch of Starline I'll use first.
After work this week I'll start on the pail of 357 Magnum.
One of them was R-P nickel plated 38 Special +P and another was Federal nickel plated 38 Special +P.
Went thru those two pails today and the R-P stuff looks pretty darn good.
Definitely keeping that stuff.
My pin gauges say it is even straight walled from the mouth down to about .650 from the mouth.
Good for wadcutters.
Unfortunately the Federal stuff is very old and worn out.
A lot of it looks sorta like brass, the plating is so worn.
Also, I was finding cases with the beginnings of splits in the walls of the cases.
Looks like this stuff needs to go to the range next time I go and be dumped in the scrap brass drum.
Still though, looks like I got close to a 1000 cases that I can use.
I'll set it aside and use it if I need it.
I have a bunch of Starline I'll use first.
After work this week I'll start on the pail of 357 Magnum.
