The Great Reloading Cost Rationalizer
on 02/20/2009 at 01:34 PM
Excellent Article on Available Defense Loads for .38 Special +P.
http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/38%20Snub%20Ammo%20Test.htm
I wish I could get powder for only $19 a pound. The last lot I bought (8lbs) worked out at around $35 US a pound. Interesting article, though the illustration of the primers caused me some concern. The centre primer appears to have some “flow” the other primers look like there was insufficent pressure. Though I am comparing them with rifle primers so i could be way of base. Loading for handguns strikes me as a bit tricky with all these puny charges. 5gr is just a sniff of powder. No doubt you need to keep your wits about you when loading.
No, it is hardly any powder at all. You put more pepper than that on your eggs.
Even the +P version of the venerable .38 Spl runs at very low pressure - any distortion of the primers you see is from the cases recoiling backwards in the cylinder. Simply no way you can blow out a primer in a .38 from excess pressure. The gun would break first. Which would be a very bad thing!!
Reloading does require you to fully focus. Some people find it utterly boring. With me, using a progressive press, it’s a complicated enough operation to be interesting, and requires enough focus that it nearly causes a Zen-like trance while you play Ammo Factory. Very good for the head; you put all your troubles and worries in a box and leave them there while doing the job.
Pick up new case in right hand.
Pick up bullet in left hand.
Check inside case for cleaning media. Check outside case for loose primer.
Snap case into shell holder plate in Station #1.
Grab operating handle with right hand.
Hold bullet over charged case in Station #3. Hold it straight, and touching the flared case mouth.
While pulling operating handle down, look down to see if new primer is in feeder and is in right side up. Pull handle further. Get fingers out of the way when the seating die captures the bullet. Listen to hear the “pop” as the old primer is ejected.
Notice level of powder in powder hopper. Notice level of primers in primer tube.
All at the same time, feel the resizing take place, feel the bullet seating take place, watch to make sure the powder measure bar slides over all the way.
Push operating handle up. Watch powder bar snap back and dump powder into primed case in Station #2.
Push operating handle to end of upstroke and lean on it a bit. Feel new primer seat fully.
Release handle. Check for proper crimp at Station #4. Check for proper case belling at Station #2. Check for presence of powder too [not really necessary, and all but impossible with tiny charges. You have to trust the powder measure, but it never lets you down] Advance shell plate one notch, listening for satisfying clunk as a new round falls into the output hopper. If you advance the shell plate too fast you can bounce powder out of the charged case. [If you advance it too slow the ejected finished round won’t have the momentum to jump over to the output chute, and will fall on the floor. Learn to do it at the proper speed.]
Watch primer cup charging pin spring actuate to load the next primer into the primer cup.
[this whole paragraph takes about 2-6 seconds]
Repeat.See? Not at all boring. 25 or more tasks to complete in a couple seconds. But every time you pull the handle you get another new cartridge.
Try that with .454 Webley.. I save each and every casing like it was gold. I even
scrounge lead too..Bill
Finding brass for the .455 Webley can be a bit of a challenge. And it will never be cheap! Bertram makes it once in a while.
Hornady makes it, and Graf & Sons has it: $29.99 / 100
https://www.grafs.com/product/211518Huntington’s also usually has it in stock. Price unknown.
http://www.huntingtonsports.com/reloading.htmlShooter’s Choice also stocks Bertram brass. Pricey stuff.
http://www.shooterschoice.com/bertram/bertrammain.htmfor your sake I hope your Webley is one of the later models, Mk V or Mk VI. Or for crazy collector appeal, the Webley Fosbery automatic revolver - the famous pistol from The Maltese Falcon.
She’s a well cared for Mk.VI, and I have a Mk.V as my backup. fun to shoot, and makes impressive holes in things.
I just ordered 500 brass for it, and am getting the lead sorted, and the powder measured
up for an entertaining day of reloading.. this with my 500 rounds of ammo I have now should be a good stockpile. Fortunately, I have my pair of .45 Colt 1911s as my main
armament, as well as many many rounds of ammo and a few dozen magazines. I like to shoot
With this many brass, I can actually take them out and throw a few dozens through it, instead of my usual 10 before I go play with the twins…
btw, I would kill for a Webley Fosbery.. only 4750 built, I can only wish and drool.
Bill
What I need is 9x23 brass. I’ve got a sh*tpot of .45 for my Commander, but I dearly love my 5” 9x23. .357 Magnum Auto! I’ve finally “shot the gun in” to where it is perfectly reliable in .38 Super. (Believe me, I asked around a lot on the web about the viability of that alternate chambering idea.) It is deemed safe by a whole bunch of old-timers who’ve been doing it for years. I have a new gun, so the stress level is well under the safe limit. Hell, the Corbon ammo I buy as Super proper is hotter than the 9x23 from Winchester. And I really like the thicker case for pressure containment. 9+1 in my 1911 is better than 5-6 in a wheelgun, IMHO.
Wife bought me a Lee Progressive a few years back, and the whole progressive concept is wonderful. Speeds stuff up SO much, once you get the rythm.Oh, and Bill. I’ve got a brother who dearly LOVES those top breaks as well.
02/20/2009 at 11:33 PM
