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Originally posted by Spotteddog:
The Blazer +P stuff I actually found to "feel" more harsh, than the genuine article R&W FBI loads? So, that likely means if your trying to duplicate the recoil of the B/B's, that would be the critter to do it with?

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As others have noted, the POI differences between 158 loads at the distances described will be small (about an inch or less) which allows you to shop price.

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As to the primers characteristics when detonated? If not installed, they react like a small projectile themselves. With flight direction being the opposite the web is pointing. A loud bang if in an enclosed area, with about a 4-5 inch diameter flash.
(Don't tell anyone, I used to use them as a "reactive" target for air rifles)

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If installed in a cartridge, .38's with a 6 inch barrel will produce about 4-5 inches of muzzle flash, but weakly after having that distance to combust. In 40+ years of reloading I have NEVER had a primer detonate during any phase of a reloading operation, EVER. It's something to easily feel phobic about. But if it was common, the big 3 ammo makers and hundreds of smaller operations, would have become smoking holes a century ago? Not to mention the primer manufacturers themselves?

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Originally posted by BobK:
I like to buy only one type of ammo, in any caliber, for the guns that I own. I use one cartridge for everything. I use CCI Mini-Mag or Winchester Super X in all my .22's. My .38 spls. are WWB Personal protection. I have Remington JSP, or Win. JHP, 158 gr. +P .357ammo for my M-66. I am very satisfied with these brands, and see no rewason to change.

I get all my ammo at WALMART, for the better prices. Bob

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Originally posted by chief38:
Unfortunately, to practice enough to be really confident you either have to be very well off or load your own. The price of factory stuff is really getting out of hand, especially in the last 10 months!

My suggestion is to take the plunge and get a Dillon progressive press. Yea, you will have to lay out some bucks, but it will last a lifetime, and I have always found that Dillon stands behind their products 100%. You should be able to load up the 38 specials for less than $5.00 a box of 50. AND you have the option to load them for the specific purpose you are going to use them for.

I have loaded tens of thousands of rounds and have never had a primer pop off, even if it went into the cartridge case backwards! I always do the same as Erich does and wear a pair of safety glasses just in case.

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Originally posted by Stophel:
Years and years ago, back when I had no sense I had some primers laying on the workbench where my grinder is. Well, I was grinding on something, and one of the primers vibrated off the table and/or hit something and went off. POW. Scared the crap out of me, but I made sure there weren't any more primers laying around after that.

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Originally posted by Forester:
Drake,
I just recently started reloading. Still in the process of collecting all the data and accessories needed and wanted. I can understand your concerns. To put it embarrassingly blunt, I was nervous to start as well. Not so much worried about primers going off prematurely, although I am cautious when working with them. More I was nervous that it was too much information to learn, etc. Components, equipment, recipes, weights, powders, etc. Seemed overwhelming.

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Well, all I can think of now is reloading. When the workday is done, I get to reload. When the daughter goes to bed, I get to reload. At night I get to read up on reloading. You get the picture. I am sure it is a newbie infatuation thing but there you go.

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The best part is when you drop the hammer on your first reload. Talk about nervous! Every bad thing that could happen flashes before your eyes. Then BOOM and you are hooked! Like Erich mentioned, with reloading you get to not have to switch back and forth between carry and practice loads, although you certainly can.

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Originally posted by user:
What I did when faced with a similar problem is look at the manufacturer's ballistics tables. I used the 50 yard statistics for my carry load as my criterion for matching up a practice round. Make sure the point at which the theoretical sights are zeroed for creating the table is the same as what you're comparing it with, some assume the muzzle is zero, and some assume it's at 25 or 50 yards. So like if it says the bullet is off by -0.9 at 50 yards, with zero at 25, that means that you have to add or subtract your comparison data so that it is also zeroed at 25 yards before the fifty yard data is meaningful. The weight of the bullet and kinetic energy delivered are also important in getting used to the "feel" of the round you'll be carrying, because those are positively correlated to factors such as perceived recoil, muzzle flash, and noise.

The bullet shape and style does make a difference. There's a "ballistic coefficient" that reflects how efficiently the bullet flies through the air (or put another way, the degree to which the bullet is affected by friction caused by the air passing around it as it flies). So wadcutters will probably be more accurate than hollowpoints, and round nosed FMJ's will be more accurate than wadcutters. For practice, I don't worry about it, and use FMJ's, mainly, and run a box of the usual carry rounds through the gun just to sort of check myself. (That's also a good way to make sure I don't rely on cartridges that have been damaged by too much handling in loading and unloading, 'cause I'm religious about keeping firearms locked & unloaded when they're not right with me.)

Btw, the Blazer aluminum cased .357 round is designed to have a similar ballistic coefficient to a "duty" round, as its shape simulates that of a jacketed hollow point bullet.

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Originally posted by Drake:

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Originally posted by user:
What I did when faced with a similar problem is look at the manufacturer's ballistics tables. I used the 50 yard statistics for my carry load as my criterion for matching up a practice round. Make sure the point at which the theoretical sights are zeroed for creating the table is the same as what you're comparing it with, some assume the muzzle is zero, and some assume it's at 25 or 50 yards. So like if it says the bullet is off by -0.9 at 50 yards, with zero at 25, that means that you have to add or subtract your comparison data so that it is also zeroed at 25 yards before the fifty yard data is meaningful. The weight of the bullet and kinetic energy delivered are also important in getting used to the "feel" of the round you'll be carrying, because those are positively correlated to factors such as perceived recoil, muzzle flash, and noise.

The bullet shape and style does make a difference. There's a "ballistic coefficient" that reflects how efficiently the bullet flies through the air (or put another way, the degree to which the bullet is affected by friction caused by the air passing around it as it flies). So wadcutters will probably be more accurate than hollowpoints, and round nosed FMJ's will be more accurate than wadcutters. For practice, I don't worry about it, and use FMJ's, mainly, and run a box of the usual carry rounds through the gun just to sort of check myself. (That's also a good way to make sure I don't rely on cartridges that have been damaged by too much handling in loading and unloading, 'cause I'm religious about keeping firearms locked & unloaded when they're not right with me.)

Btw, the Blazer aluminum cased .357 round is designed to have a similar ballistic coefficient to a "duty" round, as its shape simulates that of a jacketed hollow point bullet.

Hi again user. Like I said I still haven't decided if I will load my own, and some of what you said up there is a little above my head. But I do understand what you're saying re ballistic coefficient. I'm using FMJ 230 gr Blazer Brass in the .45 auto for range work. It used to be my carry load. It's real cheap at the local Walmart and although some have had a few problems with it, it's been pretty good to me so far... touch wood. I'm trying to find some FMJ 158 gr for range work for the Model 66-3 and the up coming J-frame but both Walmart stores carry lighter weights. I just don't feel right about the lighter weight bullet so I'll keep looking. I do have a link to some and will probably do that. My .38 Special carry load will be the Buffalo Bore +P 158 gr LSWCHP-GC and I'll feel pretty good about that.

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Originally posted by pps:
If you start reloading your own, it will become a situation where one addiction feeds the other. When I've shot mu cartridges empty, I can't stand seeing separate components languishing in the drawers. Likewise, when I've loaded a few hundred rounds, I've just got to go out and shoot it up.

The "addiction" is it's own cure

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Originally posted by user:
Ok, given your requirements, I'd recommend either the American Eagle jacketed soft point .357 magnum which is only available in 158 grain (the mfgr's part number is AE357A) or Blazer (non-reloadable aluminum case) jacketed hollow point (shape simulates the hollow point of Federal Premium Hydrashok for aerodynamic equivalence) another .357 magnum that's only available in 158 grain (mfgr's part number is 3542).

Both come in boxes of fifty, American Eagle brand is the practice/target ammo trademark manufactured by Federal Premium. All three of these brands are from the Ammunition Systems Division of Alliant Technosystems (ATK).

A quick internet scan shows prices running around $25/box for the Eagle, and $20/box for the Blazer. Add shipping and it's probably the same as you could get at a local store, especially if you ask for a ten-box discount.