here is a good one ..came across a piece of 38 spec brass the other day while reloading and it accepted a large pistol primer...the headstamp said 38special superspeed..never saw one before ..does anybody know anything about these..thanks

It is an old case, before ca. 1935.

I agree, an old case, possibly for the 38/44 power level.

As I recall, the 38/44 indeed used a LP primer.

The 357 mag also used to be a large primer.

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Still Running Against the Wind

At one time Aspenhill attempted to put together a group buy from Starline for large-primer'd .38 Special and .357 Magnum cases. Several of us were interested, but not enough to get it done. You might offer it to an owner of a .38-44 for display purposes.
Also, for my own information, is it a Remington or Winchester case?

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and what his trumpet saith

I came across .38 brass case with a shotgun primer that takes up the entire base of the case so you can't read anything on it. Always wonder what that case was for.

Superspeed was a Winchester trade name on ammunition just like Super X and several others. They were still using it into the 80's, if memory serves me right. I still have some virgin brass marked super speed for rifle calibers.

plastic or wax bullets with no powder charge.Indoor gallery load.

It is a nickel plated case no mfg marks...

I've tripped over one of these in range pick-up brass. Didn't snap to what it was until I'd already de-primed it (ruining its collectiblity), so I threw it in the recycling.

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Now go make God proud...

I have a box of the old "U. S. Cartridge Company" (USCCo headstamp) .38 Auto, all with Large primers, probably 1930s or earlier. Some .45 ACP cartridges today use Small primers, usually those with lead-free bullets. Flash holes are also smaller diameter and that causes reloading problems.

I only use 45 ACP small primer brass so I don't have to buy large and small primers or change out my primer assy. Also all small primer brass picked up at the indoor range is once fired as only I am reloading it. The range used to sell it to the recycle company. Don

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USN Retired/VN VET
M&P X5

I use the .45 cases with small primers, but deprime them separately using a small primer decapping pin. An extra step, but no other problems using them.

I recently picked up five .357 Magnum cases with large primers during a range session. Never heard of such a thing until finding this old thread. Headstamp is REM-UMC so I knew they were old brass. They are nickel plated as well. I decided to load and shoot them, then changed my mind and put them on the shelf to enjoy as oddities.

I recently found 1 .45 Colt brass with a small primer.

Never seen or heard of one. It's longer brother, .454 Casull uses small rifle primers.

It's like saying, "Ruger never made one like that." Somewhere along the line they likely have.

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GOA
USA Shooting Supporter