I read some guys are using 38 super sizers for 38 special brass.
What am I missing?
What am I missing?
38 Super sizer for 38 special brass
- Thread starter jculloden
- Start date
Register to hide this ad
- Joined
- Apr 29, 2012
- Messages
- 4,507
- Reaction score
- 7,656
It should size the .38 Special a little larger if everything is to spec. It would probably work in most combinations, especially with lead bullets. I don't think the .005 is going to make a difference in most combinations. But if you get some thin brass (Remington) and a short bullet it might be a problem.
- Joined
- Feb 9, 2006
- Messages
- 3,492
- Reaction score
- 6,041
Maybe in rechambered .38 S&W Victories. .38 Super is the correct die for .38 S&W and some sets are so marked. That would prevent over working the brass.
DWalt
Member
If a .38 Special case resized in a .38 Super FL die chambers OK in your revolver, no reason not to. The .38 Super case is slightly larger in diameter than the .38 Special case. I have always used the .38 Super FL die for resizing .38 S&W cases.
Last edited:
Ivan the Butcher
Member
A 38 Special die will squeeze the snot out of 38 S&W brass, to the point of cracked cases and a few head separations!
My LGS had an old Lyman "All American" steel die set in 38 S&W for $10, when I was going to buy them they were gone. Turned out my best friend got them the week before. The Owner was a commercial reloader and said he used a 38 Special die (Hollywood Brand) for 38 S&W, I said that's why your reloads are worthless after firing!
I use a Lee 38 Super Carbide sizer for 38 S&W and a RCBS 9mm seating and 9mm taper crimp die. (two separate steps.)
The old Hornady "Pacific" series sizers were made to minimum diameter sizing. That causes 38 & 357 jacketed reloads to be "Wasp" shaped. I still have that carbide sizer somewhere, but don't use it. I do use the seating die for one 38/357 Dillon tool heads in my stash. I have a very early 38 Special RCBS Carbide Sizing die that won't allow decapping, I paid $5 for it, So I use it for a Taper Crimp die on 9mm & 380.
Mixing and matching dies allows you to load some of the oddball cartridges that are longer (and sometimes shorter) than normal. My best friend has had good luck loading 9mm Makarov (9x18 with .366 bullets) with 38 S&W dies. (He also reforms 9mm Lugar brass into 9mm Makarov with a little trimming too)
If you have some of the oddball dies, try a test batch of even more oddball cartridges! Sure beats paying outrageous prices for plinking ammo!
Ivan
My LGS had an old Lyman "All American" steel die set in 38 S&W for $10, when I was going to buy them they were gone. Turned out my best friend got them the week before. The Owner was a commercial reloader and said he used a 38 Special die (Hollywood Brand) for 38 S&W, I said that's why your reloads are worthless after firing!
I use a Lee 38 Super Carbide sizer for 38 S&W and a RCBS 9mm seating and 9mm taper crimp die. (two separate steps.)
The old Hornady "Pacific" series sizers were made to minimum diameter sizing. That causes 38 & 357 jacketed reloads to be "Wasp" shaped. I still have that carbide sizer somewhere, but don't use it. I do use the seating die for one 38/357 Dillon tool heads in my stash. I have a very early 38 Special RCBS Carbide Sizing die that won't allow decapping, I paid $5 for it, So I use it for a Taper Crimp die on 9mm & 380.
Mixing and matching dies allows you to load some of the oddball cartridges that are longer (and sometimes shorter) than normal. My best friend has had good luck loading 9mm Makarov (9x18 with .366 bullets) with 38 S&W dies. (He also reforms 9mm Lugar brass into 9mm Makarov with a little trimming too)
If you have some of the oddball dies, try a test batch of even more oddball cartridges! Sure beats paying outrageous prices for plinking ammo!
Ivan
DWalt
Member
I also use a .38 Super FL die and 9mm mouth expander and seating dies for .38 S&W. If you have a large enough stash of dies, you can improvise and load about any caliber. I have many dies in calibers I have no guns for. Bought them just because a set was on some gun show table for $5. I have loaded .30 Rem with .30-30 dies, .45 Colt in .45 ACP dies, 7.5 French in 7.5 Swiss dies, .303 British in 7.7 Jap dies, .32 Long in .32 ACP dies, and several similar swaps I have forgotten about.
Ivan the Butcher
Member
I can load 117 cartridges, but a bunch of my oddest die sets are Lyman Tru-Line/310 die sets and don't do full length sizing. A good book to have in every reloaders library is "Cartridges of the World" by Fred Barns (the Barns Bullets guy).
Odd diameter bullets are the hardest parts to come by. I have a M95 8x56R Hungarian, the use a full 8mm bullet (.330 to .333) instead of a 7.9mm like the Mauser .318 or .323. I have a bullet mold and sizer, but for jacketed bullets I have to swage down 210 grain 338 Winchester bullets (most of those come out banana shaped) with a homemade die and a 20 ton press I made. Many of the 6.5 mm Military cartridges use their own unique diameter bullets, but Hornady's 160 grain RN bullets worked well in them. But the supply of Hornady 7.35 Italian (a true 30 caliber/.300") bullets has dried up.
I've looked into Corbin bullet swaging but it is very pricy to get started. I have a set for 22 caliber bullets, I picked up used, but just can't bring myself to dive in.
Ivan
DWalt
Member
Frank Barnes is the COTW author. Fred Barnes was the bullet guy.
Pantera Mike
Member
- Joined
- Dec 21, 2017
- Messages
- 157
- Reaction score
- 117
…or just buy a 38 Special taper crimp die. I have several RCBS TC dies I have picked up over the years on eBay etc.
Grafs still sells bullets for the 8x56r i think. Ive bought them there before.
I guess they dont stock them anymore. I just looked. They o have 8x56r ammo though. PPU
Last edited:
I am a little dense here. A 38 super uses a .356 bullet correct? The 38 special uses .357 bullet. Isn't the super a straight wall case? The special is for sure. Shouldn't the 38 super body be slightly smaller than a 38 special? Or is the brass a lot thicker?
Thanks,
Rosewood
Thanks,
Rosewood
Midway has a Lee 38 super taper crimp die for about $13. Have it for several other cartridges also. I have one for 9, 40, 38/357, 45acp I use for cast boolits.
Rosewood
