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What factory ammo for practice has best brass for reloading?
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klausinak
US Veteran
You're about to get a whole bunch of opinions... In .38 SPL I'm not very picky, I tend to prefer Remington, but it all loads. While I am anal enough to sort all of my brass by headstamp & I do trim all revolver brass, I don't go to the lengths of weight-sorting. I don't like nickel plated as it seems to crack a lot faster, but that won't keep me from loading it. Ones to avoid, whatever brand has an AMERC head stamp, though I haven't seen any of that lately, (hopefully they've gone out of business). I know guys that can't stand Sellier & Belloit, (sp?), but I've never had any issues with it. In the past I've had issues w/PMC having off-center flasholes, but nothing recently.
-Klaus
-Klaus
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For moderate loads, any of the US commercial brass is good and generally interchangeable. I'm working my way through a large batch of Federal nickel +P in .38 for competition, but there is no significant difference in ballistics if I load other brands for PF 120 range.
P.S. You can buy once fired brass from the Brassman if you don't want to buy loaded ammo.
2000 .38 nickel +P cases for $150
P.S. You can buy once fired brass from the Brassman if you don't want to buy loaded ammo.
2000 .38 nickel +P cases for $150
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Most factory "USA" ammo works...............
Depends on where you are and the "Specials" in the local stores.
I saw 9mm Remington 115gr 50 for $14.99 the other day......
did not even look at the 38 ammo, since I was on the way to the fishing department for stuff.
Prices may be dropping ?
Depends on where you are and the "Specials" in the local stores.
I saw 9mm Remington 115gr 50 for $14.99 the other day......
did not even look at the 38 ammo, since I was on the way to the fishing department for stuff.
Prices may be dropping ?
If I were starting out i would bypass buying factory ammo and start with 1000 pieces of starline brass. They make excellent quality brass. Load in small lots of 200 or so and keep detailed records on the number of firings each lot has.
You will end up with a much more consistent reloads and be money ahead!
You will end up with a much more consistent reloads and be money ahead!
dickttx
Member
I too do not like to buy factory ammo for reloading brass. I just don't want to shoot a bunch of ammo I don't like, simply to get the brass.
As stated above, once fired brass is pretty economical, and Starline, direct from the factory, is excellent brass.
As stated above, once fired brass is pretty economical, and Starline, direct from the factory, is excellent brass.
venomballistics
Member
Of late, we are plagued by sporadic availability issues across the board.
Powder seems the biggest issue now, concentrate on that quest first.
Brass... if you can find some in stock, Starline, remington or winchester.
if you can't locate new brass, then go the factory ammo route. Remington, Winchester, Federal.... Buy American.
While the quality of the imported stuff "CAN" be exquisite, such as RWS, Norma, and Lapua, these things are swimming in a sea of questionable cess that would take a few chapters worth of dry reading to sort into a definitive go, no-go list.
Powder seems the biggest issue now, concentrate on that quest first.
Brass... if you can find some in stock, Starline, remington or winchester.
if you can't locate new brass, then go the factory ammo route. Remington, Winchester, Federal.... Buy American.
While the quality of the imported stuff "CAN" be exquisite, such as RWS, Norma, and Lapua, these things are swimming in a sea of questionable cess that would take a few chapters worth of dry reading to sort into a definitive go, no-go list.
I haven't had any real issues with any brass except 9mm WCC, which isn't a concern for you. Rem brass seems softer, S&B has tighter primer pockets but neither a problem. Just inspect any cases after firing for splits/cracks or other damage.
I may get a lot of flack on this, but after having purchased 1000 pieces of Starline, I'm inclined to say I've had less hassles with the Winchester White Box brass I initially accumulated before I started reloading.
Maybe Starline will improve with age, but right now the new stuff is frustrating to work with. Chamfering and Deburring it has definitely helped.
It all works. Just get some once fired brass and load it.
Once you are into reloading you can get picky and select the best 38 special brass for you.
Once you are into reloading you can get picky and select the best 38 special brass for you.
EugeneNine
Member
So far this has the only large scale of brass testing I've found
Once Fired Brass: Reloading Facts and Fiction
Once Fired Brass: Reloading Facts and Fiction
"El Foundo Groundo" Brass
Yup, I use range pickups. First, I'm not a competition shooter and I do not use reloads for serious social encounters so discarded range brass suits me fine. After a while, you can easily tell the once-fired stuff from those with many trips through the reloading mill. Most of the brass I find is once-fired as I shoot on a police range where almost all the ammo is factory stuff. I don't even bother sorting brass by headstamp.
The one step I do highly recommend is primer pocket uniforming. Once done, the primers seat far more easily and always to the correct depth. This helps no matter what you intend to use your reloads for.
Competition shooters certainly need to pay far more attention to detail than I do. That said, I have never recovered brass from any known manufacturer that had some inherent across-the-board defect that discouraged me from loading them. As long as I follow established reloading safety practices and make sure my powder charges are correct, I have never once experienced a load that was safe in one 9mm, .38 SPL or .45 ACP casing and which exhibited pressure signs in another casing.
Yup, I use range pickups. First, I'm not a competition shooter and I do not use reloads for serious social encounters so discarded range brass suits me fine. After a while, you can easily tell the once-fired stuff from those with many trips through the reloading mill. Most of the brass I find is once-fired as I shoot on a police range where almost all the ammo is factory stuff. I don't even bother sorting brass by headstamp.
The one step I do highly recommend is primer pocket uniforming. Once done, the primers seat far more easily and always to the correct depth. This helps no matter what you intend to use your reloads for.
Competition shooters certainly need to pay far more attention to detail than I do. That said, I have never recovered brass from any known manufacturer that had some inherent across-the-board defect that discouraged me from loading them. As long as I follow established reloading safety practices and make sure my powder charges are correct, I have never once experienced a load that was safe in one 9mm, .38 SPL or .45 ACP casing and which exhibited pressure signs in another casing.
I use whatever comes my way with good success. I am a casual plinker and I shoot IDPA, often with a .38s special. If I was a bullseye shooter it might make a difference. As noted above, S&B seems to have the tightest primer pockets but I don't throw it away when I get it. I don't even segregate by brand anymore unless I am loading very close to the edge of the envelope, which I mostly don't for .38 special.
Best brass from less expensive factory ammo is Winchester in .38 Special. I'm a Remington fan but would avoid it in .38 Special in favor of Winchester. I also prefer Winchester in 9MM and 40 SW. Go with Winchester and you won't be sorry. It seems to have the right neck wall thickness and you won't have issues with thin walls that your combo 38/357 sizing die won't size enough to hold bullets tightly. In some other calibers I prefer RP and also prefer RP for rifle but in .38, 9MM, and 40SW you can't beat Winchester.
scooter123
Member
A few things to be aware of. BTW, I will often pick up a bag or two of "once fired" 38 special brass at the local gun shows. When you get a bag of 500 cases for just 30 dollars it's not a bank account breaker and the operating pressure of 38 special is low enough that almost anything will last for many many reloads. So, I've seen just about every headstamp in circulation in my area.
Winchester can have some brass with the rim a bit larger than usual and this will cause jamming issue with Lee shell holders. If you are using RCBS shell holders it won't be a problem. Note, I spent the 9 ? bucks it cost for an RCBS shell holder when on a powder expedition because I got tired of sanding the rim diameter down on new Winchester brass I had picked up to fit my Lee shell holder.
Any S&B headstamped brass should be sorted & segregated until you have enough on hand to make it worthwhile to swage the primer pockets. Because a large proportion of that S&B brass is crimped and will destroy a fresh primer if you try and force it into the pocket. Note, had that happen with 3 separate cases and none ignited but hindsight says I got lucky.
My favorite cases are Remington because they are very consistent in terms of insertion force for a primer and effort required during sizing. Speer cases seem to run a close second to the Remington and this include the Blazer headstamped cases. Federal cases can have primer pockets that range between slightly tight to distinctly loose feeling when pressing in a primer but I haven't seen any leakage signs at all even with the really loose feeling pockets, so loose pockets don't seem to be anything to be concerned with as long as the primer doesn't fall out. BTW, I've never actually had a primer fall out but have heard it can happen. I've also seen more variation with the sizing effort with Federal brass than with either Remingon or Speer. Winchester brass runs fairly consistent, sort of the midpoint between Remington and Speer. Others I've seen are CBC, GFL, and a few other non majors and most tend to work in a similar fashion to Federal, meaning there is noticeable variation in primer effort and sizing but they function just fine.
Finally, Starline brass. Ask any reloader and you'll get a big thumbs up for Starline brass. My experience is with their 357 Magnum cases and it's very consistent and easy to work with. The only negative is that it's almost never in stock so you have to wait until the order list is opened up and get an order in. The good news on that front is the actual wait after ordering is usually 2 weeks or less.
Winchester can have some brass with the rim a bit larger than usual and this will cause jamming issue with Lee shell holders. If you are using RCBS shell holders it won't be a problem. Note, I spent the 9 ? bucks it cost for an RCBS shell holder when on a powder expedition because I got tired of sanding the rim diameter down on new Winchester brass I had picked up to fit my Lee shell holder.
Any S&B headstamped brass should be sorted & segregated until you have enough on hand to make it worthwhile to swage the primer pockets. Because a large proportion of that S&B brass is crimped and will destroy a fresh primer if you try and force it into the pocket. Note, had that happen with 3 separate cases and none ignited but hindsight says I got lucky.
My favorite cases are Remington because they are very consistent in terms of insertion force for a primer and effort required during sizing. Speer cases seem to run a close second to the Remington and this include the Blazer headstamped cases. Federal cases can have primer pockets that range between slightly tight to distinctly loose feeling when pressing in a primer but I haven't seen any leakage signs at all even with the really loose feeling pockets, so loose pockets don't seem to be anything to be concerned with as long as the primer doesn't fall out. BTW, I've never actually had a primer fall out but have heard it can happen. I've also seen more variation with the sizing effort with Federal brass than with either Remingon or Speer. Winchester brass runs fairly consistent, sort of the midpoint between Remington and Speer. Others I've seen are CBC, GFL, and a few other non majors and most tend to work in a similar fashion to Federal, meaning there is noticeable variation in primer effort and sizing but they function just fine.
Finally, Starline brass. Ask any reloader and you'll get a big thumbs up for Starline brass. My experience is with their 357 Magnum cases and it's very consistent and easy to work with. The only negative is that it's almost never in stock so you have to wait until the order list is opened up and get an order in. The good news on that front is the actual wait after ordering is usually 2 weeks or less.
Collo Rosso
Member
I have buckets of semi-auto pistol brass and have never bought any. Revolver range brass is hard to come by as it doesn't hit the ground. I answered a Armslist add locally and bought a gallon freezer bag full of 38spl brass for $20.
Alk8944
US Veteran
Scooter,
Instead of using the Lee #1 shell holder for .38/.357 buy a Lee #12, it will solve this problem. It is listed for the 7.62x39 family, but it works perfectly for the .38 family! Or you can buy the RCBS #6, but you already figured that one out.
AveragEd
Member
I've had some bad experiences with Winchester rifle brass in a common caliber (.243WIN) and a not-so-common one (7mmSTW) so I avoid that brand at all costs. Back in the 1970s and 1980s, I thought Winchester .38 Special and .357 Magnum brass had overly tight primer pockets but that may have changed.
Like others, I like Starline brass. It's good stuff that is attractively priced and is used by ammo manufacturers like Cor-Bon, Precision Delta and some others. I track all my cases' load history and I have some in .38 Super and .45ACP that are on their 11th loading with no splits or loose primer pockets.
As far as factory ammo with good cases for reloading, I find Fiocchi ammo to be inexpensive and the brass very good for reloading. I bought 50-round boxes of .38 Special 148-grain wadcutters for $19.95 each five years ago and they are still going strong a dozen loadings later. They have "GFI" headstamps and can usually be found at MidwayUSA. I've only bought Hornady factory loads in .44 Magnum but I could not seat primers in them with the hand priming tool I used prior to buying my Dillon 650 loader so I no longer try to reuse them. Overall, my favorite brass is Remington but it isn't always available.
You'll also need to buy bullets and I recently discovered Precision Delta bullets. They offer many different kinds including cast lead and their prices include shipping. They sell a .357" 148-grain hollow-base wadcutter with two different lube types (their "match lube" is cleaner than their standard lube). I just ordered 1,000 of them with the more expensive match lube for $87.00 shipped. Missouri Bullets are also good and they ship via USPS Priority Mail, so the costs are low but they don't offer a hollow-base wadcutter.
Good luck and welcome to the craziness!
Ed
Like others, I like Starline brass. It's good stuff that is attractively priced and is used by ammo manufacturers like Cor-Bon, Precision Delta and some others. I track all my cases' load history and I have some in .38 Super and .45ACP that are on their 11th loading with no splits or loose primer pockets.
As far as factory ammo with good cases for reloading, I find Fiocchi ammo to be inexpensive and the brass very good for reloading. I bought 50-round boxes of .38 Special 148-grain wadcutters for $19.95 each five years ago and they are still going strong a dozen loadings later. They have "GFI" headstamps and can usually be found at MidwayUSA. I've only bought Hornady factory loads in .44 Magnum but I could not seat primers in them with the hand priming tool I used prior to buying my Dillon 650 loader so I no longer try to reuse them. Overall, my favorite brass is Remington but it isn't always available.
You'll also need to buy bullets and I recently discovered Precision Delta bullets. They offer many different kinds including cast lead and their prices include shipping. They sell a .357" 148-grain hollow-base wadcutter with two different lube types (their "match lube" is cleaner than their standard lube). I just ordered 1,000 of them with the more expensive match lube for $87.00 shipped. Missouri Bullets are also good and they ship via USPS Priority Mail, so the costs are low but they don't offer a hollow-base wadcutter.
Good luck and welcome to the craziness!
Ed
Chamfering/deburring
Chamfering/deburring is usually a necessary evil on any new brass (one time, the first time) especially if you're loading lead bullets. Just enought to knock the rough/sharp edge off the lip to help the bullet past the mouth.
Not sure what frustation you're encountering but if it's lead shaving when seating the bullet try more bell-mouthing. All the Starline brass I've gotten has been good stuff.
Chamfering/deburring is usually a necessary evil on any new brass (one time, the first time) especially if you're loading lead bullets. Just enought to knock the rough/sharp edge off the lip to help the bullet past the mouth.
Not sure what frustation you're encountering but if it's lead shaving when seating the bullet try more bell-mouthing. All the Starline brass I've gotten has been good stuff.
