Home Forums Reloading Handgun Reloading 3 Problems Loading .38 Special for the first time

I'm an experienced rifle cartridge reloader but haven't bothered with handgun cartridges in a long time. However, I decided to get into .38 Special loading just for fun. I bought a 4 die set from Lee. Here's the 3 problems:

1) My loads often wouldn't fit into some of my revolver chambers. I think this is because I can't hold the bullets straight up, and they are going in slightly sideway and in effect creating a "bent" round. When I'm better about getting one in straight, it will load. I don't crimp with my seater die, only the Lee "FCD" die. Supposedly, any cartridge run through there will fit any chamber, but it hasn't proved true for me.

2) The main problem, because it is dangerous, is squib loads. I have been able to detect these, so far, because of the different sound. For safety, I've been shooting at 10 feet so I can be sure if the bullet is exiting the barrel. I'm loading 158 gr. Hornady XTP hollow points. I do not think I am forgetting to load a round with powder because I check each round with a flashlight before beginning the bullet seating. My load is 3.7 grs. of HP-38. I'm using the Lee Powder measure which provides a very smooth throw but I'm not weighing every charge. I check the first 3 or 4 and then trust the measure to do its job.

3) Twice I have had a squib load with only the jacket left in the barrel. Somehow the jacket is getting stripped off. For all I know, this could be happening on the non-squib loads and the next round is blowing the jacket out of the barrel. I'm going to have to start checking the barrel after every shot.

I was looking at Hodgdon load data it shows:

Hornady 158 XTP

Min 3.8 Max 4.3

Any help or comments with any or all of these issues would be appreciated.

I would guess you aren’t putting a sufficient bell on the case mouth before trying to seat a bullet. You need a visible bell on the case mouth, doesn’t need to be huge but bullets should start easily. If you do this the seating die should align and seat the bullet straight.

Up your powder charge. You’re under the minimum and powders need a certain amount of pressure to burn like they’re supposed to. This may be causing erratic pressures and your squibs.

If you’re just making plinking loads id suggest you invest in some lead bullets, they’re cheaper and you don’t have to worry about sticking a jacket. They also require less pressure to send down the barrel.

what TheKid said....enough bell that the bullet easily sits on the bell w/o tipping over

But not too much you have to force into seater die

Or.........Lyman 'M' series expander die

Use the M die in all my handgun loading

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1011246697?pid=368112

You are using the #4 FCD (factory crimp die) in the set die set right ?


Woops..I see you are.........

Those things are golden especially in autos

Thanks,

I am flaring the mouths enough to where I can actually get the bullet to stand up in the case on its own. However, before I started doing this I was getting a much higher percentage of crooked bullets. I actually run the cylindrical part of the expander all the way to where the bullet ends.

I will increase the powder to, I guess, 4.0 grains.

Do cast lead bullets take the same powder charge as jacketed?

I watched a video on the Lyman M die and the Lee Universal Expanding die and the insert looks pretty much like what comes with the Lee expander die. Unless I can order a larger diameter one from Lyman or Lee I don't see that this would do anything differently, or am I wrong?

It expands in 2 stages.......

Again I use 'em in all my straight wall pistol cases

Your mileage may vary

Keep using the #4 Lee FCD !

Have any other bullets ??

The XTP isn't cheap just to mess around with......

Look here......test some of these.....cast too

https://www.evergladesammo.com/bullets/handgun-bullets.html?caliber=73

Well, I've already got 500 Missouri bullets, Brinell hardness 12, on the way. At least with them I won't have to worry about jackets being left in the barrel.

It looks like the Lyman M die is what I need, but Midway is out and Lyman doesn't even list them on their website.

Jacketed bullets encounter greater friction in the bore. Non jacketed lead, cast or swaged are less likely to stick at low pressure. Also lighter bullets that have jackets can be pushed faster with less pressure.

Might not hurt to remove and inspect the seater plug for dirt or defect.

Sometimes pistol powders will have 'bridging' in the powder thrower, and not let all the powder fall through.

Try giving the measure a tap on the side each throw, and visually inspect powder levels for uniformity.

4.0 HP-38 is what I would consider the absolute minimum for cast bullets, let alone jacketed slugs. Unless you're loading for an alloy-framed J frame revolver, I'd suggest upping the charge substantially. HP-38 and 231 are the same powder, I started out using 4.0 gr. 231 with a Speer 158 swaged lead bullet, it was a nice modest load that shot well in my M28-2 and my buddy's M36, too. You'd get the same results with 5.0 in a .357 case, pretty much.

When your Missouri bullets come in, by all means use something like the 4.0 or bump it a bit to 4.5gr. I know lots of folks who'd use a lot more than that, but that's just a good start to learn the revolver and it's characteristics. I'd never use the 158 jacketed hollow points with such a mild load. They probably won't expand, anyway, so don't waste them with mouse loads. Keep your loads around 850-900 fps, and shoot the heck out of it.

Cast or swaged lead bullets will work fine at those speeds. Jacketed, not so much.

I found myself in a similar situation. Some times it seems I belled the cases too much and others not enough and the bullet was slightly crooked. I bought a .357 trim die. I dial it down as low as it will go toward the ram. I run the loaded case into the trim die just enough to know that the case mouth is straight and any bulges are flattened. Since the trim die is maximum case dimensions it doesn't appear I am squeezing the case into the bullet and changing bullet dimensions. I'm just eliminating any bulges.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1012624638?pid=561313

kwg

Amazon.......Bezos may have em

Or Midway the 10th

Amazon didn't have it.

I found a company, NOE Bullet Molds, that sells the Lee Universal Expander Die, and a .358" expander which may help.

Do you have the correct shell holder in the press? No chance you actually have the die screwed down far enough that it’s crimping and buckling the case? Have you taken the seating stem out of the die and checked to make sure it isn’t a flat seater for wadcutters, this might cause a bullet not started straight to tip.

I’m just trying to picture what could be going on here and I can’t figure it out. If case mouths have sufficient bell on them I don’t think I have a single due set that doesn’t center the bullet up on its own. I think I’d have to TRY to get one to seat crooked or bend and I’m not sure I could do it.

I would at least check every ten rounds of you powder throw. With only 3.7 grains, the least deviation of your method to throw powder can cause variations. Before throwing each load, strike the handle one or twice, being very careful to strike it the same every time. Do not raise the handle enough to let it drop powder. Then drop the powder.This insures you will get an even packing of the powder.

At 3.7gr, you are down at the very lowest limit amount for the Lee measure. I suspect your squib loads are from a variation of your powder throws. My RCBS measure has a drum for large rifle loads and one for handgun loads.

I load 38 sp, loads in a .357 case and my load is 4.5 gr of W231 or Universal behind 158 gr cast or jacketed bullets. Your loading manual should have data for cast bullets and jacketed bullets separately.

I would also look at the seating stem of your 38 dies to see if it is the correct contour to match the bullet, although even a flat seater should work. You could also try a slightly bigger shell holder if you have them, or take the spring out of the ram to let the shell holder float a bit. I had the same problem with 9mm and that fixed it, but the 9mm semi is a little less forgiving than a revolver. I have loaded over 20,000 .357 's and 38 sp and never had this problem.

You do not need the Lee FCD. The roll crimp in the seater die should be enough for the heaviest crimp. One problem I have had with Lee dies is the expander plug not being long enough to expand the case to the full length of the bullet. You set the bullet and it starts straight,but when it gets to the end of the expanded portion it wants to drift due to the extra force needed to seat it deeper. I have had to make some myself. You might check that.

Also might check the diameter of the expander plug. I make mine .002 smaller than the bullet. Even .001 is ok

According to Hodgon’s data 3.7g of HP-38 is 0.1 grain below the starting load with a jacketed bullet. I use 3.7 grains of 231 (same as HP-38) behind a 158 grain cast swc and have shot thousands of those in competition without incident - the starting load is 3.1 grains (with 158 grain lead). Just my experience - yours may vary.

PennDog

Okay, I think we have the jacket shedding and squib load issue (probably) addressed. I'll up the charge to 4.0 grs. and for a while at least I'm going to weigh every charge until I find out how accurate the measure is. If necessary, I'll start setting the measure to throw light and then use a powder trickler to bring the charge up to exact weight.

As for the crooked seating of bullets, I suppose, after I get the Missouri bullets in I'll see if I still have the problem.

I'm just surprised that everyone who uses the Lee dies doesn't have this same problem. At the very least, they should be getting some very ugly loads with the front ends bulged out larger than the portion behind.