.38 Special brass life with +P loads

[BigSlick]

How many loads ya getting with +P loads on new or known once fired .38 Special brass ?

[chewy]

I'm curious as well too since I just finally started loading some +p loads (in +P cases).

[CZ93X62]

I have WW +P brass that I load to duplicate my carry load, and some of it has at least 30 refills. Case mouths crack once in a great while, but that is about it.

[Timberwolf]

There is no such thing as +P brass. The +P marking is a loaded ammunition identifier, so that it didn't get used in a revolver not made for the pressures.. Yes I know that you can buy new brass marked +P, that's just marketing.

I'm still using brass from 25+ years ago.

158gr Frontier CMJ
4.2gr/TiteGroup

[MONTEGOD7SS]

For .38 Spl +P that is true from what Starline says, but not for .45 +P. Like you say it's really just for any easy way to keep loads separate. They should make a .45-70 +P for you folks that like 3031.

[chewy]

I thought +p was more"tactical?"

[alank2]

Hi,

I recall reading some guy who at another reloading forum who loved to hot rod his 38 special up to 357 mag pressures! He shot quite a few revo's loose doing this, but from what he said the brass always held up just fine. It made me think that the brass is probably just as thick and tough as 357 mag brass, but I'd like to see a comparison of the web with a 38 special and 357 mag case cross sectioned. Since 38+P runs pretty low in terms of pressure compared to many other handgun cartridges, I'll bet it lasts pretty long...

Good luck,

Alan

[Brass Nazi]

.38 special +p is loaded to a pretty mild pressure anyways. I do not load +p loads but I would think that +p brass would last nearly forever. After a while maybe the necks might split.

[4eyes]

There is a difference in different batches of brass even with the same headstamp.

38/357 thickness is about the same but you can definately tell the difference by sizing each of the same headstamp. 357 takes more pressure all the way--top to bottom than 38. I assume the alloys are different.

Limited tests YRMV

[Glooooock]

I think its more on how you work the brass . Big flares / belling to seat bullets , or the resized case is way smaller than the cylinder . I would say 5 - 10 time minimum ,,, with split case mouths being the failure . Depends on the gun and brass headstamp .

[gwalchmai]

With regular P loads .38 Spl brass will last forever. With +P it'll only last half that long.

[jawjaboy]

With regular P loads .38 Spl brass will last forever. With +P it'll only last half that long.

:dontgetit: I don't get it?







;)

[Timberwolf]

:dontgetit: I don't get it?







;)

Regular pressure (P) as oppsed to more pressure (+P).

It took me a moment.

[DssG19]

i shoot em till they split.

[GLShooter]

The mouth flaring causes most case loss. I shoot 38 Special Major in IPSC (out of a 586 ). The pistol has about 40,000 rounds through it and is still tight. The brass last longer than I could ever imagine. (With 1000 pieces of the stuff you will probably wish you had all that money back you spent on the high dollar bullets by the time you wear all of it out.

20-30,000 of those Gold Dots are not going to be cheap.:wave:

Greg

[gwalchmai]

I knew I shoulda said "plain ole P"... :supergrin:

[jawjaboy]

:mf_farmer:

[gwalchmai]

It true, tho, I got .45 ACP brass older than I am, and .38 Spl the same way. It jes last and last. I hear folks say they load 'em til they can't read 'em. Long as you're easy on the crimp you lose 'em fore you split 'em.

[jawjaboy]

True. Honest.

[zdogk9]

They immortal, most of 'em'll be her after coyotes and cockroaches are dim memories

[Spinnerblade]

They immortal, most of 'em'll be her after coyotes and cockroaches are dim memories


I like that. I may perish, but my brass will live on! Patrick

[jawjaboy]

...has tremendous merit.

[BigSlick]

I got some .45 ACP brass that I've loaded I don't know how many times, but, it's been in the rotation since sometime in the 90's.

I figured about the same with .38 Special brass and since I know I won't lose it, it'll be around for a while.

Just lookin at ya stash an seein only one bucket in any caliber just makes me think somethin is missin... I know you know how that is.

I got some Starline as a gift last year, so I guess I a be OK, but, I'm gonna use up da old stuff fist before I go to da new Starline just ta be extra safe ;)

I had some kinda mixup on orderin brass last time I did. I got some extra .357 brass I ain't ever gonna need, but, decided ta just hang on to it.

I'm still workin on some gwalchi sent me a couple or three or four years ago, still workin just fine... he musta sprinkled some magic on it cause I ain't lost a single one yet ;)

I'm gonna watch the +P stuff in .38 Special though just so I don't hafta use up any extra