.38 shotshell reloading

[Plinker]

Got a box of old .38/.357 Hodgdon shot cups from Trader Dan recently and put them to use.



3 grains of some very old 700X




100 grains of #8 shot



About ready to crimp on the top cup



Squeeze it down just a mite



Now, to try it out on a paper snake,,,,,,,,that looks kinda like a sperm LOL.

The final result in this 9 second youtube:
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WUzW0PWJDTc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

EDIT Embed doesn't seem to work here. Maybe this link will:

https://youtu.be/WUzW0PWJDTc

 

[Midnight son]

I reload shotshells with the speer shotcups in .38 and .45 colt. Always have some on hand. Practical and fun at same time. The .38 load is spotty of course, but the .45 colt load, watch out! W231 is my powder of choice.

 

[jakec]

id like to see how those compare, as far as pattern, to the ones I make using gas checks instead of the cups. I make tons of .38, .357 and 44 mag shotshells but never used the cups.

 

[fla9-40]

I made some 44mag Shot-Shells out of 308 win brass the other day...Did real well.

On the 357 and checks, do you just roll crimp like you would a lead bullet?

ADDED LATER:

My bad that was supposed to be .45acp from 308 brass!

 

[Midnight son]

I'm making a range trip today. I'll pattern them at 5 yards on some shoot and see's and post photos. .38/.45colt.





Here are some patterning results from the range. All shooting was done at 5 YARDS (15 feet).

.38 special shot shell load data is Speer shot capsule 5.0 grains of Universal Clays, 1.5" OAL.
.45 Colt data is Speer shot capsule 6.0 grains of W231, 1.575" OAL.

Both capsules are loaded with #8 shot, because that is what I had on-hand.
.38 special test gun was S&W Model 66, 4" barrel.
.45 Colt test gun was SAA 4.75" barrel. Both patterns were approximately 12" across.

The .38 pattern is a little spotty, but two rounds in quick succession should do the job. The .45 Colt is one-and-done. I would like to try these with some #11 shot.

 

[jakec]

I made some 44mag Shot-Shells out of 308 win brass the other day...Did real well.

On the 357 and checks, do you just roll crimp like you would a lead bullet?

I like the 308 cut down to 44 shotshells myself. on the checks, yep just roll crimp it like a lead bullet and then I put fingernail polish over them. I don't know if the fingernail polish actually does anything but it makes me feel better about them.

 

[jakec]

I'm making a range trip today. I'll pattern them at 5 yards on some shoot and see's and post photos. .38/.45colt.

thanks man. ive got a thread on here somewhere with my testing on some with the gaschecks.

 

[Plinker]

Also interested in your shot pattern.
Cool concept of using gas checks.

Wasn't expecting much with the short barrel on the 637, so just fired at target from 5' or so.




I 'll also try 5 yards, but very doubtful very many of those 110<\> pellets will even strike the paper.

 

[Plinker]

Pattern still ok @ 15'
Video of the shotshell fired out of the S&W 637 might work here:

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LI9cOJvuJIM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

But probably gotta go here:

https://youtu.be/LI9cOJvuJIM


Not too bad.

 

[fla9-40]

Man I got to try the 38's!!! Seems like a whole lot less hassle then building them 45acp from 308 brass.

 

[fishingjean]

Jake made me some in 357, have not tried them yet but, will try them soon

 

[Plinker]

UPDATE!

Those homemade shotshells I made were awesome on a fair size timber rattler near Auburn yesterday.

6 second video of the shot:
(Click on the link below)

http://youtu.be/xREh1aDrfpg

Brandon has a taxidermy business in Auburn and is gonna stuff it.





I'll post the finished snake when he's done.

 

[oneshot]

You need to get a little closer , just my 5 cents jj

 

[Plinker]

I probably would have gotten closer and fired more than one shot just to be sure if that would have been me.

With just firing one shot from 12', Brandon won't have a lot of damage to the hide when he mounts the snake.