jell-dog
Member.
I am not claiming that brass manufacturers produce “regular .38spl brass” and “wadcutter .38spl brass”.
I am not a mechanical engineer or rocket scientist , I am just presenting my basement best efforts and observations to determine if some .38spl brass is better suited to lead HBWC’s than other .38spl brass.
To measure this difference, I purchased a STARRETT #829 SMALL HOLE FULL BALL GAGE SET to sort brass with longer side walls from shorter side walls.
I used the 0.300” to 0.450” gauge.
I marked the gauge for average short side wall length and average long side wall length to use as a quick measurement tool while sorting/inspecting .38spl brass.
Also, I wanted to determine if the longer side walled .38spl brass would accommodate flush seated soft lead HBWC’s without swaging down the skirt.
I do not have any 148gr lead HBWC’s to measure (if a forum member has any, measure over all length and post please ), but I do have some BERRY’S plated SWC’s, 148gr DEWC’s and 148gr HBWC’s for comparison.
Here are some photos showing my methods and results:
STARRETT #829 SMALL HOLE FULL BALL GAGE SET
0.300” to 0.450” gauge marked for average short/long side wall length
data on cases used
depth that bullets would be seated
Want to check to see if you have brass fit for lead hollow base wadcutters? see post #2
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?184201-38-Special-Wadcutter-Brasshttp://http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?184201-38-Special-Wadcutter-Brass
Quote from Char-Gar on Cast Boolets.com
“Unless you are planning on competition at a high level, the advance of the HBWC over the SBWC will not be noticed or helpful. You will be using bullets with "special needs" and not reaping any benefits for the extra care and work. Back in my Bullseye days, we all cast solid base wadcutters for practice. Come match time, we invested in some factory match ammo, as it would outshoot our solid base wadcutter practice ammo. Of course, the bullets in the factory ammo were of the hollow base variety.”
1. The opinion stated above is repeated in various discussions on www.bullseyeforum.net/ on their ammunition discussion forum and in archived articles.
2. In conclusion, for those of us NOT in SERIOUS bullseye compitition, what does this mean in relation to “wadcutter brass for HBWC’s?
IMHO, I think that sorting your brass by length of the side walls before the taper to the base of the case makes sense for wadcutter use, solid or hollow base.
I do not conclude that for a vast majority of us (those not into competition shooting) "the extra care and work" that loading of lead HBWC ammo and the time spent sorting out the long walled brass will show any real benefits.
3. Longer side walls, IMHO, will not swag the lead HBWC’s as there is a longer side wall measurement than the length of the flush seated HBWC.
4. Also, IMHO, the brass with the side wall beginning sooner would have MARGINALLY less volume than a side wall beginning deeper into the case.
Therefore the shorter side wall MAY produce higher pressure and swag HBWC's, mixing long and short side wall cases MAY cause slight accuracy discrepancies.
5. I will continue to sort by length of side wall for wadcutter use as I need all the help I can get to achieve greater accuracy. And I have proven TO MYSELF there is an advantage to useing long side wall brass for wadcutters.
YMMV
Looking forward to a lively , informational and respectful discussion/opinions/thoughts on my findings!
THR is THE FORUM for open/friendly discussion as far I am concerned!
Thank you for taking the time to read my LONG opinion on .38spl brass!
jell-dog
I am not a mechanical engineer or rocket scientist , I am just presenting my basement best efforts and observations to determine if some .38spl brass is better suited to lead HBWC’s than other .38spl brass.
To measure this difference, I purchased a STARRETT #829 SMALL HOLE FULL BALL GAGE SET to sort brass with longer side walls from shorter side walls.
I used the 0.300” to 0.450” gauge.
I marked the gauge for average short side wall length and average long side wall length to use as a quick measurement tool while sorting/inspecting .38spl brass.
Also, I wanted to determine if the longer side walled .38spl brass would accommodate flush seated soft lead HBWC’s without swaging down the skirt.
I do not have any 148gr lead HBWC’s to measure (if a forum member has any, measure over all length and post please ), but I do have some BERRY’S plated SWC’s, 148gr DEWC’s and 148gr HBWC’s for comparison.
Here are some photos showing my methods and results:
STARRETT #829 SMALL HOLE FULL BALL GAGE SET
0.300” to 0.450” gauge marked for average short/long side wall length
data on cases used
depth that bullets would be seated
Want to check to see if you have brass fit for lead hollow base wadcutters? see post #2
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?184201-38-Special-Wadcutter-Brasshttp://http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?184201-38-Special-Wadcutter-Brass
Quote from Char-Gar on Cast Boolets.com
“Unless you are planning on competition at a high level, the advance of the HBWC over the SBWC will not be noticed or helpful. You will be using bullets with "special needs" and not reaping any benefits for the extra care and work. Back in my Bullseye days, we all cast solid base wadcutters for practice. Come match time, we invested in some factory match ammo, as it would outshoot our solid base wadcutter practice ammo. Of course, the bullets in the factory ammo were of the hollow base variety.”
1. The opinion stated above is repeated in various discussions on www.bullseyeforum.net/ on their ammunition discussion forum and in archived articles.
2. In conclusion, for those of us NOT in SERIOUS bullseye compitition, what does this mean in relation to “wadcutter brass for HBWC’s?
IMHO, I think that sorting your brass by length of the side walls before the taper to the base of the case makes sense for wadcutter use, solid or hollow base.
I do not conclude that for a vast majority of us (those not into competition shooting) "the extra care and work" that loading of lead HBWC ammo and the time spent sorting out the long walled brass will show any real benefits.
3. Longer side walls, IMHO, will not swag the lead HBWC’s as there is a longer side wall measurement than the length of the flush seated HBWC.
4. Also, IMHO, the brass with the side wall beginning sooner would have MARGINALLY less volume than a side wall beginning deeper into the case.
Therefore the shorter side wall MAY produce higher pressure and swag HBWC's, mixing long and short side wall cases MAY cause slight accuracy discrepancies.
5. I will continue to sort by length of side wall for wadcutter use as I need all the help I can get to achieve greater accuracy. And I have proven TO MYSELF there is an advantage to useing long side wall brass for wadcutters.
YMMV
Looking forward to a lively , informational and respectful discussion/opinions/thoughts on my findings!
THR is THE FORUM for open/friendly discussion as far I am concerned!
Thank you for taking the time to read my LONG opinion on .38spl brass!
jell-dog