Any remidies for too much space in the case?

mstrblaster

March 18, 2009 14:01

I have been loading down 38 specials for my wife to shoot from her short barrel airlite. I have been working on loads, and have gotten down to 3.6 to 4.3 gr of 231 with 125Gr hp's. I am finding that the first couple of rounds shoot fine in her revolver, and then one tends to get stuck in the barrel. I remembered an article that I read about powder being close to the primer. I started tipping up the barrel on the revolver, and found that all rounds then fired. I'm assuming that so little powder is spreading out in the case, and the primer is not sparking all of it. Has anyone used any type of spacer or wad to help with a problem of this type. A friend of mine suggested seating the bullet quite a bit deeper. Thanks for any help you can give me!!

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  bpost

  March 18, 2009 14:14

  Put a heavy roll crimp on the case into the bullet cannelure. Ball powders tend to be harder to light due to the deterrent coatings. It sounds like you are getting poor ignition.

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  1911 Gunslinger

  March 18, 2009 17:14

  You can use angel hair from the crafts section of stores to fill the space, you can also use 38 short colt cases to load reduced rounds, it is much shorter than a 38 special and works better with light charges.

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  peabo

  March 18, 2009 18:02

  If you are loading practice ammo, get the 148 grain hollow base wadcutters.
  They are long and are loaded deep enough, even with the end of the 38 spl. case, to take up a lot of air space in the case.
  
  The case is crimped over the end of the bullet.
  
  Don't take my word for it, but I believe I was loading 2.8 grains of Bullseye.
  This load was a target load for the model 52 S&W.
  
  Check your manuals, they should list this combination.
  
  
  Thanks---Peabo

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  Rocky Raab

  March 19, 2009 05:26

  There are several errors being made. First is the choice of bullet. That 125 JHP is so short it is creating more case volume, which exacerbates the ignition problem. It is also a jacketed bullet, which means it has higher friction in the bore, leading to sticking the bullet at slow speeds.
  
  You are using a ball powder at what I suspect is a below-start-level charge weight. As peabo explained, that leads to poor ignition and incomplete burning.
  
  I second his suggestion of a lead 148 wadcutter. You can also find light lead bullets meant for Cowboy Action Shooting, plus load data for that sport. Peabo's classic Bullseye load is superb. If you need an alternate powder, look for a fluffy single-base flake powder. RedDot, TiteGroup or Clays would be perfect. A powder meant for low velocity lead bullets is the VERY fluffy TrailBoss.

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  rong

  March 20, 2009 14:02

  Push a small bunched up piece
  of toilet paper in the shell
  to keep the powder firm to
  the primer-works everytime

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