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38 Special
Posted: Sun Oct 23, 2022 9:55 pm
by Headhog
Started reloading some 38 Spl. ammo target loads today when I came across these two rounds mixed in. I think they're good for one or two more reloads.

- IMG_2269.jpg (160.99 KiB) Viewed 1777 times
Ok so I'm just kidding about reloading these cases. They actually made it onto my progressive press and I didn't notice them until they reached station 4. That's the powder check station. I immediately pulled the from the press and dumped the powder charge back into the measure. Being frugal, after I finished loading the rest of the cases, I put them back into station 1 and carefully decapped the primers. Then I finished up by loading 2 more good cases. Total 300 rounds of 38 Spl. target load.
With the price of primers today I'm not about to waste perfectly good primers. You just have to have a gentle touch when removing them from the case.
Paul
Re: 38 Special
Posted: Sun Oct 23, 2022 10:32 pm
by Sir Henry
You are braver than me for decamping live primers.
Re: 38 Special
Posted: Sun Oct 23, 2022 10:32 pm
by The Happy Kaboomer
Get ya a 5 gal brass collection bucket. Put all your reject brass and .22 hulls in it. When full you'll get about $60.00 from the recycler.......This is what I do.
Re: 38 Special
Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2022 8:23 am
by Vaquero
Sir Henry wrote: ↑Sun Oct 23, 2022 10:32 pm
You are braver than me for decamping live primers.
Just slow and easy, I've done it a number of times.
RP
Re: 38 Special
Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2022 8:24 am
by Vaquero
The Happy Kaboomer wrote: ↑Sun Oct 23, 2022 10:32 pm
Get ya a 5 gal brass collection bucket. Put all your reject brass and .22 hulls in it. When full you'll get about $60.00 from the recycler.......This is what I do.
Yep, that's what I'm doing also.
RP
Re: 38 Special
Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2022 12:30 pm
by Hatchdog
Headhog wrote: ↑Sun Oct 23, 2022 9:55 pm
Started reloading some 38 Spl. ammo target loads today when I came across these two rounds mixed in. I think they're good for one or two more reloads.
IMG_2269.jpg
Ok so I'm just kidding about reloading these cases. They actually made it onto my progressive press and I didn't notice them until they reached station 4. That's the powder check station. I immediately pulled the from the press and dumped the powder charge back into the measure. Being frugal, after I finished loading the rest of the cases, I put them back into station 1 and carefully decapped the primers. Then I finished up by loading 2 more good cases. Total 300 rounds of 38 Spl. target load.
With the price of primers today I'm not about to waste perfectly good primers. You just have to have a gentle touch when removing them from the case.
Paul
I recently did the same thing but I put the primers in a separate container for testing later. I’ve decapped live primers many times without issue but have never re-used them. Who woulda thought?
Re: 38 Special
Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2022 1:22 pm
by Vaquero
Hatchdog wrote: ↑Mon Oct 24, 2022 12:30 pm
Headhog wrote: ↑Sun Oct 23, 2022 9:55 pm
Started reloading some 38 Spl. ammo target loads today when I came across these two rounds mixed in. I think they're good for one or two more reloads.
IMG_2269.jpg
Ok so I'm just kidding about reloading these cases. They actually made it onto my progressive press and I didn't notice them until they reached station 4. That's the powder check station. I immediately pulled the from the press and dumped the powder charge back into the measure. Being frugal, after I finished loading the rest of the cases, I put them back into station 1 and carefully decapped the primers. Then I finished up by loading 2 more good cases. Total 300 rounds of 38 Spl. target load.
With the price of primers today I'm not about to waste perfectly good primers. You just have to have a gentle touch when removing them from the case.
Paul
I recently did the same thing but I put the primers in a separate container for testing later. I’ve decapped live primers many times without issue but have never re-used them. Who woulda thought?
Why deprime, if ya ain't using them
RP
Re: 38 Special
Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2022 1:52 pm
by Headhog
Re: 38 Special
Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2022 2:35 pm
by Hatchdog
Vaquero wrote: ↑Mon Oct 24, 2022 1:22 pm
Hatchdog wrote: ↑Mon Oct 24, 2022 12:30 pm
Headhog wrote: ↑Sun Oct 23, 2022 9:55 pm
Started reloading some 38 Spl. ammo target loads today when I came across these two rounds mixed in. I think they're good for one or two more reloads.
IMG_2269.jpg
Ok so I'm just kidding about reloading these cases. They actually made it onto my progressive press and I didn't notice them until they reached station 4. That's the powder check station. I immediately pulled the from the press and dumped the powder charge back into the measure. Being frugal, after I finished loading the rest of the cases, I put them back into station 1 and carefully decapped the primers. Then I finished up by loading 2 more good cases. Total 300 rounds of 38 Spl. target load.
With the price of primers today I'm not about to waste perfectly good primers. You just have to have a gentle touch when removing them from the case.
Paul
I recently did the same thing but I put the primers in a separate container for testing later. I’ve decapped live primers many times without issue but have never re-used them. Who woulda thought?
Why deprime, if ya ain't using them
RP
I’ll reuse them, just planning on loading them in something that I won’t use for a specific purpose like load development. Just never done this before so want to experiment a bit.
Re: 38 Special
Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2022 11:14 pm
by Vaquero
Hatchdog wrote: ↑Mon Oct 24, 2022 2:35 pm
Vaquero wrote: ↑Mon Oct 24, 2022 1:22 pm
Hatchdog wrote: ↑Mon Oct 24, 2022 12:30 pm
I recently did the same thing but I put the primers in a separate container for testing later. I’ve decapped live primers many times without issue but have never re-used them. Who woulda thought?
Why deprime, if ya ain't using them
RP
I’ll reuse them, just planning on loading them in something that I won’t use for a specific purpose like load development. Just never done this before so want to experiment a bit.
Just yanking you chain, yea I use 'em in range stuff, but
to be honest I'm pretty sure I've never had one to fail.
Now I've had primer failures no doubt, had one this weekend in a 223 round and my Savage.
Tried it twice, no go bang. Laying on the bench to be tore down.
RP
Re: 38 Special
Posted: Fri Nov 04, 2022 12:19 pm
by Bake
I've tried decapping and reusing primers in my 308 Winchester. Upon firing these rounds with the recycled primers, I found there were significant gas leaks around the primer and gas cutting on the bolt face. I'm afraid the combination of seating and decapping a primer causes a decrease in primer diameter and allows the gas to escape. If I see any gas leaks happening in the fired cases, the two are thrown away, so I throw away the primers first ...