Steel Casings and Revolver Cylinders

[paracarry]

Getting back to the original question I can't help as none of my guns have seen Blazer or steel cased ammo. as far as reloading goes I have been using a single stage press for over 20 years. I do everything in stages and I find it quiet and relaxing. especially when you lock the door.

 

[Bill Nance]

Reloading for some people is like tying flies. Everything is precise, measured and perfected. Fir others it's just a cost-saving thing and they jam out as much ammo as they can while maintaining safe QC.

I think for most of us who've been doing it for a while it's a mix of the two. It's a fun hobby AND it saves us a lot of money.

We're like DRGrant, we couldn't afford to shoot in volume without reloading. We can easily put out 2-400 rounds per hour depending on how fast we feel like doing it. I've never tried to rush it.

 

[Jose]

Reloading for some people is like tying flies. Everything is precise, measured and perfected. Fir others it's just a cost-saving thing and they jam out as much ammo as they can while maintaining safe QC.

It's not an either/or proposition.

I do the meticulous, ultra precise reloading for my precision target rifles and I do the good enough to work reloading to make practice ammo for my defensive rifles and handguns.

 

[Lugnut]

If you don't reload yet- you clearly aren't shooting enough!

I hope more people don't reload though... brass is getting scarce at the range!

 

[PaulD]

I got to see drgrant's reloading setup today and I have to say, it was very nice. I especially like the ability to have lots of rounds on hand even if they're not put together yet.

I'm not going to run out and by a press tomorrow but I'll keep an eye out for used stuff.

 

[jobowker]

I've used .40sw blazer in my SIG 229 on occasion without any issues, (less than 10 boxes) but the only revolver I've put blazers through is my Ruger Blackhawk. I don't know if I put any blazers in .44 mag, but definitely put a bunch of .44 special through it.

Is there any chance you shot a lot of .38spl, forming a bit of a ring inside the cylinder, and then fired some .357 cases?

 

[Polibious]

I've used .40sw blazer in my SIG 229 on occasion without any issues, (less than 10 boxes) but the only revolver I've put blazers through is my Ruger Blackhawk. I don't know if I put any blazers in .44 mag, but definitely put a bunch of .44 special through it.

Is there any chance you shot a lot of .38spl, forming a bit of a ring inside the cylinder, and then fired some .357 cases?

Yes, I was going back and forth, I eyeballed the cylinder and didn't see any buildup in there, can't be positive though. Is going back and forth from .38 spl to .357 a no, no?

 

[Jose]

Is going back and forth from .38 spl to .357 a no, no?

No, not at all. Just make sure you clean out the carbon ring that builds up from shooting the shorter cartridge in the longer chamber.

When a .357 Magnum cartridge does not drop freely all the way to the rim, you've let it go too far without cleaning.

 

[Polibious]

Thanks Jose, that makes sense. I assume closing the cylinder if it doesn't drop freely, just jams the cartridge in, making it harder to extract?

 

[Jose]

Thanks Jose, that makes sense. I assume closing the cylinder if it doesn't drop freely, just jams the cartridge in, making it harder to extract?

Not really. Remember it's just a little carbon crud. If you close the cylinder, fire them all, then open it again, a slap at the ejector rod will toss the whole mess on the ground.

Speaking of which, I don't know how skilled you are with a wheelgun, so here's a really good primer on reloading one quickly. Such a skill seems to be dying as less and less people (incorrectly) assume revolvers are obsolete as weapons.

Watch this video and pay close attention to Clint Smith's reloading technique. Note particularly how he uses the palm of the strong hand to slap the ejector rod instead of using the thumb of the weak hand. A much stronger technique guaranteed to empty the cylinder right quick.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOVWwOahGf8

 

[Polibious]

Ok, that was pretty cool. I think I'll practice that empty over a thick foam pad for a while though. He did that very fast.

 

[appraiser]

back to the topic, I used Blazer CCI ammo ONCE and it had to be back 20 years ago, I used it in my Model 13 at a Sunday morning public shoot at Cape Ann Sportsman's Club (5 bucks to use the outdoor range!) and I remember it vividly, because I had to beat the ejector rod on the table to get the SH*T out of the cylinder.

IIRC it was like 9 bucks a box, compared to 13 bucks for 50 rounds of brass cased new ammo. The stuff was absolute garbage!

Luckily there was a guy there who sold .38 spl lead wadcutter reloads for 5 bucks a box.

I never used it again, and when it was the only ammo on the shelf earlier this year I still wouldn't buy it.