Originally Posted by
Stumpkiller
Some years ago (30+) I shot a LOT of .38 Special in PPC with the local county sheriffs. Work changes, a move, etc. caused me to no longer shoot in competition. But at that time it was nothing to go through 240 rounds in a weekend during "the season". I had many hundreds of mid-range wadcutters, SWC and even a good supply of JHP upstairs in my ammo locker. Years of occasional small-game wadcutter tossing and plinking used up that supply. But some remains!
Fell onto the semi-auto truck as well so the poor 'ol S&W K-38 M-14 has been neglected. Well, I am now retired and I figured it is time to load up some more and do more shooting rather than sitting on it. And, also, as NY no longer allow mail-order I'm going to watch my supply of .22LR/.22WRM carefully. I have other powders and primers, but in one corner of my work area I discovered a container of the "old" .38 Special components. I recently picked up a supply of Berry's 125gr copper-plated HP that I want to try as "plinkers" into some recently steel-pin tossed and polished cases (CBC headstamp - I believe that is Brazil - my notes say "MagTech" brand). The primers are CCI500 that have an $8.99 Dick's price sticker on the box of 1000 (back when Dick's had one store - and Dick Stack had balls and sold pistols and catered to hunters and fishermen, unlike his wimp brother Ed, who went golf and exercise equipment crazy) and the Unique powder has a price of $7.99 on the one pound cardboard tube.
And, yes, for better or worse I had the primers in the same container as the powder (and some W296 and W231 as well). Also a 500 count box of Hornady 158gr lead SWC and a 100 count box of locally cast (hard) lead HBWC. Also, a box of Hornady 158gr lead SWC - $14.99/500. I'll move on to using them up as well. I used to shoot those in a Colt Trooper III and, God, did that thing lead up. That's why those went into storage.
If nothing else the powders and primers will demonstrate the storage climate of my basement workshop! When I get around to shooting the results (if the rain ever stops) I will report back with the results. I'll probably run at least the first pop through my .38/.357 Contender . . . just in case.