38 reloading question

[Lobo1]

Ok. I know I must have done something wrong but can't figure what. The other night I was reloading some 38 special ammo. All cases are brass. Mixed head stamp. I cleaned 500 cases. Deprived. 200, resized them. Cleaned the primer pocket. Pressed new primer in, charged with 4.9 grains of HP-38. Seated 125 grain FN bullets with max OAL at. 1.050". Then I crimped with a light crimp to prevent recoil
From affecting the seat. First 6 rounds fit in my S&W mod. 36 fine. But somewhere along the process I had quite a few that got really tight when the cartridge got about 1/16"
from being all the way in the cylinder. Same rounds fit in my Ruger GP 100 357 magnum fine though. What did I do wrong ???

 

[MuleShoe]

EITHER IN SIZEING OR YOU MAY WANT MIKE BULLETS SEE IF THEY ARE SIZED RIGHT.

 

[biker_bill]

Well I don't do .38, but I do a good number of calibers, so this is what I'd look at;

First double check the OAL of the round. If the OAL is within limits it's not the length of the round that's the problem.
Second I'd recheck the sizing die to make sure it's just about touching the shell plate. if it is then I'd feel pretty good that the brass was resized all the way down / properly.
I guess then I'd put the calipers on some of the bullets and check the diameters.
Lastly I'd check the brass again with the calipers to make sure I wasn't somehow squashing the round when seating the bullet or crimping (check at the top and the bottom of the brass).

All I can think of, good luck.

 

[Jackie Graham]

What brand were the bullets? I have had issues with lead cast that were .358 in some of my .357 / .38 pistols. It seams that not all cylinders are bored the same. I use a lee factory crimp die now the crimp my loads and that has helped greatly. I would suspect that the bullets are a little oversize.
Do the rounds that will not fit appear to bulge a little around the bullet seating area?

 

[Buckeye76]

What brand were the bullets? I have had issues with lead cast that were .358 in some of my .357 / .38 pistols. It seams that not all cylinders are bored the same. I use a lee factory crimp die now the crimp my loads and that has helped greatly. I would suspect that the bullets are a little oversize.
Do the rounds that will not fit appear to bulge a little around the bullet seating area?

this would be my guess as well.

 

[biker_bill]

What brand were the bullets? I have had issues with lead cast that were .358 in some of my .357 / .38 pistols. It seams that not all cylinders are bored the same. I use a lee factory crimp die now the crimp my loads and that has helped greatly. I would suspect that the bullets are a little oversize.
Do the rounds that will not fit appear to bulge a little around the bullet seating area?

Love those factory crimp dies! Have them for all my pistol calibers now.

 

[Jackie Graham]

I don't load any pistol caliber without them now. They have solved a lot of my fit issues especially on revolver calibers.

 

[biker_bill]

I don't load any pistol caliber without them now. They have solved a lot of my fit issues especially on revolver calibers.

When you're shooting in a match you know the round is going to chamber, that's a big deal.

 

[Jackie Graham]

Absolutely, a round that does not fit in the gun is useless!

 

[Lobo1]

What brand were the bullets? I have had issues with lead cast that were .358 in some of my .357 / .38 pistols. It seams that not all cylinders are bored the same. I use a lee factory crimp die now the crimp my loads and that has helped greatly. I would suspect that the bullets are a little oversize.
Do the rounds that will not fit appear to bulge a little around the bullet seating area?

Not sure. I will check when I get home later this evening.

The bullets came from a online company called "extreme bullets". I used some of their 115 gr 9 mm with no problem. I will dump them out if they don't measure out right. That may be the problem.