Copper .38 Special cases

[Hawkeye2]

This is an update of an old post and I will start off with my original post and without going through the whole thread again so here goes:

I was just given 20 boxes of once fired .38 special cases but I don't really know what they are. The cases are non-magnetic, copper colored and have no headstamp. They are all packed neatly in yellow WW boxes that are marked on the end with the caliber and unprimed cases GQ7145C. I don't know if these are the boxes they originally came in. I just deprimed about a gallon of dirty .38 cases and am cleaning them up and am now looking at these. I didn't know if I should go on and deprime, clean and size & prime these or trash them. Anyone know what I have here?

Edit: The primer has a red sealer applied around it and they deprime with little effort so the pocket isn't swaged as in military brass. I don't believe these have ever been reloaded and they haven't been cleaned as they still have a little smoke/soot around their mouth.


Last edited by Hawkeye2 on Thu Jul 10, 2014 6:59 pm, edited 1 time in total.




My new post:

I had gone on and deprimed and cleaned these copper colored cases and I find they have a very large flash hole. Using a drill as a gauge I find they average .116" (#32 bit). The pockets are consistent at .171" diameter, same as a regular .38 case. They cleaned up real nice but it looks like they can't be reloaded. I wonder if that size flash hole would be OK for shooting wax bullets. I have just over a 3 lb. coffee can full of them but I only have 2 .38 special derringers and shooting wax out of them would get old fast. I assume there is no way a wax bullet would travel the length of my '66 carbine barrel (20"). Any suggestions as to what to do with them or what they originally were for? I had thought it would have been neat to see the look on someone's face when he saw a copper case flying out of the '66, think copper cased .44 Henry rounds.

[Griff]

I just answered with a hypothesis on the old thread.

[AJMD429]

They would make cool wax-shootin' cases though.

[Hawkeye2]

Griff, would a blank need a larger flash hole? I always thought they used the standard size.

[Griff]

Griff, would a blank need a larger flash hole? I always thought they used the standard size.

Yea, the larger hole allows for release of more of the primer pressure to keep the primer from backing out and locking up the action on a revolver. I usually drill my 45Colt blank cases out to 0.125". Unlike a load with a projectile, there's very little to no backthrust of the case to flatten the primer. Flash holes generally run 0.080".

[stretch]

Interestin' thread. I am no longer (as!) ignorant about flash holes.

That said, if they're copper, I'd be tempted to try some light target loads.
Something like 3.4 gr. of WW231 and a 158 gr. LSWC. I can't see any harm
in trying a few of those in a stout revolver like a S&W Model 10 or a Ruger
357 Blackhawk. Yes, the pressure might be slightly greater, but in a steel
cylinder that will withstand a 357 Magnum, I'd think no problems at all.
Worst case might be some split necks, eh? If they're solid head cases, I
can't see a possible failure there with light loads. Maybe pure copper isn't
as stout as brass, but it should be sufficient at the pressures we're talking
about.

Your mileage may vary, but if you decide to try a few, please let us
know the results! I'm curious!

-Stretch

[Hawkeye2]

Even if they really are copper I wouldn't be concerned about the need to fire them is a strong gun. The case would expand and seal as well as brass and the case itself has little to to with the ultimate strength of the firearm unless it fails and allows gas back into the action. If I remember correctly the only real issue with copper .45-70 government ammo was that the rim was so soft the extractor tore through it after the gun had been fired a few times and fouling began to build up in the chamber. The issue with these cases is the flash hole size which I'm afraid would unseat the primer.

[stretch]

I'm not sure that I'd worry much about primers being unseated.

There's simply not enough room back there for a primer to back out
completely, especially at lower pressures. You're not going to blow
'em wide open. (One cylinder's worth will tell ya!) I have a batch of primers
that are a wee bit small. They leak a tiny bit with even light loads.
Not dangerous - just annoyin' to my sensibilities. It's the primers, because
only that batch of primers leaks regardless of load, brand of brass, or
caliber.

'Course it's your gun, hands, eyes, backside and suchlike, so you'll do
what you think best, eh? Still, fascinatin' discussion.

-Stretch

[Hawkeye2]

I expect I could find out what'll happen by maxing out a couple with 3f under a wadcutter. Put on safety equipment, a welding glove and bust a couple of caps in my old FIE derringer.