Re: Looking for cheap 38 spc...what about this?

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Aside from the description of the ammo making absolutely no sense .. I haven't a clue

Hollow point ammo rarely expands well below 1000 fps

There is a specific bullet design optimized for target shooting the wadcutter or semi wadcutter which are technically simpler bullet to make and therefore cheaper to make, but usually, being target ammo are held to tighter quality control standards and tighter tolerances which is more expensive.. so cheaper to make + tighter tolerances usually equals an affordable bullet of high consistency and consistency is harbinger of accuracy

Here you have a odd bullet seldom used as a target or even plinking by design, normally used in self defense loads that is more complex and expensive and more difficult to achieve tight tolerances on and to make, where the lethality is more important than making neat easy to score clean round holes in paper.. loaded lighter than normal, roughly 150-200 fps slower than a typical 125 grain JHP which could undermine the basic purpose of a JHP bullet, to expand, and being sold at a discount.

If you buy any, let us know how they do

Re: Looking for cheap 38 spc...what about this?

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zagone wrote:I've been doing Magtech in the $14-$16 per box of 50 range .

However, Magtech has been scarce the past few weeks.
Bang it Ammo has raised their prices on most Magtech to the low $20s - except for the 158 grain flat head sport ammo at $14+ per 50 box. Midway USA has a few 130 grain full metal jacket Magtech rounds back in stock at 32-34 cents per bullet.

I'm not seeing the others, like ZERO, mentioned here at these two retailers - will broaden my search from my usual suppliers.
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Most definitely NOT in the bullseye league... yet!

Re: Looking for cheap 38 spc...what about this?

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Just gonna put in a plug for reloading. Lee makes a little pocket reloading kit for bout $30 https://www.midwayusa.com/product/70213 ... 357-magnum that does 38 spl and 357 .. powder runs about $30 a pound.. 7000 grains to a pounds, 3.5 to 5 grains per round 1700 to 2000 loads per pound, 1.5-2 cents of powder per round. Primers are about 3 cents each.. bullets are $10-$20 per 100 o Midway USA.

Yes takes a little work, takes a little time.. but once you get the hang of it $15 per 100 is pretty easy to do

You can also cast some pretty decent bullets from lead wheel weights which some folks can get for free.. some pay a buck a pound, still 7000 grains per pound.. even at 148 grain each for wad cutters.. that's 47 bullets for a buck .. $2.15 for 100 bullets + 3.00 for primers + $1.50 for powder = $6.65 for TWO boxes of 50

38 spl brass is practically immortal .. so if you don't lose it in the grass the brass lasts forever.. okay at least 100 reloads

I reload 125 golden sabers at about $14 per 100 + $4.50 powder and primer.. call it $10 box per box of 50

I started on the Lee Loader many years ago

another beginners option is a hand press https://ads.midwayusa.com/product/65061 ... gQodS4oCuQ about $50 bucks and a set of dies https://www.midwayusa.com/product/30980 ... 357-magnum and a few other optional do dad's to make your life easier say +$30 for maximum convenience.. a scale .. pocket digital that weighs out in grains will work gives you maximum flexibility on what powders and weights you can use..

I get that it takes time and effort and there is a learning curve.. reasonably short and shallow

But when you consider you can be loading top drawer self defense rounds for about 25 cents .. that often cost north of a buck apiece .. or plinking ammo from wide variety of cast and jacketed bullets https://www.midwayusa.com/38-special-an ... r?cid=7564

Now .. I shoot a lot and I have several 38 spl/357 wheel guns .. and I buy in bluk when I find a bullet I like.. there is one thing about reloading.. massive discounts if you buy in bulk.

example https://www.midwayusa.com/product/16013 ... llow-point

Even if you get a bench press and all the fancy do-dad's and thingymabobs .. it doesn't take long for the reloading gear to pay for itself

Reloading isn't for everybody.. it takes a reasonable amount of concentration and attention to detail.. some folks like it.. some folks don't ..

But for folks like me who roast my own coffee beans roll my own smokes grow my own veggies and fruits. reloading lets me buy a few extra guns a year, well with the help of rolling my own smokes for about a dollar a pack.. and brewing my own coffee.. now there is learning curve.. roasting coffee
And I get to shoot as much as I want.. even use my self defense loads .. a couple hundred rounds a pop for training ammo.. train with what you carry.

Something to think about at any rate.. you can do the Lee loader or the hand press at the Kitchen table.. if space is the problem

There is also the flying under the radar aspect should you have that problem

Re: Looking for cheap 38 spc...what about this?

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zagone wrote:Just ordered 1000 rounds of the East Carolina Cartridges ammo for 125gr 38spl flat head. Comes out to about $10.80 per box of 50 including $25 flat rate shipping.

Will let you know how they do.

They are out of stock a lot - why is that?
Thought I would give an update on this order for those interested.

Ordered from in-stock items on 8/11/17. They shipped about 9/1/17. Shipped FedEx, but holiday weekend caused delays. Box arrived 9/8/17.

They pack 50 bullets to a box, loose in box.

Boxes are a bit too flimsy and several broke apart in shipping despite the crate not being crushed in shipping.

They shipped me a box of 20 “38spl 158gr cast hollow point ‘maximum expansion’ rounds” instead of the bag of 10 rounds of similar or identical ammo ordered – thank you, +10 rounds is good with me.

Of course – what actually matters is how the ammo fires. My 38 spl pistol is at a gunsmith, so it may be a month before I can test-fire any ammo.

-- Zagone
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Most definitely NOT in the bullseye league... yet!
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Re: Looking for cheap 38 spc...what about this?

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Sarge wrote:Have you seen this offer https://www.aimsurplus.com/product.aspx ... groupid=30
AIM is one of my go to places
This was a one time special purchase!!
Translation: Remington is feeling the loss of the "Democommies are coming to take yer gunz! Ammo will be taxed at $1000 per bullet!" marketing angle and REALLY needs to clear out some inventory.
IMR4227: Zero to 900 in 0.001 seconds

I'm only killing paper and my self-esteem.

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Re: Looking for cheap 38 spc...what about this?

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Update on East Carolina Cartridges:

My preliminary report on this ammo is not good, but its too early to know for sure. I RENTED a big heavy old 357 Mag S&W revolver this past Sunday and shot two or three loads (16-24 bullets) of the East Carolina ammo between 357 mag loads. (38 spl ammo in this gun had less kick than my Ruger Mark II 22lr pistol!)

On one hand: 2-3 bullets out of each 8 bullet revolver load failed to fire on the first strike. I had to cycle through the cylinder 2 to 4 times to get all of the bullets to fire. Also - some of the bullets did not quite fit in some of the cylinder chambers (I moved them - did not risk that). Not promising.

On the other hand: About 1 out of every 8 bullets of 357 mag brand new ammo from a good company failed to fire on the first strike.

So I am thinking that the problem was a light hammer on the rental gun - not a problem with the ammo.

Oh well... so I continue to wait to get my 38 spl pistol with a newish hammer and heavy hammer strike back from the gunsmith so I can try again and actually test out the East Carolina ammo for real.

:confused: :roll:

-- Zagone
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Most definitely NOT in the bullseye league... yet!

Re: Looking for cheap 38 spc...what about this?

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I finally have a range report on East Carolina professionally reloaded 38 ammo. See above for much more on this ammo.

I had to wait 3 months to get my own 38 snubbie back from gunsmith (another story), but finally got it.

Worst day at the range ever.

My snubbie has a brand new and heavy hammer (thank you Smith and Wesson free repairs). So most of the time the East Carolina ammo fired. Only had two times where I had to run the ammo through twice to get it to fire in 50 rounds.

However, a high percentage (10%-20%?) of rounds would not easily fit in the chambers. Seems like they were slightly deformed. Some I could push down hard with my thumb and get to work. Others would (frequently) result in my barrel not turning until I unloaded the offending round.

So pretty much every load of 5 shots, I had to pay special attention to loading and adjusting and ejecting a round or two.

My aim was way, way, way off - but that might be an effect of me testing a new sight on the gun at the same time. So I'm not sure if it was the ammo or me adjusting to the sight -- or both -- it all sometimes caused me not to even hit the target at 25 feet with multiple rounds.

Maybe I'm just spoiled by new ammo - please let me know if I need to adjust my expectations.

In the absence of such wisdom, I consider the East Carolina ammo a definite fail and thumbs down.

:thumbsdown: :thumbsdown: :yucky: :yucky: :sneaky: :sneaky: :wacko: :wacko: :weep: :weep: :no: :no:

- Zagone
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Most definitely NOT in the bullseye league... yet!

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