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Reloading in 38 Special
What's a good starting point to learn more about re-loading. I see no reason why I shouldn't. I like my Ruger GP-100 4" and plan to shot it a lot. It gets 2' groups from ~ 25 feet for a lousy shot like myself and I plan on getting better, but not at the expense of my retirement account 
Can someone direct me to a good reference to learn more on this topic?
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Reloading in 38 Special
It use to be that you could get into it for very little money … not sure if that’s still the case.
I started years ago with the RCBS stuff. I think they’re still around.
Get a good powder dispenser. Don’t depend on the funky little cups.
Calibrate your scale.
Set of dies and a press and that’s really all you need to get started.
Inspect your casings before every reload.
When I started I didn’t have a trimmer or a polisher. Those are nice items to have but you won’t need them to get started.
I always started with new brass, good powder, and primers. Personally I never did like shooting straight lead, but preferred jacketed rounds. Cleaning the gun is a lot faster.
Needless to say, but get a good reloading manual. Beware of the limits of your weapon and watch the temptation to hot load, (even though we all do it).
Be safe and have fun.
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Reloading in 38 Special
"I always started with new brass"
Jdcman, thanks for the reply. My question is: what is wrong with using spent brass? - I thought that was one of the ways you save with reloading.
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Reloading in 38 Special
sorry, i could've been more clear.
using spent brass is fine. you just need to be aware that metal distorts, elongates and tears. the extent will be load and application dependent. therefore you need to inspect your casings prior to use.
starting from with fresh brass as opposed to picking stuff up at the range allows you to document number of reloads, charge and load type, round weight, etc. at "t" zero.
your first box of bought ammo will work nicely.
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Reloading in 38 Special
OK, I see.
I only plan to reload for my revolver so I'll know the exact history of my cases if I re-use my own. It's also a Ruger so I don't have to worry too much about overloading the .38 special round by mistake considering that this gun is designed to withstand unlimited pounding with Magnum loads.
I gotta get me a book or something on the subject.
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Reloading in 38 Special
denis,
go into your local gun shop --- if it's anything like the ones i use to go into, there will be lots of books to chose from on reloading.
i guess i'm not that familiar with the gp100, i thought they were all 357 capable ---
but then again i don't even remember the model number of my 357 ruger. i'll have to look tonight.
i haven't been out shooting in over 8 years. i bet i'd find it difficult to focus rear sight to front on the redhawk --- geeze tough getting old.
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Reloading in 38 Special
hey, you gotta dust off that ol' ruger and shot 'em up.
You're right in a way about the GP-100; that gun was originally designed for .38 special only, but being a Ruger it was overbuilt. You'd know it better than me. Any way, when the need arose to offer a model that could handle .357 magnum, there's wasn't much of anything that Ruger had to modify on the existing .38 revolver. So right now Ruger sells two guns - same weight and size, one is labeled .38 special, the other .357 magnum. But it's the same gun! I asked a gun shop owner why do that instead of just selling the .357 model? He said, at the time some law enforcement agencies (those protecting federal buildings and some others) required their officers to carry a .38 special revolver and no other. Ruger said, fine and "labeled" one revolver two different ways. And that kept the pencil pushers in the government happy. so that's the story.
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Reloading in 38 Special
well that's great news for you. i'd verify it with the factory and then load up some 357 ---
quite a difference in bang!
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Reloading in 38 Special
The absolute best deal on the market is from Lee Precision.
Good quality and rock bottom prices.
Link:
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Reloading in 38 Special
jdcman, sorry I didn't make it clear before: my gun is labeled ".357 Magnum". I just choose to shoot .38 special with it. I shot a 158 grain high velocity soft point magnum round - that's probably as high in recoil as it gets for a .357 magnum and didn't like it. The bang is fun, but I can't keep the hits on target So I'll stick with .38 Sp for now.
DR, thanks, that's exactly what I was looking for!
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How do you determine Shotgun S
02-19-2018, 05:07 
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