Just started shooting the open tops-need help

silvergoat12 · June 18, 2007, 05:16:35 PM

Part's: I just got me a couple Navy open tops in 38sp. I would like to know how to load my own. Any and all information will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
goat

Fox Creek Kid · June 18, 2007, 05:56:56 PM

I would recommend you purchase a good solid reloading manual such as the one by Dean Grennell or "ABC's of Reloading" by Gary James. If you have never reloaded before find someone local to mentor you. If you have never reloaded before NEVER begin by using Internet data. Not to scare you, but reloading is serious business and some people only err once.

silvergoat12 · June 18, 2007, 06:24:45 PM

Thanks: I will get me a reloading manual and start from there. I have never relaoded,but I do know a pard that does. I will get with him. I'm only 63 and to young to die now

Deadeye Don · June 18, 2007, 06:38:59 PM

Quote from: silvergoat12 on June 18, 2007, 05:16:35 PM
Part's: I just got me a couple Navy open tops in 38sp. I would like to know how to load my own. Any and all information will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
goat

You are going to have sooooo much fun shooting those puppies. There is something so great about open tops. Congrats on your purchase.

Safe shooting. Deadeye.

Wills Point Pete · June 18, 2007, 10:08:39 PM

Loading The Holy Black is actually safer than loading that heathen fad smokeless stuff. As long as you keep flames and big sparks out of your loading area you can't hardly blow yourself up.
Send off to Springfield Slim or Mason Stillwell for some Big Lube Boolits. Fill the cases with enough of The Holy Black to get some compression, an eighth inch is fine, a quarter inch is okay too. Seat and crimp your Boolit. Shoot. Repeat.
I load all my BP handgun and rifle-caliber handgun ammo on a Lee Turret Press, I charge my cases with the Lee Safety Disc measure with the double disc kit installed. There are those who claim that the plastic measure is dangerous to use with BP. They are welcome to not use that measure, nor do I demand they sit in my gunroom while I load.
While it may be possible to get enough of The Holy Black into a shotgun shell to blow myself up, I doubt one could do so with a .38 cartridge. At any rate I still have a complete set of fingers, eyes, toes and other such parts.

Noz · June 19, 2007, 08:26:11 AM

A pair of open tops would be the only thing that would lure me back to cartridge guns. Really turn my crank.

Steel Horse Bailey · June 19, 2007, 01:43:41 PM

Someday, when I win the Lottery, (

) I'm gonna get one of them OTs!

Noz · June 19, 2007, 04:37:41 PM

One? What will you do with just one?

Tommy tornado · June 19, 2007, 11:00:36 PM

I would suggest more than one reloading manual. I currently own the ABC's book, Speer Reloading Manual, Lyman's, and Lee's manual. Also I would suggest a press like the Lee Classic Turret Press or Lyman's Turret. RCBS makes a great single stage press. Also go to the different company websites such as Lee, RCBS, and Lyman. They have good info. (Especially the videos by Lee).

Tommy tornado · June 19, 2007, 11:02:30 PM

Also reloading .38 special is easy. Buy a good set of Carbide dies. Here I would suggest Lee or RCBS. Lee will be cheaper.

rickk · June 20, 2007, 07:19:27 AM

The Lee Turret Press that Wills Point Pete mentioned is a great way to get started without spending lotsa money. I have 2 Dillon RL550's, a Corbin swage press, and a Lee turret press on my bench. The Turret press sees lots of use with calibers that I don't need to load hundreds an hour of, as it can be set up for additional calibers very cheaply, and calibers can be switched out in seconds.

They have both a three station and a new four station. I have never used the new four station, but a fouth station can be handy if you decide to use a separate crimp die. I just keep all my taper crimp dies in a separate turret on my 3 station press, so it is not an issue.

Lee also makes a progressive press build on this frame (the Pro-1000). I would recommend staying away from it. It jambs alot, and the auto-primer feed is downright dangerous. I had a primer explode and set off all the primers in the tray. Fortunately the tray was near empty. If it was full I would probably have been hurt much worse than I was. The primer tray is brittle plastic and the 100+ primers are pointed directly at the operator. The primer being inserted into the case is adjacent to the rest of the primers, so if it goes pop, they all go off. Better presses keep the primer being inserted well separated from the rest of the primers, and the primers are usually located on a well protected steel tube that points up and away from the operator.

So, except for the Pro1000 press, Lee reloading equipment works well and is quite reasonably priced.

Dick Dastardly · June 20, 2007, 07:45:49 AM

That LEE Turret press with the four hole quick change tool holder also works great when you want to use a compression die, as in long range rifle loading. If I could have only one press on my bench, that would be the one.

The Snakebite Greasewagon is the bullet you want for black powder shooting in that 38 Special. Ol Snakebite designed it specifically for your application. Mason Stillwell and Springfield Slim are two pards that sell 'em ready made. I have the molds in stock when you are ready to start casting yer own.

DD-DLoS