Any chance these reloads eject differently than factory loads? Where are these landing when shot? What power factor or velocity is your load? I don't load hp38 but is sounds like a light load. What recoil spring are you running?
Maybe it's light enough that the case is tapping the barrel hood protrusion on the way out? What shape is your elector?
I have a 97bd that likes to occasionally extract funny and dent the middle of the case very consistently when it happens.
Cheers,
Toby
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Unfortunately, I was shooting indoors in stalls so I couldn't see how or if the spent cases landed differently. I don't have a chrono so I can't provide PF or velocity info either
I suspected maybe the powder charge could bit low so I just made a batch of 1.14" OAL with 4.3gr HP-38. I'm running a 13 lb. recoil spring. I believe stock is 15 or 16 pounds. Maybe I'll bring the stock spring on the next trip and swap it in after a few test shots.
I'm not sure what an elector is; could you please tell me what that is? IMO the hood area seems normal. I've never dropped it so I am not sure how else it could be damaged. Then again, I'm not sure what an abused elector/hood looks like.
Mr. Sparkle (Mrs. Parkle?),
One, do you have multiple cases with this anomaly? Can you stand several up side by side and let us see a bunch in a row?
Two, you are going to want to shoot again and figure out the frequency. 100%? 70%? 1%? And check it against factory ammo?
I would load some at that OAL you have seen the problem with and some .02 shorter and some at .01 longer. Keep the separate OAL cases separate to if there's a difference at different OALs.
haha I go by Mr. Sparkle online
1. I do not. I didn't collect range brass on this trip... it's been hot lately in NorCal and the indoor range doesn't have a/c but does circulate 92oF air very well. I will collect a bunch of spent cases on my next trip with my newest batch.
2. I'm going to closely track the frequency of defects next trip. Made a batch of 200 so I should get a good sample size to see how often this occurs. I'll bring 50 rounds of the Fiocchi factory to track and compare as well.
Thanks for the tip. I'll try that out the next time I make a batch if this persists.