38 special and 357 mag cases ?

Is there any preference between brass and plated 38 spl and 357 mag cases ?

Unplanted lasts longer due to plated tend to split.  Plated tend to be seen in defense ammo.  Mostly because police leather belts can corrode brass.

Wobbley wrote:Unplanted lasts longer due to plated tend to split.  Plated tend to be seen in defense ammo.  Mostly because police leather belts can corrode brass.

Agree.

I have had the plating come off in carbide sizing dies and make a real mess.

where is a good place to buy some 38 special brass cases ?

I have bought a lot of these. Good brass.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/941630236/starline-reloading-brass-38-special

Wobbley wrote:Unplanted lasts longer due to plated tend to split.  Plated tend to be seen in defense ammo.  Mostly because police leather belts can corrode brass.

I thought it was because it matched the polished nickel plated belt buckles and snaps on the Sam Browne belts used back in the day...

Dat too.  But I think the real reason was corrosion.  The tannins still in leather makes brass turn really green.

It not just from leather gear. I was once given some 38 ammo in the original boxes. The boxes had obvious water damage. Nickel cases were fine. Brass cases were corroded, some quite badly.

>I have had the plating come off in carbide sizing dies and make a real mess.

This has happened to me twice. On another forum, I brought this up, and I was called everything from a liar to giving up too easily.
For me, I like thin walls (for L-HBWCs) in .38 Spl, so Rem. is my favorite brass. I have had no issues with any brand in .357 Mag.
The only issue I have ever had is that .38 Spl and .357 Mag seem to produce more case splits than any other cartridge I have ever fired, and nickel-plated split at least twice as often.

I once ruined a set of dies from the chips from plated brass; no more.

Agree with noylj in his above statment.

Clarence

always ran Remington in my wife's 52...they work very well .

Plated pistol and rifle cases chamber & extract easier is the main reason for the nickel, etc. used. I have read and heard this from the ammo manufacturers over the years.

Question the Chart above says W-231 and VV320 are substitutes. 

Has anyone that shoots 231 tried 320 for 45acp? 

I had excellent results with 231 at 4.7 gn but w231 below 5.0gn is filthier than bulls-eye which is dirty. 

I have some vv320 and was wondering if gn for gn my recipes would work and if it is cleaner than 231 at that loading. 

RT