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Doug's Cheap Scout

by Doug K
aka Slow Hand

It seems to be inevitable these days. Technology has us in it’s grasp. Cell phones, emails, PDA’s, pagers, GPS, ATM’s. We all seem to want to relax and simplify our lives. So, we have hobbies; reloading for example. It started out as a necessity, the lone cowboy, out on the range, far from a general store to buy ammunition, had to reload his own. Now, we do it for a myriad of reasons.  Experimentation, economy, whatever. But, we have taken this simple hobby and made it all too complicated, we have turret presses, progressive loaders, low powder sensors, etc., etc., etc. I thought it would be nice to take a look at ‘getting back to basics’. I recently found this loading kit that contains all you need, minus components to turn out loaded ammo for any .38 Special chambered firearm. 

All you need to add is your own supply of brass, bullets, primers and powder. Oh, and a few hand tools. A hammer is needed, preferably a rubber or rawhide mallet. I also used hard, rubber bench block to cushion the steel tools from my concrete floor. 

It’s a pretty simple process, really, and one that near anyone can accomplish. First, you start by driving the case into the sizing die. I used Nickled brass, because it’s a bit ‘slicker’ than raw brass, and slides in and out easier. Standard brass can be used bare, but a bit of sizing lube helps things along. 

Then, you flip the die over and place it on the ‘Shell Head Alignment Chamber’ (Fancy, eh?) and insert the decapping rod. One good knock will deprime and another hit on it will drive the case out of the sizing die. 

Next, insert the case into the SHAC and flare the case mouth, with the proper tool.

This will give the case mouth a bit of a bell, or funnel shape to allow the cast bullet to seat without shaving lead off of the sides. 

Now, it’s time to prime those empty cases. Simply drop a primer into the tool, insert a case and squeeze the handle, until you feel the primer bottom out in the case. 

The priming tool is made specifically to fit the .38/.357 case head.

Next thing is adding the proper amount of powder to the primed cases. This is accomplished by using the provided scoop and loading data. Bull’s-Eye has long been the champion of the .38 Special. I could be wrong, but I think they might have been developed for each other. If not, they both came about at nearly the same time, round about 1899. The scoop is calibrated to hold 3.0 grains of Bull’s-Eye powder. By double checking with my Dillon digital powder scale (technology again) it held 3.3 grains. Still more than a safe load, and very close to my normal load of 3.5 under a 158gr cast lead slug.

To prime with this tool set, you drop the case into the SHAC and place the sizing die over it. This has two purposes. The first is to act as a funnel as you pour the powder into the case. The second, we’ll get to in a bit. 

Consistency is the key to accurate handloading. This is especially true when it comes to powder, and how you get it into the case. The way I did it was to scoop through a small plastic container of powder and once the measure was full, I would give it a single tap, to level it out. After you do this, simply pour the powder down the sizing die, into the case 

Next, simply place the bullet, here a 165gr hand cast bullet from a Lyman/Ideal mould #358477, into the sizing die. 

Then you slip the seating tool into the sizing die and tap it until it bottoms out.

Now, we have a primed, charged case, with a bullet seated to the proper depth. 

All we need to do is to give the case a proper crimp. Using the opposite end of the flaring tool, we give it a good tap and it all finished! 

Finally, we are ready to head to the range, to see the fruit of our labors. 

It is a good idea for time economy to do all of the cases in stages. Size and decap all, flare each of them, re-prime them, until you get to where you need to charge the cases and seat the bullets in each case, one at a time. Also. It is important that once the case is primed, to only hammer on it while it is in the SHAC. This tool is cupped, and has a hole in it’s bottom, so that nothing contacts the primer while it’s being hammered on. Obviously, proper eye protection is a necessity while doing these type of things.

If I were to have a cabin in the mountains, or something similar, where I would be far from civilization, I think it would be a good idea to have a set-up like this handy. With a good supply of powder, primers, and bullets, your needs could be met for a good long while. And, although it’s not much discussed these days, if you had to survive on your own, this kit would be irreplaceable. Especially so, in this caliber. With this kit, I believe you could reload .357 Magnum, as well. The combination of a good pistol ,such as a K-frame S&W or a Ruger Blackhawk in .357 Magnum paired with a Rossi ’92 or a Marlin ’94 in .357 would be a great survival pair. Both can be loaded up to kill most any medium game, and loaded down for smaller table fare, such as rabbit and squirrel. Also, in case of any two legged predators, wither would suffice nicely.

So, I hope that some time you may find an excuse to get away from the hustle and bustle of modern life and bring back the simple pleasures that shooting can provide us all

Range Report

1851 Conversion form Cimmarron. Cut down by Ole Dan, and traded off to me. I put the front sight back on it, obviously not centered! 3" barrel.

S&W M&P 6" made mid 30's I believe. Smooth, dark, Gray outside, like ne on the inside. Sights are a bit hard to see, but has done better than I expected for $100!

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