.38 spl cases with a cannelure

Something does not sound right with your statement. To date I have never seen a 38 spl with a cannelure. Maybe its just me.
 
I have some older .38 brass that has a cannelure about halfway down the brass. I believe it is to help prevent bullet setback in the case.
 
What you are talking about is an embosed ring around the case not a cantilure. You will note that it is at about the point that the base of the bullet will sit when properly seated into the case. Why it is there I can only guess, but as 68fan has stated it might be to insure not setback, or it may be used for automated seating machines to use as to how deep the bullet should be set.

It has no effect on your reloading and these cases can be used as any other 38 spl case you will run in to.

Jim
 
I've seen these in .38 spl and .357 mag cases, as well as in certain makes of .45 ACP cases. I'm pretty sure it's to prevent setback.
 
Yeah its to prevent set back. You'll notice the cannelure is where the base of the bullet would set when loaded.

Main thing, don't worry about it, just load them like all your other brass, you wont be able to tell the differance.
 
Just to throw a wrench in the gears, I have a few pieces of .38sp brass (S&B, I believe) that have two of these rings. The lower of the two being far too low to be there for the purpose of setback prevention.

I'll try to post some picks later if I can find them. I know that I have loaded and shot a few of them within the past week or two. They shouldn't be hard to fish out.

ETA: Here's one with two rings along with another example that has a ring much too high on the case to prevent setback (or at least it seems that way to me). These are not just single cases that may be defects, I have many just like both of these. Also, I was wrong... they are Remington, not S&B. Although, I do have a ton of S&B's w/ rings around the general area of the bottom of a seated bullet.


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Anybody got an explanation for these? I was intrigued by them when I first came across them, but they loaded and fine so I never really gave them much thought.
 
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Sorry, but I can't possibly see how they would prevent setback. I've never seen one deep enough to affect the interior of the case in any appreciable manner, and often they're simply not in a spot that would do anything to prevent bullet setback.
 
Another thing to consider is that setback usually isn't a problem with revolver rounds. (Unless you drop them. ;)) When you fire a revolver the tendency is for the bullet to come out of the case.

I think with modern brass those rings are just decoration. They may be part of the brass manufacturing process, but since many don't have rings I doubt it.
 
I asked this very same questions when I saw this on some of my brass (and very old nickle plated stuff) and was told it was part of the manufacture process.

I never pursued the question further, so I do not know what part of the manufacturing process it is.

The three nickle plated cases that this appears on are Western, R-P and W-W, all .38 Special.
 
I have some 357 and 38 spcl brass like that but most aren't. Can't see a reason for it and I have to admit although noticed I never paid any attention to it.
 
I have plenty of em myself... had, and still have no idea what it would be like that for... but I DO know they dont wear nor load nor shoot any different with than without.
 
I have some 45 colt brass where the "ring" is deep enough to hlp prevent bullet setback....but not quite sure why it it is needed?? I just load them as normal and go on with the show.
 
I also have some like that. S & W I think. They are old. At least 30 years. They don't work any differently. I never gave it much thought. Assumed they were for decoration since they didn't seem to do anything.

Reload them enough times, I suppose it's a future fracture point on the case.
 
Add me to the list of folks that have brass with those features in .38 special. No clue why they are there, seems to have zero effect on reloading and shooting so other than normal inspection I just load and shoot.
Also most of the ones I have like that are headstamped W-W, Western, R-P, Peters and half of them are nickel others are brass, all were given to me when I started reloading.

If it works shoot it!:D
 
If they are shot out of a lever action rifle (with a tubular magazine) then you need to worry about bullet setback. Many revolver cartridges are also chambered in lever action rifles.

I have seen 38/357 and 45 colt brass with this, and the correct name is a cannelure. They may be formed prior to seating to use as a stop, or after seating, as a crimp.

Andy
 
The ones further down the case were most likely originally loaded with WC bullets, the ones with the cannelure near the top, most likely had SWC bullets seated in them. Not a big deal
 
Ring Around the Case

I have R-P that has this ring. Both 38 and 357 head stamped. Why I can't say ask Remington-Peters about the ring, but I'd bet the machinery needed the ring for some reason. Possibly seating the bullet.
 
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