Loaded up 50 rds of 38spl this pm. The loaded rounds won't drop in easily in the cylinder, some won't even go halfway. Brass is nickel Winchester that I purchased from Scharch Mfg, it's processed and primed supposedly ready to go. I also tried a handful of mixed brass and got pretty much the same result. Bullets are cast 148gr .358" dewc from Western Bullet Co. I've loaded lots of 38's in the past and I don't recall ever having this problem except one time and I think that was due to excessive wall thickness of the military brass I was using at the time. Factory rounds drop right in.

i use the lee carbide factory crimp die on the loads they have dies for and never have had a problem with a load chambering. they also do a nice job crimping the case.

perhaps too much crimp.

Craig, I had this happen to me a long time ago and still sometimes encounter this phenomenon with certain lots of military brass.

I think you have a combination of things working against you here.

First, the brass is thick.
Second, this is made worse by the fact you are using bullets oversized to .358.
Finally, you are loading this thick brass and oversized bullet in a WADCUTTER configuration...which means you are pushing this oversized bullet way deep into the case where it is getting thicker and bulging things out further.

Bottom line is you have a combination here that isn't going to work. Or isn't going to chamber anyway.

What can you do about it? Well, since it's damn hard to pull a .38 wadcutter, you CAN run the ammo back thru your case sizing die far enough to resize the whole mess down where it will chamber and then shoot it. Obviously this won't enhance accuracy for this ammo, but it will save the cases. Then you can dedicate these cases to NON-Wadcutter use and/or try bullets sized to .357. But I would recommend them for other uses than wadcutters. I have done what I'm suggesting without a problem, especially on a reduced charge like wadcutter ammo. If you will just resize the loaded case down slightly below the bulge of the wadcutter's base, it should drop into your pistol easily.

Frankly, I've found the best thing to do with troublesome cases is pitch them in the trash. Otherwise they will forever stab you in the back when you least expect it. .38 brass is something that's abundantly available and there's no sense messing with troublesome lots.

Hope this helps.

I HAD THAT PROBLEM A FEW YRS BACK TOO SO NOW I SIZE ALL MY BULLETS TO .357 AND DON'T CRIMP TOO MUCH. GOT A LEE FACTORY CRIMP DIE AND THAT SEEMS TO HELP TOO.

THE 2ND AMENDMENT PROTECTS US ALL...........PROTECT IT...........

Thanks for the help guys. Pecos, I took your advise and ran the loaded rounds back thru the sizer die. That did it, they drop right in. I picked up some .357" jacketed bullets today as well as some 158 LRN's and will load some of each and see how that goes. I think the smaller bullets and or the Lee taper crimp will solve the problem. Now all I've gotta do is size 500 or so .358's down a notch. Hmm...now I'm thinkin' a meltdown might be a helluva lot easier.

Craig - If you have a lube sizer, it will be little trouble to just run them back thru rather than re-melt and cast 500 bullets!

I get cartridges that will not chamber after seating.

Partial resizing with the decap pin removed is the most common fix. The carbide ring in Lee Factory Crimp dies for pistols is slightly larger than the carbide ring in the Lee sizing dies.

When the bullet above the mouth is interfering with chambering, I can sometimes fix that by scratching off the lead shavings with my thumb nail.
If the bullet is too large a diameter all the way around, I can either re throat the chamber or if the bullets got fat from compressing the powder too hard, I can throw away the cartridge and start over while pre compressing the powder in the case with a pin gauge held in a bullet puller in a secondary operation press. When the powder is compressed in the case, then the real [ and delecate] bullet may be seated.

lee also makes a bullet sizimg kit and if you use your shooting arm to operate the press handle that is got to strengthen your arm and improve your shooting; right!

THIS AIN'T THE HUMOR SECTION CLARK.!!

How many compressed powder .38 special dewc loads do you know of???????