.38 Special Brass

Emmett Dunham

I was sorting out some range brass a buddy gave me and I felt what seemed to be a deformity in the case about 1/4th of an inch from the case mouth and put them in a different pile. I got my glasses out after I finished sorting the other brass and it was a ring pulled or cut into the brass about 1/8th wide. The case head markings are R P, I was going to throw them away, what is this cut for?

Emmett

charliemeyer007

Sounds like a cannelure in the case. Usually only found in more or less straight cases.

http://smith-wessonforum.com/reloading/125414-why-case-cannelures.html

Emmett Dunham

Makes since but most of the cases I have a light line rinning around the case; this one is a full 1/8th inch wide cannelure, never seen anything like this before.

Emmett

speedbuggy16v

possibly wad cutter brass?
speed

geeguy

I have thousands like that, although not 1/8" wide. Most are RP nickel. Never noticed any problem loading FMJ or wad cutter bullets.

62fuelie

Remington, among others, used the cannelure rings on the cases to code the various types of loads the brass was used for. I remember seeing the write up on this in Rifleman, I think. They had the 158 RNL the 200 round nose "Super Police" load (I think that was Winchester's designation, but both companies had similar loads), the 148 WC and a 150 metal piercing load that was a jacketed cone point. The rings don't pose any threat of weakness in the case, use them until inspection tells you they are done.