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Thread: Western .38 Special Super Police

  1. #1
    Boolit Buddy
    jrmartin1964's Avatar
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    Western .38 Special Super Police

    Full box, found among some of the things my grandfather kept in a drawer...

    Front label:
    Attachment 206495

    Back label:
    Attachment 206496

    One of the 50:
    Attachment 206497


  2. #2
    Boolit Grand Master Outpost75's Avatar
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    Nice find! Highly collectible! Do not shoot, the full box in that condition would bring $75-100 at auction.
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  3. #3
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    Larry Gibson's Avatar
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    Collectors item is about all it's good for.

    I actual shot myself once with that exact round! Back in the mid '70s I was the firearms/tactical instructor for several LE agencies. Richard Davis (inventor of, owner, founder of Second Chance Kevlar vests) sent me a bunch of test patches of his vest material to "test". He suggested a 12 - 14" bundle of magazines gave the right resistance similar to what the human torso did. He had shot himself with a vest on many times so I figured he knew better than anyone. I taped a test patch on the magazine bundle and at 3 yards shot them with most handgun caliber/cartridges of the day from .22LR up through 44 Magnum.

    The Cpt of my department was enamored with his Chief's SPL (1 7/8" barrel) and carried it with the above load which against department regs as we were to carry issue ammunition only (Remington 125 gr +P HPs at the time) but then he was the Cpt....... He gave me his Cheif's SPL to use and stated the "man stopper" load would probably destroy the test patch and knock the magazine bundle yards away.......

    Anyways when I shot the test patch with the 200 gr Lubaloy bullet from it bounced off and back hitting me in the stomach. Other than scaring the heck out of myself it only left a big red welt. When I returned from the range I went to the hospital to get "checked". I really didn't need to but I needed to make a point. Of course as soon as I went into the hospital and reported I'd been shot they reported it to the PD. In no time here came the detective, the COP and the Cpt. When I told the COP what happened and with that he ordered the Cpt to no longer carry that ammo but to carry issue ammo.
    Larry Gibson

    “Deficient observation is merely a form of ignorance and responsible for the many morbid notions and foolish ideas prevailing.”
    ― Nikola Tesla

  4. #4
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    TNsailorman's Avatar
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    The very first factory pistol ammo I bought for myself was the 200 grain "Police Load" lead bullet with a slightly rounded flat nose bullet. I shot them in a S&W 4" .38 Special K frame and was not impressed at all with their accuracy or stopping power. They didn't even knock over a 1 gallon metal water filled can, no did they go all the way through it. The box was similar to the one the OP shows but not exactly the same. I never bought any more of it. Shot it and forgot it. This was in 1966. my experience anyway, james

  5. #5
    Boolit Master smkummer's Avatar
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    My understanding this was to replace the discontinued 41 colt cartridge with an advertised close to 700 FPS out of a 4" barrel. Most actual velocities were below 600 FPS. Out of a snub, maybe 500 FPS? That's getting into the velocity range that one can actually see the bullets in flight and rather than penetrate, bounce off of hardwood or a tree. My reloads are actually getting into the 7-750 range and side by side with a 41 Colt revolver feel identical.

  6. #6
    Boolit Master
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    That is a really nice find there, congratulations. I always did like finding such things as old ammo boxes etc.

  7. #7
    Boolit Grand Master Outpost75's Avatar
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    If you want a more effective, modern heavy bullet for .38 Special, Accurate 36-190T gives 1.59" OAL in .38 Special brass and gives 720 fps from a 2-3/4" barrel with 3.2 grains of Bullseye, or 800 fps with 3.5 grains (+P).

    Attachment 208095Attachment 208096
    The ENEMY is listening.
    HE wants to know what YOU know.
    Keep it to yourself.

  8. #8
    Boolit Master
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    Very cool, just found some of this brass in a bucket of .38spcl. Note that it has large primers.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check