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Thread: accuracy issues shooting 38 long colt in 357?

  1. #1
    Boolit Mold
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    Sep 2017
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    accuracy issues shooting 38 long colt in 357?

    hello everyone, i am looking at buying a new SAA and really want to shoot an authentic 38 caliber cartridge looks like i am limited to 38 long colt but if anyone is aware of any others i am open to suggestions. my concern is do you think there would be any accuracy issues shooting 38LCin a 357 i understand 38SPL is shorted but 38LC will be over a 1/4 inch short just wanted to know your thoughts. i have never shot specials in a magnum 38 or 44 and wanted to know if there was any inherent accuracy issues doing so. any info or thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

    thank you,
    Jason C.

  2. #2
    Boolit Master
    Hick's Avatar
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    I haven't tried long colt in my 357 revolver yet-- but it was fine in my 38 Special.

    At one time, doing research on this question, I found an article on the internet explaining that competitive revolver shooters used to use 38 Short Colt reloads in 38 Specials for accuracy and speed of reloading, but that it was later banned as an unfair advantage in reloading time. If this is true, then if 38 short colt is that accurate in a 38 Special, 38 Long colt should be fine in a 357. I have a friend who promised me some 38 Long Colt brass-- as soon as I get it I plan to try it out in my Ruger single action 357 magnum revolver.
    Hick: Iron sights!

  3. #3
    Boolit Mold
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    you are correct about the banning of the short colts i didnt even think about that till you mentioned it and if they where accuracte enough for them i dont think i will need to worry about accuracy thanks for jogging the old memory

  4. #4
    Boolit Grand Master bedbugbilly's Avatar
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    I do it all the time. I don't shoot competition so can't speak to that as far as what is and isn't kosher there.

    I have a Uberti 357 Bisley as well as a Ruger 357 New Vaquero - also have other 38 specials such as vintage S & Ws - M & P, Model 36s, etc. I use both 38 Colt Short and Long in them (as well as 38 specials) and have no issues at all with accuracy. I have a number of molds that I utilize but normally in the Colt Long I use a 120ish grain round nose cast boolit - sometimes just the same in the Colt Short and sometimes use a 110-115 grain lead boolit in the Short. They all work just fine in my SAA clones with both smokeless and BP. While I have accumulated a variety of head stamped brass in the Colt Short and Long over time, Starline offers both of those and it is excellent brass.

    A 1851 Richards & Maason (Uberti) is on my "buy list" and in that, even though it is chambered in 38 Special, I'll probably use 38 Colt Shorts since that cartridge was designed for the 1851 Navy conversions.

    I really like the 38 Colt Shorts out of my S & W Model 36 with the 3" barrel - a fun plinking round that will kill cans and paper just fine and also work for small critters along the way. While the primer/boolit still use the same amount of lead or cost the same regardless of what length case you put it in, the Shorts are pretty lean when it comes to powder usage. I usually use Red Dot or Bulls Eye if I'm using smokeless.

    Give it a try and I think you'll find that you'll enjoy playing with the 38 Colt Short and Long. If you don't want to buy 500 pieces of brass at a time through Starline - check Track of the Wolf as they sell the Starline in smaller quantities so you can purchase what you want to try before "stocking up".

    If you are loading them with BP, just make sure that you have a slightly compressed load. I just finger lube the grooves on my boolits prior to seating in 38 Colt Short, Long, 38 Special and 357 (I like shooting the BP 357 our of my Handi Rifle). I use a mixture of Crisco and beeswax that I've been using for 50 years but any good BP lube will work. I don't use a anything between the boolit and powder and compress the powder when seating the boolit. The lube can get a little messy on your seating die but just clean it as needed. I have had good luck with 3F (Goex) but have also used 2F if I ws short of powder or of course you can always use Smokeless (as long as your firearm is for smokeless). When you are using BP cartridges, be sure to lube your cylinder pin with your BP lube as well and it will keep you going longer without fouling building up to impeed the cylinder at all.

    Enjoy and have fun!
    Last edited by bedbugbilly; 11-04-2017 at 03:01 PM.

  5. #5
    Boolit Master smkummer's Avatar
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    Aug 2007
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    Your probably the only one that will notice it. 38LC brass is not easy to come by and most of the time 38/357 dies won't crimp the case without modification. 38LC ammo is 2 or 3 times more expensive that bulk 38 special ammo. In short you may find it more hassle than rewards. A blunt round nose bullet loaded in a 38 special will almost look the same as a 38LC cartridge. You could even trim a 38 special to 38 LC length.

  6. #6
    Boolit Man
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    Apr 2010
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    38 Special was originally a black powder load. So if you want historically correct, easy to load, and accurate in a 357; then load 38 special with black powder.

  7. #7
    Boolit Buddy
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    Oct 2011
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    I load 38 LC for my Vaquero and Blackhawks. The advantage being able to shoot lighter bullets slowly with decent chrono numbers and no powder position issues.

    Disadvantages are a longer crud ring in the chamber and the odd flyer. I suspect that on 2 to perhaps 5% of the bullets may hit the throats out of shape.....or I just miss! My 125 loads go about 650 fps, so time in the barrel is long, a steady hold is needed.

    I find cast WC bullets in 38 Spl to perform a bit nicer. I use Trail Boss, 2.5 gr with a F 100 SP primer and a LEE 358-148 WC crimped in the groove works rather well.

    If someone would make a revolver with a LC chamber I think the results would be good.

    38 LC in a 357 mag chamber chrono low by about 50 to 100 fps from the number I get.

    Nitro

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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