Ahh. Thanks Outpost.
Cat
Cogito, ergo armatum sum.
(I think, therefore I'm armed.)
mine!
I loved my old Enfield. I loaded HBWC's in it to fit the oversize bore. It was minute of mud turtle, rabbit, and squirrel with those loads. I also brazed a bead on the front sight to correct poi and cut a SA notch in the hammer for aimed fire.
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Some very nice guns here, folks. I don't have an actual .38 S&W, but I do feed my S&W 637 an equivalent load: 3.2 grains Bullseye/Lyman 358091 for 712 fps.
Currently casting and loading: .32 Auto, .380 Auto, .38 Special, 9X19, .357 Magnum, .257 Roberts, 6.5 Creedmoor, .30 WCF, .308 WCF, .45-70.
I currently have five 38 S&W examples on hand, and two 38 Specials. For the past 3 years or so, the 38 S&Ws have gotten a lot more range and field time than have the Specials.
Oldest to newest, as best I can determine.......
1) Iver Johnson "Owl Head", 3" barrel, made prior to WWI. Throats are .361", and it gets .375 RBs sized to .363" in an H&I die atop 1.5 grains of WW-231.
2) Colt Police Positive x 4", 1920 mfg. Throats @ .359", Lyman #358477 @ .359" atop 3.0 grains of Unique or 3.3 grains of Herco gives 700-725 FPS.
3) S&W Regulation Police x 4", 1933 mfg. Throats @ .361", one of my #358477 moulds drops .362" castings that clean up @ .361", same powder weights as #2 above.
4) Webley-Enfield DAO service revolver, likely WWII mfg. 4-1/2" barrel, throats .362"-.363". Shoots NEI #169A roughly to the sights at 25yards, 3.0 x Unique or 3.3 x Herco for 625-650 FPS.
5) S&W M&P "Lend-Lease" 38/200, 5" barrel, .363" throats. Shoots #169A into groups half the size of those produced at 25 yards by the W-E, 650-675 FPS.
I have the RCBS Cowboy Die Set in 38 S&W; it has two sizes of expander spud marked ".358" and ".360". The set's seater die will not accept a bullet larger than .362", but the 9mm Makarov die set can lend a hand here--tungsten carbide sizer die of proper diameter for 38 S&W, and the bullet aligning sleeve in the Mak seater die will fit a .367" pin gauge.
In a good revolver with decent sighting gear, the 38 S&W can give a good showing for itself downrange. The Colt PP and the S&W M&P have the best sights, and have accounted for lots of small varmints.
I don't paint bullets. I like Black Rifle Coffee. Sacred cows are always fair game. California is to the United States what Syria is to Russia and North Korea is to China/South Korea/Japan--a Hermit Kingdom detached from the real world and led by delusional maniacs, an economic and social basket case sustained by "foreign" aid so as to not lose military bases.
I don't have a .38 S&W, darn it. A while ago, a forum member offered a Baby Russian Smith that was in pretty good shape but I pndered too long and it passed. Now I sorely covet one. A thing like that could become my constant carry companion.
To paraphrase Ronald Reagan, the trouble with many shooting experts is not that they're ignorant; its just that they know so much that isn't so.
9.3x62AL -
Thanks for posting the comprehensive info!
This is EXACTLY the type of feedback I was hoping to encourage!
Bravo Zulu and an extra rum ration for you at mess this evening!
Attachment 220678
All Hands Please Carry On!
The ENEMY is listening.
HE wants to know what YOU know.
Keep it to yourself.
Mmmmmmmm.
Pusser issue?
D85 962 666, petty officer Morash, R, permission to drink it "neat" SIR?
Ahhhh the the lack of memories.
be safe
When you read the fine print you get an education
when you ignore the fine print you get experience
I age-qualified a couple decades back! Thank you for the kind words, Outpost.
The point to be made here is that the 38 S&W is NOT just a 38 Special Short--the 38 S&W case is fatter than that of the Special (.386"-.387") vs the 38 Special/357 spec of .379". 38 S&W bullets have a "mean" diameter spec of .361", and the throat specs vary from maker to maker--and sometimes from example to example within a given make. A "Tale of the Tape" on your revolver's throat spec prior to ammo assembly will keep you on the path to accuracy and prevent bore and throat leading.
I don't paint bullets. I like Black Rifle Coffee. Sacred cows are always fair game. California is to the United States what Syria is to Russia and North Korea is to China/South Korea/Japan--a Hermit Kingdom detached from the real world and led by delusional maniacs, an economic and social basket case sustained by "foreign" aid so as to not lose military bases.
Base diameter of .38 S&W is larger also and won't enter into "most" .38 Special revolver chambers. One notable exception being certain Ruger "Six" series .38 Special and .357s which will accept current REMINGTON and older Rem-UMC brands of .38 S&W 146-grain LRN ammo, but not current Winchester, older WRA, or Kynoch, or postwar Norma, Fiocchi, Geco, or new Starline brass.
Some S&W 940 9mm Centennial revolvers accept and function fine with R-P .38 S&W without clips and 9mm with clips, at least mine does...
Attachment 220688Attachment 220689Attachment 220690Attachment 220691Attachment 220692
The ENEMY is listening.
HE wants to know what YOU know.
Keep it to yourself.
So--38 S&W = 9mm Auto Rim? Interesting.
I don't paint bullets. I like Black Rifle Coffee. Sacred cows are always fair game. California is to the United States what Syria is to Russia and North Korea is to China/South Korea/Japan--a Hermit Kingdom detached from the real world and led by delusional maniacs, an economic and social basket case sustained by "foreign" aid so as to not lose military bases.
Because I have several older .38 S&W revolvers I'm not about to assemble any .38 S&W +P to use in the 940, for fear of a mixup.
But I like the idea of being able to use .38 S&W ammo I already have loaded for the older revolvers in the 940 for practice, and the fact that its fixed sights are "on" at practical ranges with both 146-grain .38 S&W and 9mm Parabellum 147-grain JHPs.
Rather convenient.
The ENEMY is listening.
HE wants to know what YOU know.
Keep it to yourself.
Outpost 75: I recently picked up a 940 and your use of .38 S&W in it is timely info for me. I'd never have thought that the larger diameter .38 boolits would have fit the bore, however. I have been considering loading some 147 grainers in 9mm, can you give me an idea what load you are using? Thanks, GF.
Must be old navy. Wasnt 40 at the time, but my only splicing of the main brace at sea. I was allowed 3 plus spillage, made it 3 frames before my gyro koncked out.
i did it just because.
Be well
When you read the fine print you get an education
when you ignore the fine print you get experience
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 |