Reloading the 38 Rimfire Short - Help

[38rf]

Hey all,

I am new to the forum and a long time reloader for a number of cartridges. Recently, I have gotten into antiques and will soon be loading for an old Remington (New Model-cartridge conversion) chambered in .38 Rimfire short.

Anyone here load this one or know what the correct bullet weight/fffg charge should be? I have searched the net but load data on this round doesn't seem to exist.

The old .38 Short Colt appears to be basically the same cartridge in a center fire (I assume??) and I was considering using that data for the .38 RF Short. Any help to get this old Remington shooting again would be appreciated.

[Bazoo]

Cartridges of the world 5th page 310 lists "original loading was a 130 gr. bullet and 18 grains black powder".

[Traffer]

I have been looking through my reloading manuals to try and find info for you...came up with nothing. Basically though, The old black powder rimfire rounds were often filled with black powder. You could certainly load them light to start. I assume you are planning on using black powder. Are you going to use a priming system other than repriming the rim? I ask because I have been reloading 22lr by repriming rims. This is a link to another approach that was tried...https://38rimfire.blogspot.com/
If you have any other questions on the general process of reloading rimfire feel free to ask me.

[38rf]

I am planning on using only black powder (fffg) and have some brass that allows me to use a .22 lr as the primer (with the bullet/powder removed & case shortened). Since I don't have any reloading data for the .38 RF short I want to be sure not to overload it as the little Remington is almost 150 years old but in excellent mechanical condition. To further complicate things there is a .38 RF short, long and extra long. 130 gr bullet on 18 grains of black powder might be the Long loading as the short case is .775" in length and would only hold 10 or so grains. I don't know if 18 compress would be even possible.

If anyone has links or other excepts from book on the original loading of the .38 RF (SHORT) I would greatly appreciate any data you might have.

[Traffer]

"22lr with the bullet and powder removed...") Would that be the same as a .22 cal nail gun charge? They would be more practical than doing all that work with a 22lr. And with a nail gun charge you probably wouldn't even need any extra powder. Depending on the strength of the nail gun charge.

[Bazoo]

What I quoted was from the short specific entry. Course it's possible the book is wrong. The long was a 150 grain bullet if I'm not mistaken, both healed though.

[38rf]

Tried a 9gr charge of fffg (Hodgdon Triple 7) with an slightly undersized 85gr bullet. It seemed rather mild but the old .38RF came alive after God knows how many years. It shot about 21" high at 25 yards. Will have to try a heavier load with a heavier bullet. Suggestions are welcome.

[Bazoo]

Thanks for reporting back on it, got any pics of it?

[38rf]

Remington New Model Police

[38rf]

Cartridges of the world 5th page 310 lists "original loading was a 130 gr. bullet and 18 grains black powder".

It's been awhile but I finally got my hands on some antique .38 RF short ammo and pulled the bullet. Seems it has a 125 grain bullet under what I measured as 16 grains of FFG. Looks like a tiny bit might still be clinging to the case so 18 grains might be about right. However, the black powder was compressed.

If anyone else wants to shoot this old caliber I hope this information helps.

[smkummer]

I shoot 41 rimfire (short) with a reloadable case that uses a foldable 22 blank plus 1 grain trail boss. The blank already has a smokeless charge so that’s why only 1 grain of trail boss. I don’t have a proper heeled bullet for 41 rimfire (at about 130 grains) so I kind of press a soft lead ball onto the case that’s about ..408 diameter.
In your case, would a heeled bullet from a combination cab n ball mold that includes the pointed bullet which is heeled work?

[uscra112]

With the .32 Colt RF adaptors I use, I've migrated to using a 6mm "acorn blank" rather than a .22 cartridge in any form as the primer. They fit the same hole, but are much, much easier to remove after firing. A bit more expensive than using nailgun loads, but the convenience is well worth it. They are a bit more energetic than a magnum primer, but nothing like even the softest nailgun loads. Main source now is suppliers to trainers of hunting dogs. My last buy was from:

https://www.gundogsupply.com/walther...orn-blank.html

[smkummer]

Yes, the acorn blanks. Wow, .26 per blank? I bought some made in Yugoslavia that I believe were .11 each. And absolutely right that the acorn blanks come out of the very expensive and hard to get reloadable rim fire cases.

[uscra112]

That's $26 for 200. $0.13 per blank.

Using them saves a LOT of wear and tear on your adaptors, which cost what? $3.00 each?