Anyone here ever formed any S&W .38/44 ( "long" ) Cases out of something else?

[Oyeboten]

Originals look like this -

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Basically, it is a long version of the .38 S & W Cartridge ( larger diameter than .38 Special ) and used a .361 Bullet.

Cases fit the entire length of the Cylinder, and Bullets were either seated flush with the case Mouth, or, were seated deep.

Or, if anyone has or knows of any empty Brass of this, let me know?

Otherwise, I am interested to find a way to have Cartridges I can load and use, and am willing to re-form them from something else ( if I could figure out what that 'something else' would be, and ) was wondering if anyone here has ever made any via re-forming?

Cartridge diameter of the original ones I have is .384.

Length 1.462

[Markopolo]

You need to contact Rocky Mountain Cartridge.. they make those I am pretty sure.. they will pretty much make anything.. a little speedier, but they do good work.

[cwtebay]

Can't you use 357 brass? My grandfather had one that he loaded heavy 38 special loads for, and I think he used 357 shells in it also.

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[cwtebay]

Found this! Maybe this will be some help.
https://www.cheaperthandirt.com/blog...-buffalo-bore/

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[Oyeboten]

Can't you use 357 brass? My grandfather had one that he loaded heavy 38 special loads for, and I think he used 357 shells in it also.

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.357 Cartridges are a little ways too short, and also smaller in diameter.

These were in use from the latter 1880s to the very early 1900s and were for specially Chambered Target Revolvers of the Day.

These are a Black Powder Cartridge...probably ran about the same pressure as Black Powder .38 Special would, so, not super low pressure, low to mid teens, depending, but not anything as high as the later ".38 Heavy Duty" aka ".38-44" of 1932 to 1940 fame, which was basically a pre .357 Magnum performance wise.

The later ".38-44" aka ".38 Heavy Duty" which was a "hot" .38 Special Cartridge, intended for use in the S & W N-Frame and Colt New Service Revolvers...and it is a whole other Cartridge from these.

[Oyeboten]

Found this! Maybe this will be some help.
https://www.cheaperthandirt.com/blog...-buffalo-bore/

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Uhhhh...no...Lol...

Thanks though!

That is "the other" .38/44 and a totally different Cartridge.

The original .38/44 as my image above has, were a special Target Round, flexible Loadings, and were/are a Black Powder Cartridge.

They are a lot longer than the other later ".38-44"s are.

They are in essence a long .38 S&W Cartridge, and use a .361 Bullet or Ball.

[Oyeboten]

You need to contact Rocky Mountain Cartridge.. they make those I am pretty sure.. they will pretty much make anything.. a little speedier, but they do good work.

Interesting!


Looks like they machine Cases out of Bar stock ( rather than drawing ).

I bet they could do just fine..!

Thanks!

I'll call them tomorrow and see what I can find out.

Might be too expensive for me, but, we'll see what they have to say.

[Oyeboten]

I keep thinking there may be some straight wall early-ish Rifle Cartridge, which could shortened, and re-sized down a little and work fine.

I just have not been able to think of what that old Rifle Cartridge would be though.

Any of the ones I do look in to, are much to large in diameter.

[cwtebay]

.357 Cartridges are a little ways too short, and also smaller in diameter.

These were in use from the latter 1880s to the very early 1900s and were for specially Chambered Target Revolvers of the Day.

These are a Black Powder Cartridge...probably ran about the same pressure as Black Powder .38 Special would, so, not super low pressure, low to mid teens, depending, but not anything as high as the later ".38 Heavy Duty" aka ".38-44" of 1932 to 1940 fame, which was basically a pre .357 Magnum performance wise.

The later ".38-44" aka ".38 Heavy Duty" which was a "hot" .38 Special Cartridge, intended for use in the S & W N-Frame and Colt New Service Revolvers...and it is a whole other Cartridge from these.

Ahhh... thank you for educating me! Interesting cartridge! Seems there has to be a cartridge to build from. The Rocky Mountain Cartridge Company will indeed turn down about anything, but they're going through some changes and the lag time is quite long ( and WOW expensive!).


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[uscra112]

Would .357 Maximum cases do? They'd have to be trimmed and blown out to your .384 diameter, but that's not an awful lot. Wrap a little 1/4" wide masking tape at the base to keep the case centered in the chamber the first time it's fired, and from then on you should be good.

[Oyeboten]

Would .357 Maximum cases do? They'd have to be trimmed and blown out to your .384 diameter, but that's not an awful lot. Wrap a little 1/4" wide masking tape at the base to keep the case centered in the chamber the first time it's fired, and from then on you should be good.

Indeed, people have done this...the .357 Maximum Case has to be trimmed down a little but otherwise it will work, but just as you say, it is too small in diameter and it can not fire form gracefully to become the right girth all the way down.

[17nut]

http://smith-wessonforum.com/reloadi...der-brass.html

http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-ant...y-mystery.html

So it seems your best bet is 357 MAXIMUM that is trimmed to length.

[uscra112]

Indeed, people have done this...the .357 Maximum Case has to be trimmed down a little but otherwise it will work, but just as you say, it is too small in diameter and it can not fire form gracefully to become the right girth all the way down.

That why the tape. Keeps the base centered for the first firing, so that it does form "gracefully". You're only enlarging it by .009 on the diameter, less than .005 on a side. Hardly enough to even detect visually after the second firing. The mouth will be centered on first firing because you expanded it for that oversize bullet.

[elk hunter]

I've got a very few of the cartridges but have never seen the S&W revolver for them. I checked my cartridge conversion book and the 38-44 isn't listed. I would try the 357 maximum just because it seems to be the closest for size.

Good luck with getting your revolver shooting.

[Oyeboten]

I've got a very few of the cartridges but have never seen the S&W revolver for them. I checked my cartridge conversion book and the 38-44 isn't listed. I would try the 357 maximum just because it seems to be the closest for size.

Good luck with getting your revolver shooting.

Thank you!

As a last resort, I might go with the .357 Maximum...

I just do not like the idea though of how the case has to bulge out without being able to bulge out all the way down, Lol...Tape is a very good idea there for that..and this would work fine, for sure.

I'll go on line here in a minute and see who all has .357 Maximum Brass for sale...and save the links.

I know, I am 'difficult' sometimes, Lol...

Also, searching for a .361 Wadcutter Mould, and having no luck whatever...or, if any place sells .361 Wadcutter Bullets, that'd be just dandy too!

If any of you might know of any place selling them, let me know please?

[Oyeboten]

Here is my old S & W Revolver which use these -

Cylinder has no 'step' as the cartridge occupy the full length of the Cylinder Chambers.

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[uscra112]

NOE or Accurate will cut you a wadcutter mould that will drop .361".

I'd start with NOE. His 360-148-WC-T1 would work as a hollowbase if you turn it backwards.

http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/index.p...uh2uq4if4gte86

Since he CNC cuts every mould, it's nothing to have him cut one a shade oversize to fit your gun.

I have one of his that makes bullets for my .38-200 Enfield-Webley. The way he does it, I actually received three hollow-point pins that are interchangeable, so I can make a flat-point, a shallow cavity, or one deep enough to hide a small moose in. No extra charge, as I recall.

[Oyeboten]

NOE or Accurate will cut you a wadcutter mould that will drop .361".

I'd start with NOE. His 360-148-WC-T1 would work if you turn it backwards.

http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/index.p...uh2uq4if4gte86

Since he CNC cuts every mould, it's nothing to have him cut one a shade oversize to fit your gun.

I have one of his that makes bullets for my .38-200 Enfield-Webley. The way he does it, I actually received three hollow-point pins that are interchangeable, so I can make a flat-point, a shallow cavity, or one deep enough to hide a small moose in. No extra charge, as I recall.

Ahhh!

Thanks!

I'll give them a call..!

[Oyeboten]

Well, stopped by the LGS and he said he's got plenty of "Once Fired" .357 Maximum Cases as he himself has a few things chambered in that, so he'll round me up a Box of fifty.

I'll give those a whirl...


Have Loading dies for the .38 S & W, and will order some sort of Bullets or Balls sometime today, get those on their way...even if no Wadcutters to start off with.

[Oyeboten]

Turns out I do have a Mould for the old Himmelwright original Semi-Wadcutter Bullets for the .38 S & W or .361-ish Bullets.

I had cast up a bunch almost a year ago to the day, but I did not have anything to fire them in yet at the time.

Found the Bullets I had cast, now, will have to figure out where I had put the Mould.

That was the last Casting I did...nice eather now so perfect to get on with casting some more!

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