my new uberti 1871 .38 special

[johnson1942]

loaded up a bunch of .38 specials this morning. bullet was a 180 grain copper clad bullet i got from someone years ago. could find no smokeless powder anywheres around here so used black horn 209 powder 11 grains as the internet said to do. when i figured out the sights for elevation could keep in tight group at 15 yards which is a good rabbit range. it really likes a 180 grain bullet, recoil is nothing, figure about 750 ft per sec. will chrongraph it when weather warms up. the 209 powder is vary available. a little sooty but no crud or anything else. cleans up real real easy. probably will stick with it. just got a .45 long colt also so going to try that powder in that one also. when my 15 year old son gets out of school today im going to let him use the .38 for rabbits under my quidance. 5 in the cylinder and the hammer on a empty one.

[bigted]

awesome!!! :drinks: glad to hear of another shooter having fun with revolvers.

I just traded into a Colt SAA in 357 with a 5.5 inch barrel length and I cant wait to load some 38 spc's as I have fond memory's of grouse hunting in the rockys with an old Ruger when I were a pup. ate rabbits and grouse roasted on a green stick over the fire many times with that revolver ... fond memory's for sure.

I hope your son develops many nice memory's of hunting and eating from that revolver and these memory's will last a life time ... both you and your son. congratulations on your new acquisition.

pictures man ... pictures

[Silver Jack Hammer]

The 1871 is a true American frontier gun. Do you plan on casting for this pistol? I cast for the .38 Special my son shoots but I don't know the manufacturer of my mold, I bought it used. It is a 3 cavity 150 gr RN. If you cast for your 1871, does Blackhawk 209 benefit from SPG lube like BP does? I cast for my Colt SAA's and lube with SPG with FFg.

[johnson1942]

i was very impressed with the 209 powder. i used both magum primers and standard primers and could tell no diff. i shot both 130 grain bullets and 180 grain bullets. and the 180 kept a real tight consistant group at 15 yards, almost one hole but the 130 kept a killing zone group but not near as tight as the 180 grain. these are copper coated so no lube but i plan now on finding a mold that cast a 180 grain bullet then size them to .358 and lube with alox. i cleaned the gun and their is only some dry soot. i will be loading for the .45 longcolt soon and that will be the 209 powder also. just fill the case to behind the bullet. your lube should work good. you may try a few with alox alone and see how it goes. smokeless powders are very hard to find but 209 powders is only 15 miles from me and always in stock. ive used it in my 45/70 and it is very clean and accurate their also. i also use it in all my sidelock muzzleloaders with a 209 primer nipple set up. it is really a smokeless blackpowder substitute. its isnt as clean as 100 percent smokeless. no gunk or grit just very fine non sticking black dust. wipes clean easy. could have shot the whole 100 rounds up but want my son to get rabbits with the rest. no crud ring like 777. much cleaner.

[newton]

Never would have thought about using BH209 in a pistol like that. Sounds like a winner.

You gonna get some pictures of it up here so we can see the beauty?

[johnson1942]

try to have my wife do it for the pictures. found some bullets at wall mart for reloading at a very good price to day and they have a few more boxes so i will every couple of weeks pick up a box or two. my son wants to shoot at the gong today and hunt rabbits again.he made a couple of rabbits jump yesterday and is just getting the hang of the sights. shoots perfect from left to right but has to learn the right sight picture for the elevation. love to see a skunk, or badger when we are after rabbits to day. its a really fun gun. when i was in the military in the early 60/s i found a old smith and wesson 38 special in a pile of pistols and i made that mine when i was on duty. had a shoulder holster with it. i could hit anything with that gun. got top score out of 60 marines with that gun.it may not hit as hard as a .45 but you sure could place a shot with it where you wanted. i can place them with this new .38 of mine but my son has to get used to it. he wants to go to college for game law enforcement so i figure he should learn a single action first then he can move on and handle anything else with ease. who knows it may save his life some day.

[newton]

If I had a mold that cast as heavy a boolit you like shooting I'd sure enough send you some. I bet that thing would love some good ole lead. I'm sure, unless your buying lead, that for what a box of bullets at Walmart cost you could get more lead boolits on here for same amount.

[johnson1942]

your most likely right. im sure a mold is in the guns future. my friends blacksmith shop where i have all my casting equipment is unheated so its too cold to cast but another 6 weeks and it wont be too cold. the wall mart bullets arent too bad in price and with do for now. going to load some 150 grain this time and put up a big sheet of plywood at 15 yards and from a rest just see what those sights on it are about. the lead bullets may be even more accurate as they will be sized to .358 as the commercial bullets are .357. also if i ever go up to rapid city soon their is a gun shop that sell lead bullets by the 1000 bulk. saw 2 nice fat rabbits yesterday but too close to someones ranch buildings.