38 Short Colt

[DCP]

Anyone using 38 Short Colt in a 38 special?

They're supposed to give better consistency in a 38 special?
l understand there using them in competition and the shoot like a 22
So how is it working for you?

[dannyd]

use them in my GP100's and Blackhawk's work great. Shoot 38 Long Colt out of my 357 rifles shoots like a 22.

[DCP]

use them in my GP100's and Blackhawk's work great. Shoot 38 Long Colt out of my 357 rifles shoots like a 22.

What kind of rifle?

[dannyd]

Thompson Encore 16.5 in barrel 1-20 twist.

[bedbugbilly]

I reload and use quite a few 38 Colt Short as well as Long - shoot them in all of my 38s and 357s - good plinking round as well as small critters. Not much different than using a 22 short or long in a 22 - same concept. I use several different cast bolts in them - the two different grain weights of the Lyman/Ideal 358-242 design for one.

I can't speak as to use in competition as I don't shoot in any. One of my handguns that I like using them in is my Uberti 1851 R & M conversion - for which the 38 Colt Short (only in BP) was originally used with.

When I started loading it, the loading data was pretty scarce but it's out there if you hut for it. Like any cartridge, start low and work up. IIRC, (my loading data is back in MI and I'm currently in AZ), I use about 1.8 - 1.9 grains of BE and about the same with Red Dot - YMMV so do your homework on loading data and use common sense. I'm a pretty "low tecH" loader/shooter and don't have a chrony so can't help you with the fps they give.

A word of caution - I now strictly use Starline 38 Colt Short brass and it works just fine. However, I did buy some NIB 38 Short Colt brass - vintage stuff that was new casings in the original boxes - from a member here that had no use for it. I don't remember what the brand of the brass was - possibly Winchester or similar. I quickly learned that there was a definite "overall case length" difference between it and the Starline - the Starline was a bit longer. The vintage stuff worked fine but I dropped the powder grain weight down due to the smaller case volume of the shorter vintage brass. Not wanting to have to keep two different loadings and making it necessary to readjust die settings, I have stuck with the Starline brass for the 38 Colt Short since it is readily available and got rid of the older different vintage head stamp casings.

If you want to try some 38 Colt Short brass but don't want to buy the 500 casing lot size from Starline - Track of the Wolf carries the Starline 38 Colt Short brass and I believe you can buy it either by the piece or smaller than 500 at a time.

I bout a set of Lee 38 Colt Short/Long dies and the work fine. It is possible to load the 38 Colt Short with a combination of other dies if you have them - of course you can still size it in a 38/357 FL die - you'll have to come up with a die that is shot enough to take the short casing with the right expander plug in in and also a shorter seating die - before I got my set of Lee dies, I used a 9mm taper crimp die to put a taper crimp on them and they worked just fine with a taper crimp. The Lee dies were inexpensive though and they do a good job for me on both the 38 Colt Short/Long. I eventually ended up buying a second set of Lee dies and now have a separate turret plate set up for the 38 Colt Short and the 38 Colt Short for my Lee Classic 4 hole turret press.

As far as accuracy, I get good accuracy out of all of my 38/357 revolvers with a 38 Colt Short for reasonable distant shooting for the cartridge. I've used them in 1 7/8, 3, 4 3/4, 5, 6 and 7" barrel lengths I have.

As far as use of the 38 Colt Short in rifles - they worked good out of my 357 Handi rifle that I had for general plinking/small critters. I ended up selling the Handi and I got a Henry BB Steel in 357 - unfortunately, a 38 Colt can't be used in the rifle due to feeding issues but if it would feed, I'd certainly use it in the rifle. If I still hunted, I'd look at one of the Henry 357 single shots to use with the 38 Colt Short for thinning out tree rats and other critters.

I usually load mine with RD or BE but have also loaded the 38 Colt Short and Long with BP - Goex 3F with a moderate compression load. I just finger lubed my boolit grooves with my BP lube that I make from Crisco/BeesWax - they shot well out of the Ruger New Vaquero that I had at the time. Just load 'em like you would any other straight wall BP cartridge and make sure your load has some compression to it and that you use a good BP lube.

Didn't mean to get long winded but don't be afraid to give the 38 Colt Short or Long a try - some may ask why but for me, I enjoy loading and shooting the "historical" cartridges that aren't that popular anymore. Good luck and have fun!

[Love Life]

I use it it the snobby for when the wife takes it to the range.

[Jniedbalski]

Sounds like fun in a 38 light plinking load

[Petrol & Powder]

I use it it the snobby for when the wife takes it to the range.

Is a "Snobby" a pretentious revolver with a short barrel ? :groner:

[Love Life]

Is a "Snobby" a pretentious revolver with a short barrel ? :groner:

Yes...

[Thumbcocker]

I can't stand uppity pistols.

[drac0nic]

I can't stand uppity pistols.

I married one LOL.

[Love Life]

I love all pistols equally.