Need help, 1904 38

[bsaride]

Picked up a 1904 S&W 38 Special. Barrel looks shot out.
Anyone here that can put me into a mould or bullets that
mic out to .362-.364 so I can see if I want to rebarrel or
shoot it?

[Wayne Smith]

Is it a .38 Special or a .38 S&W? Two different rounds with different diameter boolits. The S&W is a low pressure round compared to the Special. The S&W typically goes .360+ which makes me ask the question, give that I have no idea how much or how little you know about the history of firearms.

[bsaride]

Well, I measured the chamber mouths and I want to know how the barrel shoots,
not how the chambers affect it. I know the difference and I want a 38 S&W bullet.

[Paul B]

Well, I measured the chamber mouths and I want to know how the barrel shoots,
not how the chambers affect it. I know the difference and I want a 38 S&W bullet.

Well if it's a .38 S&W, that's an entirely different caridge from the S&# .38 Special. Unless someone has rechambered the gun to .38 S&W Special from an original .38 S&W, .38 Spl. rounds will not chamber. If it is a rechamber job, shoting .38 Spl. ammo in the gun is potentially hazardous to your heath as the chambers would be a bit too fat and the Spl. rounds a tad too skinny and could burst. Best solution would be to find some .38 S&W ammo (not the Spl.) and if it chambers, then you know for sure. If it does not chamber, then you can be certain that it is a proper .38 Spl. The fact that you need a bullet that fat makes me suspect your gun was a .38 S&W that had the chamber lengthened to accept .38 Spl. ammo, a very dumb idea.

I only bring this up because a friend once bought an S&W Victory model that was supposed to be a .38 Spl. Fired cases were blown out of shape way oversized and accuracy went down the crapper to put it as kindly as possible. I had a couple of old black powder .38 S&W rounds in my collection and they chambered just fine. I bought a box of the proper ammo and they shot just fine with no brass problems.

I'm not saying you don't know what you're doing but I want to make sure that there is no confusion between the two cartridges. FWIW, in 1904, the fatter .38 S&W cartridge was still quite popular so I think you should get that checked out.

Paul B.

[bsaride]

Paul,

Good point I will check the chambers