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Thread: What is your favorite revolver for 38 Special?

  1. #141
    Boolit Master

    tward's Avatar
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    I love my GP 100! It is the first revolver I bought when I got my permit in 1991. It’s smooth as silk after thousands of rounds of cast. I started casting to reload for this revolver to “save money” we all know how that went. 10-12 handguns and 35-40 molds later you can’t believe the amount of money I’ve saved!! Tim

  2. #142
    Boolit Mold
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    My favorite revolver is my 2.5 inch Gp100 but my favorite gun to shoot 38 is my 357 Max handi rifle that is cut down to 17 inches. It is one of the most fun guns I have.

  3. #143
    Boolit Grand Master



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    Here is my S&W CS-1 (.357 Magnum) that is arguably my favorite, all time, .38/.357 magnum. It will shoot well under an inch at 25 yards with a variety of loads and cast bullets in both .38 Special and .357 Magnum:



    Here is another of my "favorites", my 60-4 in .38 Special that both my good friend, Froggie, and I consider one of our grail guns. When this first became available, I was a bit sad that it didn't have a 4" barrel. However, when I got it home and first took it to the range, I could hardly credit how well I was able to shoot it. It meets my standard of "under 1 at 25 yards off a rest", but I can actually shoot it standing at 25 yards better than some of my 4" guns! The double underlugged barrel, being "weight forward" just flat holds better than a lighter barreled 4" revolver. I have taken many rabbits, both cottontail and snowshoe, with this revolver in the field, when bird hunting with my over/under shotgun. I carried it cross draw so it was not in the way of the shotgun, and sitting rabbits at typical field ranges up to 25 yards or so, was common. Clipping the head off a wounded grouse at a few feet was a "piece of cake". Yep, this one really pleasantly surprised me.



    Dale53
    Last edited by Dale53; 12-04-2021 at 09:46 AM.

  4. #144
    Boolit Grand Master uscra112's Avatar
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    Without doubt it's the 9" barrelled Colt Officer's Model I bought about ten years ago. Near mint, and it's stunningly accurate.
    Cognitive Dissident

  5. #145
    Boolit Grand Master

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    A Ruger Blackhawk bought in 1971 , it is chambered in 357 Magnum but very few magnums have ever been fired in it ... 38 Special were loads of choice . I started my reloading and boolit casting for it .
    It was stolen in 1995 and recovered in Kingman Arizona 15 years later when someone tried to pawn it . This was my very first handgun and I was sure glad to get her back .
    She still shoots 38 Specials like a champ ... my eyes are getting old but I'm not going to saddle her with an optic ... I just move the target closer and pretend I'm 21 again !
    Gary
    I got it back and have been shooting 38 Specials in it ever since
    Certified Cajun
    Proud Member of The Basket of Deplorables
    " Let's Go Brandon !"

  6. #146
    Boolit Grand Master tazman's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by uscra112 View Post
    Without doubt it's the 9" barrelled Colt Officer's Model I bought about ten years ago. Near mint, and it's stunningly accurate.
    I have never seen or heard of one of those. Could you post a pic of it?

  7. #147
    Boolit Master
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    Postwar Transition S&W 38/44 with either Lyman 160 grain RNFP or Lyman/Keith 358429 H.P. over Hercules or Alliant 2400 for 1150 f.p.s.. Used to shoot nothing but Keith's load but dropped it two grains to match original 38/44 loads.

  8. #148
    Boolit Grand Master Good Cheer's Avatar
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    For camp meat bunnies one of my favorite loads was Bullseye and Thompson Center .36 caliber maxiballs molded out of wheel weights. The front ring had to get sized down a lot but they shot great (I was packing a 4" barrel Security Six) and the bunnies went in the pot.

  9. #149
    Boolit Master

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    I was given a Smith 10-8 a few years back. This thing made a boat anchor look good. It was so full of crud you couldn't even see daylight through the barrel & cylinder. Talk about abuse & neglect! I took off the grips and threw it in a can of kero and let it soak for a week. Some carb cleaner, a tooth brush, and a compressor with plenty of elbow grease cleaned it up pretty nicely. The bore, cylinder and internals turned out to be absolutely clean. Put a few rounds thru it and it shot way off. Happened to grab the barrel and gave it a twist, and wouldn't you know the barrel was loose. Put it into a padded vise & tightened it up, and it shot way off the other way. So I had some thin brass shim stock and made a washer to go between the barrel & frame. Shot it & tightened it until it shot to point of aim. Trial & error. Added .002 to the gap, but it's still under .007. 3 gr Bullseye & RCBS 38-150-SWC and this is one of my best shooting 38's I own. A favorite field & tractor gun.

  10. #150
    Boolit Buddy
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    S&w k-38
    bd

  11. #151
    Boolit Buddy
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    My all time favorite double action is a 4" nickel Colt Trooper. It has the smoothest trigger pull ever. Reminds me of an old Python I missed out on, but that's another story.

  12. #152
    Boolit Mold
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    S&W Model 60-18

  13. #153
    Boolit Master

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    A few months ago I picked up a 6" S&W 10-7. Someone did a bunch of work to it, and that can be either good or bad. I think it was reblued (nicely) and the trigger is the best I've ever felt. Double action amazingly smooth and light, and single action like the proverbial glass rod. It was so light and smooth that I was concerned about misfires, but I took a chance. Several hundred rounds later, not a single misfire. It shoots great, nice little groups to point of aim at 25 yards, with my favorite target load. I think I lucked out with that. It came with Pachmayrs that were admittedly comfortable, but I just love the look of wood, so I bought some Altamont Ropers for it. I'm sure some of you saw it on another thread a while back.

    I also recently picked up a 6" Model 28 Highway Patrolman. The trigger pull isn't as nice, but it's still a typical excellent S&W trigger. It shoots very, very nicely too. In this big, heavy gun, .38 target loads feel like shooting a .22LR. Even full power .357 mag rounds seem pretty mild in it. It's just pleasant to shoot. I've posted about this one recently too. It was under an ugly layer of Duracoat when I bought it.

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  14. #154
    Boolit Grand Master Outpost75's Avatar
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    Good score!

    I've been hoarding .38 Special ex-cop guns for some years now and as a ruck gun for the GHB, a 6-inch, fixed sight. 38 Special to supplement my usual 2-inch snubby EDC still makes good sense 20 years after I made the change from a semi-auto .22 race dragon after 9/11. Full charge wadcutter still is the preferred load.
    The ENEMY is listening.
    HE wants to know what YOU know.
    Keep it to yourself.

  15. #155
    Boolit Master
    John Guedry's Avatar
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    My good old model 15.First handgun and still the best.
    Old retired guy in Baton Rouge La.

  16. #156
    Boolit Master
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    S&W model 14

  17. #157
    Boolit Buddy ElCheapo's Avatar
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    I've been looking at all the nice shootin' irons in this thread. Brings back a lot of memories! My first experience with a centerfire handgun was a friend's 4'' model 19. We sat out some cans and started shooting. Seemed like I couldn't miss with that gun! I got try try a couple model 10's at camp, they were nice too. Later I bought a 6 inch model 586. It was nice, but the best revolver I've ever owned was a 4'' Colt Diamondback. Just a beautifully made gun and scary accurate! Single action and double action pulls were smooth as glass. I made shots with that gun at ridiculous ranges. Loved the sights, loved the D frame, loved everything about it. But it was just a .38 and I eventually got bored with it. I needed more power! For what, I have no idea. I foolishly sold it. How I wish I would have held on to that gun! Ah well, live and learn.

    I was recently able to acquire a Charter Arms Professional 3'' 357 magnum in stainless steel. I was pleasantly surprised to find the single and double action pulls are just about as good as anything I've tried right from the factory! I need to set it up first so I've yet to shoot it, but first impressions are the grips seem a little small. Like they're probably ok for shooting 38's, but no way will they work for me with magnums. Anyway, hopefully I can try it soon! Should be a nice backup to my 300 Blackout when I'm out hog hunting. Cheers!

  18. #158
    Boolit Master
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    4" S&W model 15-3

  19. #159
    Boolit Master
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    For the once every 5 or 10 years I shoot a 38 Spl. it's a Mod. 15. It was my F-I-L's service revolver when he was a deputy Sheriff. I also carried a Model 15 when I was an LEO.
    "In general, the art of government is to take as much money as possible from one class of citizens and give it to another class of citizens" Voltaire'

    The common virtue of capitalism is the sharing of equal opportunity. The common vice of socialism is the equal sharing of misery

    NRA Benefactor 2008

  20. #160
    Boolit Bub
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    Dec 2021
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    38
    327 TRR8 performance center.
    My favorite 8 shot 6 shooter.
    Second is my 686 (7 shot 6 shooter) although the barrel should be replaced. Not that it needs to be I just want to go from a 6” to a 4”. After that it may become my favorite.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check