Dain Bramage
Member
Thanks, MMCSRET. I was wondering because neither of the two reload pictures posted here appear to show a crimp.
Anybody shooting their 38 S&Ws?
- Thread starter SaxonPig
- Start date
- Status
Clark
Member
My grandfather was a poor immigrant from Sweden to the Alaskan Gold rush, where he bought and Iver Johnson break top hammerless 38sw.
Inspired by our family heirloom worth $35, my brother and I started collecting 38sw pistols starting in 1963.
When the action stretched on a break top from shooting 38 Super +P loads, I complained to my father that I had used too much pressure.
My father was high powered chief engineer with 150 engineers and draftsmen under him. He has ~ 36 gun related patents.
My father yelled at me ~~ Pressure has nothing to do with it directly. It is friction of the bullet in the barrel and recoil acceleration on 1/2 the mass of the barrel.~~
It took me a while to get my more average engineer brain around that statement, but I think I have got it now.
So now in break tops [so the latch pin capture hole in sheet metal will not stretch into an oblong shape] I shoot 1 gr Bullseye and a soft lead bullet or maybe 2 gr Unique.
But in Colt revolver with the post 1907 Police positive lock up system, I am shooting the equivalent of 9mm+P handloads in 38 S&W.
CAUTION: The following post includes loading data beyond currently published maximums for this cartridge. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK. Neither the writer, The High Road, nor the staff of THR assume any liability for any damage or injury resulting from use of this information.
1) Colt 38 S&W Police Positive 38 made in 1911 20.5 ounces 4" barrel
a) 4.5 gr Unique 115 Win JHP, obnoxious recoil, tiny pierce in primer
b) 6.4 gr Power Pistol 115 gr JHP WIN 1.299" recoil painful
Inspired by our family heirloom worth $35, my brother and I started collecting 38sw pistols starting in 1963.
When the action stretched on a break top from shooting 38 Super +P loads, I complained to my father that I had used too much pressure.
My father was high powered chief engineer with 150 engineers and draftsmen under him. He has ~ 36 gun related patents.
My father yelled at me ~~ Pressure has nothing to do with it directly. It is friction of the bullet in the barrel and recoil acceleration on 1/2 the mass of the barrel.~~
It took me a while to get my more average engineer brain around that statement, but I think I have got it now.
So now in break tops [so the latch pin capture hole in sheet metal will not stretch into an oblong shape] I shoot 1 gr Bullseye and a soft lead bullet or maybe 2 gr Unique.
But in Colt revolver with the post 1907 Police positive lock up system, I am shooting the equivalent of 9mm+P handloads in 38 S&W.
CAUTION: The following post includes loading data beyond currently published maximums for this cartridge. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK. Neither the writer, The High Road, nor the staff of THR assume any liability for any damage or injury resulting from use of this information.
1) Colt 38 S&W Police Positive 38 made in 1911 20.5 ounces 4" barrel
a) 4.5 gr Unique 115 Win JHP, obnoxious recoil, tiny pierce in primer
b) 6.4 gr Power Pistol 115 gr JHP WIN 1.299" recoil painful
Last edited:
BCRider
Member
I don't have anything in .38S&W and have no intention of branching out into yet ANOTHER new direction. But I thank all of you for this glimpse into a new area of the shooting hobby. The guns with the long standing personal family stories behind them are especially great to read.
S&W revolvers I know well as I have a bunch of K frame guns which I love. But feeding those and the other CAS guns that eat .357Mag/.38Spl along with my other loading duties is enough work for now. I've got OTHER hobbies that scream for my attention too! ! ! !
S&W revolvers I know well as I have a bunch of K frame guns which I love. But feeding those and the other CAS guns that eat .357Mag/.38Spl along with my other loading duties is enough work for now. I've got OTHER hobbies that scream for my attention too! ! ! !
RevolvingGarbage
Member
I reload for this round using a .38spl shell holder and decapping die, with a 9x19 bell die and a 9x19 seating/crimping die to finish up. I also use .355-.356 bullets most of the time (I have them on hand already for 9x19) and the accuracy from my 2" I.J breaktop is really very good. Ive been using Pyrodex RS for a propellant, but I can only get about 6gr of it into the case with a 125gr bullet, and thats a pretty sorry load for anything beyond punching holes in paper at close range.
I would like to get a hold of some FFFg and proper 146-200gr bullets to make some semblance of a decent load for the thing...
Forgot to mention, you can also make shotshells for your .38S&W using .38spl (or .357mag brass if your cylinder is long enough). You just need to neck the brass down to fit into the throats of your cylinder. I use my 9x19 seating die with the plug backed all the way out. You just put as little lube on the casing and run it up into the die as high as it will go.
I would like to get a hold of some FFFg and proper 146-200gr bullets to make some semblance of a decent load for the thing...
Forgot to mention, you can also make shotshells for your .38S&W using .38spl (or .357mag brass if your cylinder is long enough). You just need to neck the brass down to fit into the throats of your cylinder. I use my 9x19 seating die with the plug backed all the way out. You just put as little lube on the casing and run it up into the die as high as it will go.
Last edited:
Krogen
Member
- Joined
- Dec 29, 2010
- Messages
- 318
I never have tried it, but the 9mm is a tapered case. Doesn't seem like a good match to me. Have a look at the case drawings and compare. I'll do the same for my own curiosity.
Deaf Smith
Member
Interesting fact.
9mm Makarov bullet diameter is .363 and .38 S&W is .361.
Bet if you found some surplus 9mm Mak slugs or XTP Mak slugs you could make some interesting loads.
Oh right, I have 300 XTP Mak JHP slugs and a good number of Chinese Mak rounds that are corroded (and thus can pull the bullets.)
Well maybe I'll try a few!
Deaf
9mm Makarov bullet diameter is .363 and .38 S&W is .361.
Bet if you found some surplus 9mm Mak slugs or XTP Mak slugs you could make some interesting loads.
Oh right, I have 300 XTP Mak JHP slugs and a good number of Chinese Mak rounds that are corroded (and thus can pull the bullets.)
Well maybe I'll try a few!
Deaf
Mauser lover
Member
Unfortunately, no...
Hopefully will be sleeving (I think that is how you spell it, computer doesn't like it...) it to .22 LR soon, so I can get the gun running again. Should be a fun project...
Hopefully will be sleeving (I think that is how you spell it, computer doesn't like it...) it to .22 LR soon, so I can get the gun running again. Should be a fun project...
- Status
