French Gevelot .38Spl rework project?

[GeoDudeFlorida]

I have six boxes (300rnds) of post-VE day French .38Spl 158gr LRN. I’ve had them for about 30 years now. The lead is white with oxidation and this was always dirty, smelly, smoky ammo so it occurs to me I’m just better off taking them apart and rebuilding with fresh powder and bullets. The brass all seems fine - but you never know until you get into them what they are like inside.

Question for the group is, does it seem worthwhile or just shoot them outside, put up with the smoke and carbon, and reload the empties? I don’t want to just toss them as the brass has always been good in the past.

 

[CQB45ACP]

I have six boxes (300rnds) of post-VE day French .38Spl 158gr LRN. I’ve had them for about 30 years now. The lead is white with oxidation and this was always dirty, smelly, smoky ammo so it occurs to me I’m just better off taking them apart and rebuilding with fresh powder and bullets. The brass all seems fine - but you never know until you get into them what they are like inside.

Question for the group is, does it seem worthwhile or just shoot them outside, put up with the smoke and carbon, and reload the empties? I don’t want to just toss them as the brass has always been good in the past.

Simple

First, it’s only vintage once, so keep at least a handful of originals.

Then, if you must shoot the rest, shoot it as vintage. That’s cool.

Otherwise it’s just more reloaded ammo. And you can shoot that any day you want.

 

[tubeshooter]

Wouldn't some collector or museum be thrilled to get ahold of some of those?

 

[CQB45ACP]

Wouldn't some collector or museum be thrilled to get ahold of some of those?

Good thinking

NRA museum comes to mind. (Cause it’s only one I know of that’s not afraid of ammo)

Haven’t been there but in Paris is the French army museum it’s like the British museum (have been) only in a foreign language (well I guess not to them).

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

Wouldn't some collector or museum be thrilled to get ahold of some of those?

Not really. It was common and loathed when new. The cartridge collectors world doesn’t seem to have changed its mind since the 50’s. It’s French after all.

 

[JmacD]

It was common and loathed when new. The …. collectors world doesn’t seem to have changed its mind since the 50’s. It’s French after all…

Sounds familiar

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

View attachment 1175281
Sounds familiar

When I was living in Germany the locals called those “Zweikakerlaken” in reference to both the engine output and the “styling”.

 

[JmacD]

When I was living in Germany the locals called those “Zweikakerlaken” in reference to both the engine output and the “styling”.

That translates to something like “two bugs“ or something like that doesn’t it? Maybe cockroaches? I guess I could ask Google

 

[Soonerpesek]

Might as well shoot it………..that’s the funner way of emptying it….!!!

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

That translates to something like “two bugs“ or something like that doesn’t it? Maybe cockroaches? I guess I could ask Google

“Two Cockroaches”. The French nickname translates as “Two Horses”

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

Might as well shoot it………..that’s the funner way of emptying it….!!!

Normally I would agree but cleaning up after is a buzz kill.
It also depends on how hard the first one or two are to get apart.

 

[mdi]

Depending on how dirty it shoots and how corroded the bullets are, I'd shoot a few just to see if it was shootable. But I have always felt that if there is any doubt, pull the bullets, dump powder and reload. Bullets can be melted down for home casting...

 

[tightgroup tiger]

I'd pull them, shooting those would make me feel like I needed to sterilize my gun after cleaning it, with all the corrosion on the bullets, and the filthy old powder. The powder and primers are also probably corrosive.

 

[JmacD]

Really dumb thought, but possibly shoot ‘em, then grips off and into an ultrasonic? I know some guys that do it with uppers… I ain’t tried it, mainly because I don’t have one…

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

Really dumb thought, but possibly shoot ‘em, then grips off and into an ultrasonic? I know some guys that do it with uppers… I ain’t tried it, mainly because I don’t have one…

It’s a good thought. But, I don’t have one either. My cleaning routine is typically pretty basic. Hoppe’s and Ballistol then a quick wipe with a rag and some sewing machine oil.

The green and white box stuff was pretty good. All that got shot up a long time ago. These I have left are the red and yellow boxes made right after the war. They must be made by the Resistance or something. It’s good they were cheap. $1/box of 50 from Sportsman’s Guide back in the 90’s.