Author Topic: .38 S&W (Read 1127 times)

tipiguy · « **on:** July 27, 2004, 06:42:17 AM »

Does anyone have a .38 S&W that they carry and or shoot for fun? I just recently bought an old revolver (made in late 30's) and need some help on loads, etc. It is the revolver type (not the break top action).

What kind of bullet do you use? I have Bullseye powder, any idea how many grains? Most importantly I need a decent self defense load but what about target shooting?

When I bought the gun I didn't realize it wasn't a 38 special but really liked the size, etc. In fact the guy that sold it to me gave me some 38 special rounds (which I already shot)...I guess I am lucky to have hands left to type this...

Any and all help is greatly appreciated.

Tipiguy

tipiguy · « **Reply #1 on:** July 27, 2004, 11:21:01 AM »

On the barrel it says ".38 S&W Spl."

Is this a 38 special or a 38 S&W?

tipiguy

Mikey · « **Reply #2 on:** July 28, 2004, 02:00:53 AM »

tipiguy: the 38 S&W is not the same case or bullet diameter as the 38 S&W Special. The 38 special takes a longer straight-walled case with a bullet diameter of .357-.358.

The 38 S&W takes a shorter, slghtly tapered case and uses a bullet of up to .360 diameter. That ebing said, current load ing data for that cartridge and a 158 gn bullet ranges from 1.8 gn of Bullseye for 607'/sec to 2.5 gn of Bullseye for 763'/sec. However, the British used that case as a basis for their 38-200 cartridge, which fired a 200 gn bullet at only 600 something ft/sec - and that cartridge was reputed to have been the field equivalent of the older 455 Webley round, which was a hair shorter on the power end than the 45 auto. Colonel Charles Askins used the 38-200 and spoke highly of it, so much so that after WWII his two favorite calibers were a 45 auto and the 38 Spl with the 200 gn load (slightly better than the 38 S&W).

I know that somewhere there is a currently available powder charge for the 38-200 that will work for ya. HTH. Mikey.

Savage · « **Reply #3 on:** July 28, 2004, 03:05:45 AM »

tipiguy,
You didn't say who the manufacturer of the revolver was. There were loads of knock offs made on the S&W design. Some were prettty good quality and some were-----------well, junk. Even some of the good Spanish copies were made of improperly heat treated metal and could be dangerous with modern loads. If you want to shoot it, I'd stick to the low pressure target loadings, like the 3.0grs of BE and 148gr WC (38 spl) and the 1.8grs of BE with the same bullet if your gun is a 38 S&W. I'd stay away from factory fodder and the 200gr bullets as well. Good shooting!!
Savage

Old Griz · « **Reply #4 on:** September 05, 2004, 10:43:02 AM »

:cb2: I didn't think a .38 Special would even fit in a gun built for .38 S&W? Wouldn't a Special cartridge be too long for the cylinder to close?

Mikey · « **Reply #5 on:** September 06, 2004, 02:50:24 AM »

Old Griz: some of those 38 S&Ws were literally straight bored right through the entire length of the chamber, which woul allow you to drop a 38 Spl into the chamber and have it seat on the rim. Some folks did that to try and chamber the more powerful 38 Special. The problem, of course, is that you would get blown cases as the base of the 38 S&W is that much larger than the 38 Spl. The cylinders were long enough to chamber the 38 Spl. There was also the possibility in some of those guns that they would even chamber a 357 magnum round when the chambers were straight bored and that was a real formula for disaster. HTH. Mikey.

Old Griz · « **Reply #6 on:** September 06, 2004, 06:39:23 AM »

:cb2: Thanks Mikey. This forum is really great. It's amazing how much you can learn from so many experienced and top notch shooters.

Japle · « **Reply #7 on:** November 14, 2004, 11:22:03 AM »

Many revolvers chambered for the .38 S&W round are break-top "suicide specials" made before WWI. A lot of these old crocks were made for the black powder load and are NOT safe with smokeless. Don't try shooting .38 Specials in one of these things!
I used to have 2 break-top junkers, both inherited from my step-grandpa. I didn't know any better and shot them both with factory smokless loads and handloads. They both got so loose they wouldn't lock up tight or index properly. I got $50 each for them on one of those bogus gun buy-back programs that were popular in the 80s and 90s.
The best of the .38 S&W guns are the Victory lend-lease revolvers we shipped to the Brits in WWII and the break-top Webleys.

John
Cape Canaveral

Lawdog · « **Reply #8 on:** November 16, 2004, 08:28:18 AM »

Old Griz,

I have a S&W .38 S&W top break and you are right about not being able to chamber the longer .38 sp. in it. Even a wad cutter sticks out beyond the cylinder. Lawdog

willysjeep134 · « **Reply #9 on:** December 01, 2004, 07:40:23 AM »

I fire form S&W cases from cut down special cases for my cheap break top. I also reload .358 158 grian LRN bullets because I can't seem to find any .360 diameter bullets. I have a bag of 1000 of those LRNs and I don't own any other .357 bores, so that is what I am stuck with.

If I were going to do this again i would go with a hollow base wadcutter which might open up and seal in the bore better. With the 158 LRNs I use the smallest Lee powder dipper I have. I reload with Unique. It gives me a load around 550FPS according to a chronograph. I don't dare use any more powder in this old break top. I'd probably keep the same powder charge with the HBWCs. I would gain a little velocity probably, and the load would be easier on the gun too.

.38/200 isn't even the best to shoot in a .38 S&W revolver so I have been told. The british Webleys are fine, but the american private market guns probably won't hold up too well.

The .38 is a very accurate cartrige, and very mild compared to todays magnums. It doesn't have the energy of the magnums either. I wouldn't go hunt hogs with it, but the occasional bunny or burgular would be fair game.