Reloading for Enfield Revolver in .38/200

flipp121

flipp121

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Hey everyone I just purchased 500 starline .38s&w brass and wanna
make some good use of it for my pair of enfield revolvers. I want something
better then these wussy .38s&w 152gr loads I have been using. It is to my
knowledge that the .30/200 cartridge these revolvers were designed for were not exactly the same as .38s&w. The actually load for the 30/200 was a .357 diameter bullet in 200 grains going 650fps.
"http://www.thehighroad.org/archive/index.php/t-116736.html"

So in theory the .358 diam lead bullets I find should work right? Im gonna
slug the bores sometime soon to figure out diameter for sure. Anyone
have exeperience trying to load these babies to their full potential? Not .38s&w specs?

Thanks,
Mark
 
The bores on these vary in size and usually larger then .357", my correspondents show bores of .360" or so for the .38/200.....M.T. Chambers makes a bullet for this cal. at .359" and it is a 200gr. RN PB and is a copy of the orig. bullet.
 
Just how much "full potential" do you want?
9mm speed? 357 mag power?

I scored a tub full of 0.361" 160gr SWC bullets years ago. These are perfect for my Enfield. Haven't chrono'd them yet, but I know it won't be all that spectacular. I can watch them go down range :eek: :D . Still, I don't think I need any more out of them.

(E) :cool:
 
There is a good article in "Pet Loads" by Waters on loading the 38 S&W with higher power loads including 200gr.
 
Well power with in reason obviously :D not expecting .357 power here.
But i read of a guy who uses 3.3gr of unique and a 200 grain bullet.
So far i've been using 2.2 grains of green dot and a 152gr SWC.
Who is this M.T. Chambers fellow, and how do I get his bullets?
Anyone have any load data they could offer? I dont have this Pet Loads
book, and dont wanna spend $30 on a book just for a load.
 
I use 2.0 grains of W231 under a 160 gr SWC. Max load is 2.2 gr.

I too am curious as to who is M.T. Chambers? A store? Any web address or other info? I seen the name tossed around a bit here, but I have no clue who he/they are.

(E) :cool:
 
I tried with some .357 180grn coper jacked bullets and ended up with squibs.

original bullets were lead round nose .361 200grn as I recall

But I have yet to find .361 cast bullets anywere.
 
When loading for a revolver, the bullet diameter should match the chamber throat diameter rather than the bore diameter. The .38-200 or .380 Rim was simply the British designation of the .38 S&W or .38 Colt New Police. Cartridge dimensions are the same for all, although the loads differ. I've owned several; S&W Victory and Enfield revolvers so chambered.

Load data from Pet Loads offers the following 200 gr cast bullet loads for the .38 S&W The loads are described as safe in S&W Victory and British top break revolvers. They are not safe in American top break revolvers.

The test gun is interesting - A Sturm Ruger Service Six with a 4" barrel built on contract for the Indian Government, and marked .380 Rim.

2.0 grs Bullseye - 610 fps - duplicates Brit service load
2.5 grs Bullseye - 700 fps - marginal accuracy

2.5 grs 700X - 702 fps - maximum load - good load

3.6 grs Herco - 784 fps - maximum - 3rd most accurate - do not exceed
3.3 grs Herco - 711 fps - normal - accurate

3.0 grs Unique - 718 fps - normal - insufficient accuracy
3.3 grs Unique - 788 fps - maximum - sticky extraction - poor accuracy

5.2 grs Blue Dot - 845 fps - near max - insufficient accuracy
5.5 grs Blue Dot - 885 fps - maximum - more accurate than 5.2 grs

2.7 grs Green Dot - 687 fps - normal
 
(((Echo))) said:
I too am curious as to who is M.T. Chambers? A store? Any web address or other info? I seen the name tossed around a bit here, but I have no clue who he/they are.
(E) :cool:
Click to expand...

Ben Hanuck on this forum owns MT Chambers. PM him for information. I've bought a few boxes of bullets from Ben, he makes a good product and is a good guy to deal with.
 
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