38/200 with 180gr Plated or FMJ?

Fox

Fox

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I have a S&W revolver chambered in 38/200, I am curious if anyone has loaded 178/180gr FMJ bullets, to make the standard non-lead military loading?

This pistol has a tight bore, unlike the Enfield and Webley pistols, so essentially a 38 Special Pistol.

My thought, a campro but there are no 0.357 180gr, just 158gr, and not pointy.

They have a 0.356 180gr for a 38 Super.

Hmm, curious, where would you start for a load though to be safe.
 
I found the S&W forum to be of great use.

I bought 200 grain bullets from Jet when he was around.

They came in at 360 and I resized to 358

I WAS WRONG

Not ideal, but I use HS-6. (Was for my 9mm)

Looked up my load, 1.7 grains Red Dot
 
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yomomma said:
I found the S&W forum to be of great use.

I bought 200 grain bullets from Jet when he was around.

They came in at 360 and I resized to 358

Not ideal, but I use HS-6. I forget now but it was 6 or 8 grains
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I picked up a 195gr Lyman mold, dropping 198-203gr bullets, so I have a lead option, looking to work out the FMJ MkIIz bullets.

yomomma said:
Also note your aim will be off since the front sight was calibrated for a 200 grain bullet.
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I doubt it, the 38/200 guns were not changed, they ran 200gr lead for practise and outside of front line troops and the FMJs in the battlefield.
 
Depends which year of manufacture.

And...

However, after the outbreak of war, supply exigencies and the need to order readily-available and compatible ammunition, such as the .38 S&W Super Police, from U.S. sources forced British authorities to issue both the 380/200 Mk I and MkII/IIz cartridge interchangeably to forces deploying for combat.[1]
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WW2 Enfield tankers were fitted with a press fit sheet metal sight which was point of aim for the 176gr FMJ loads. Very few around now still have those - they were ugly, but worked.
 
dan belisle said:
Sorry, the only 180's I've loaded in that diameter were a silhouette bullet. Not applicable to your situation. - dan
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You loaded 180gr silhouette bullets in the 38 S&W cartridge? Not the 38 Special.

6gr of HS6 seems pretty extreme for a 160gr bullet in the 38 S&W, might you mean the 38 Special? The max for he 38 special with a 158gr FMJ pill is 6.2gr of HS6.
 
Fox said:
You loaded 180gr silhouette bullets in the 38 S&W cartridge? Not the 38 Special.

6gr of HS6 seems pretty extreme for a 160gr bullet in the 38 S&W, might you mean the 38 Special? The max for he 38 special with a 158gr FMJ pill is 6.2gr of HS6.
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Yes, we were fooling around trying heavy bullets in various cartridges, to see which would generate a bear's skull. The hs6 works alright in my gun, except for the fireball, as stated. Start low and work up. This would have been in the early 80's. I still use the 6 gr behind 158-160 gr load in 38 special cases. I don't own any 38 s&was any more. Had 3 at one time, all railway police guns, got them from a friend who's father was a cn cop. - dan
 
dan belisle said:
Yes, we were fooling around trying heavy bullets in various cartridges, to see which would generate a bear's skull. The hs6 works alright in my gun, except for the fireball, as stated. Start low and work up. This would have been in the early 80's. I still use the 6 gr behind 158-160 gr load in 38 special cases. I don't own any 38 s&was any more. Had 3 at one time, all railway police guns, got them from a friend who's father was a cn cop. - dan
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Wow, so you were running almost full power 38 Special in the 38 S&W.

My revolver is a S&W hand ejector, so stronger than the top break, which is good. I guess then start loads for the 38 Special would be a starting point.

My hope, honestly, was the 180gr 38 Super Campro bullets, but I do not want to order 1000 of them to see how it would work, ha ha.

Maybe I will run some 147gr 9mm bullets and see if they stabilize, some say that 9mm bullets in those bores work fine.
 
Fox said:
Wow, so you were running almost full power 38 Special in the 38 S&W.

My revolver is a S&W hand ejector, so stronger than the top break, which is good. I guess then start loads for the 38 Special would be a starting point.

My hope, honestly, was the 180gr 38 Super Campro bullets, but I do not want to order 1000 of them to see how it would work, ha ha.

Maybe I will run some 147gr 9mm bullets and see if they stabilize, some say that 9mm bullets in those bores work fine.
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Never tried that, though I have loaded some 124 gr 9mm bullets in 38 specials. Accuracy wasn't great. Not much worse than the factory 38 S&W I had though, to be fair. All the 180s I have left are loaded into 357 max brass. - dan
 
dan belisle said:
Never tried that, though I have loaded some 124 gr 9mm bullets in 38 specials. Accuracy wasn't great. Not much worse than the factory 38 S&W I had though, to be fair. All the 180s I have left are loaded into 357 max brass. - dan
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With 0.358 bullets I am getting under 2in groups at 25 yards off bags with a 6in barrel, so I think I am doing pretty good.

Maybe I should slug the gun and see what it actually measures to determine if the 9mm bullets may work.

I do not see a 0.358 180gr FMJ, only the SP and hollow point bullets of that weight.
 
Fox said:
With 0.358 bullets I am getting under 2in groups at 25 yards off bags with a 6in barrel, so I think I am doing pretty good.

Maybe I should slug the gun and see what it actually measures to determine if the 9mm bullets may work.

I do not see a 0.358 180gr FMJ, only the SP and hollow point bullets of that weight.
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I'm pretty sure they don't make them anymore. Was a Speer bullet if memory serves, designed for silhouette shooting. Pretty accurate, and would punch right through those bear skulls we testing on. Could probably find some at gun shows. If youre getting 2 inch groups, you are doing well. - dan
 
dan belisle said:
I'm pretty sure they don't make them anymore. Was a Speer bullet if memory serves, designed for silhouette shooting. Pretty accurate, and would punch right through those bear skulls we testing on. Could probably find some at gun shows. If youre getting 2 inch groups, you are doing well. - dan
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I was trying to find some in the past, they were pointed, a higher BC bullet.
 
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