.38 S&W (not special)

Jericho

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Couldn't find a thread using the keywords .38 S&W.. so who shoots it? Who reloads it? I have a pre-victory and I Have 1942 ammo (60-70 rounds) as well as the 158gr winchester nickel plated stuff. I have a .38/200 mold from LEE but I haven't poured yet. I'm wondering what hardness you guys are using in any of your poured rounds and what load data you're using for your loads?
 
I have a S&W Hand Ejector (Model 10), Feb 1942 production that shoots 38 S&W. I am shooting factory loads right now. Just got some kit from a friend to reload

There are a number of threads I had come across on it, ensure your dialing back to the search function 3 years and filtering out "special". Also try searching by the calibers other namings like 38-200, 38 Colt New Police, 38 SW Super Police, .380 Rim, or 38 S&W Corto
 
Went back 3 years, looking for posts... came up with nothing... Are you shooting new factory or vintage?

Edit: Found a thread
 
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I shoot .38 S&W, but I don't cast my own- I buy 160gr LRN from Omaproducts, and use 2.2gr W231.
 
I have a S&W Hand Ejector (Model 10), Feb 1942 production that shoots 38 S&W. I am shooting factory loads right now. Just got some kit from a friend to reload

There are a number of threads I had come across on it, ensure your dialing back to the search function 3 years and filtering out "special". Also try searching by the calibers other namings like 38-200, 38 Colt New Police, 38 SW Super Police, .380 Rim, or 38 S&W Corto

this would be a M&P, not a model 10. FYI
 
I shoot 38S&W and I cast my own. I also use the 38/200 original bullet which was obtained on a group buy on Cast Boolits. Prior to that I also did some research and found a couple of places in the States to obtain the original load but I thought it too expensive to go thru the hoops to have it brought in. Theres a few of our US neighbours also seeking the 38/200 loads and the 2 suppliers only do a run 1x/year.
Good luck with it
dB
 
I shoot 38S&W and I cast my own. I also use the 38/200 original bullet which was obtained on a group buy on Cast Boolits. Prior to that I also did some research and found a couple of places in the States to obtain the original load but I thought it too expensive to go thru the hoops to have it brought in. Theres a few of our US neighbours also seeking the 38/200 loads and the 2 suppliers only do a run 1x/year.
Good luck with it
dB

Same here... 2008-2009 ish I got mine in a group buy. It drops great bullets for a Lee mold.
 
The best articles to read for the .38 S&W are Ken Waters write up in Handloader May 1979 and then there were two revisits by two other authors in Dec. 2001 and Aug. 2009 Handloader Magazines. It is nice having all the Handloader Mags on DVD lol.

As far as hardness goes I use just regular WW air cooled and bullseye (1.8-2.1 gn)for the powder in that 200 gn mold and it shoots OK in all my .38 S&W revolvers. I size my bullets to .361 and have had no leading issues.
 
Year's ago I helped a friend load up a bunch of these.
2 grain's of powder per case so we went thru the entire 1lb can and a couple box's of pre-made cardboard box boolit's.
We filled a 50 cal can on that weekend and he's still shooting up that ammo.
 
Jericho, did you slug the cylinder throats, don't think they are as large as british ones. I use .360 200 grain from badly designed Lee group buy mold(bullets are too long for british cylinder). I'm surprised that you mentioned 158 gr .38 S&W ctg, most are 145 gn, sure they're not specials?
 
Last time I found factory .38S&W it was $38 for 50. I couldn't be bothered to reload, so I sold my Colt Police Positive. It chrony'd at under 700 fps with factory ammo from the 5 1/4" barrel.
 
I shoot 38S&W and I cast my own. I also use the 38/200 original bullet which was obtained on a group buy on Cast Boolits. Prior to that I also did some research and found a couple of places in the States to obtain the original load but I thought it too expensive to go thru the hoops to have it brought in. Theres a few of our US neighbours also seeking the 38/200 loads and the 2 suppliers only do a run 1x/year.
Good luck with it
dB
Is yours the NOE mould? I bought, and NOE mould in 38/200, supposedly it is an exact copy of the original load. I am shooting it over 2.2 gr of Bullseye. My mould was bought off of Cast Boolits.
 
If you're looking for load data, the 49th edition of the Lyman manual list 3 bullets weights, and 7 - 9 different powders for each....
 
lyman 49 is the only manual I have that lists anything close to 200, and that is the 195. I was not about to start filing my front sight to match the inconsistant winchester ammo, the only factory stuff i can find!!!
 
145gr not158gr, sorry. I haven't slugged thencylinder but I have quite a lot of wartime surplus ammo, 200gr, bullet diameter of .361 and my pre victory loves them.
 
Is yours the NOE mould? I bought, and NOE mould in 38/200, supposedly it is an exact copy of the original load. I am shooting it over 2.2 gr of Bullseye. My mould was bought off of Cast Boolits.

I have one of those and it is a great mold. My Enfields love 2.0 grn of Bullseye sized at .361 . My Victory models love 2.2 gn of Bullseye same size .361 .


"B" you need to clean your private message inbox so I can send you a reply.
 
I cleared out my brass buckets and found that I have 300 unfired starline brass for .38 S&W... and about 300 once fired nickel plated winchester .38 S&W casings... saves me some money... thought I had none!
 
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