38 spl cut down to 38 s&w ?
- Thread starter m1grand
- Start date
BattleRife
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- of No Fixed Address
I doubt it matters. I did about a dozen so many years ago that I don't remember how I did it. If I were doing it today I would rough cut them with a pipe cutter and finish on the trimmer.
The cases will bulge a whole bunch the first time you fire them. The heads will not, and your cases will forever have a slight mushroom shape. I only did it because I had an old Iver Johnson I wanted to shoot a couple of times to say I had done it. If you intend to shoot a bunch, .38S&W brass is still made.
The cases will bulge a whole bunch the first time you fire them. The heads will not, and your cases will forever have a slight mushroom shape. I only did it because I had an old Iver Johnson I wanted to shoot a couple of times to say I had done it. If you intend to shoot a bunch, .38S&W brass is still made.
saskgunowner101
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- near Prince Albert
I was considering going that route when I first got a .38 S&W, but found out the brass is actually available. I think for the effort/time involved, you'd be better off just ordering some.
a 9MM lUGER CASE IS A PERFECT FIT, AS IS. Drop a fired 9mm case into the chamber and see if it will headspace on the mouth. if it does, you are good to go. ooad a hollow base wadcutter, sticking about half way out of the case. the hollow base wille xpand to the larger bore size.
You will have to poke the cases out.
You will have to poke the cases out.
One of the older .38 cartridges, appeared in the late 1800s. Shorter and slightly fatter than the .38 Special.
I, too, have shortened .38Sp. cases, and yes, they do expand on initial firing. The pressures are rather low, so I don't think that this is the issue that it would be with a higher pressure cartridge.
Never tried the 9mm case idea, sounds workable. Ganderite in no way suggested it, but it would be a really, really bad idea to try to fire standard 9mm rounds in a .38S&W revolver, though. Particularly in one of the old topbreaks.
Best to just get some .38S&W ammunition or cases.
I, too, have shortened .38Sp. cases, and yes, they do expand on initial firing. The pressures are rather low, so I don't think that this is the issue that it would be with a higher pressure cartridge.
Never tried the 9mm case idea, sounds workable. Ganderite in no way suggested it, but it would be a really, really bad idea to try to fire standard 9mm rounds in a .38S&W revolver, though. Particularly in one of the old topbreaks.
Best to just get some .38S&W ammunition or cases.
Last edited:
Yes, 38 S&W is rimmed. 9mm is rimless. So how does the case headspace correctly and not fall in or even fall through?
As i said, the 9mm and 38S&W are almost identical in case size. IF the chamber has a step machined in for the 9mm case to butt against, it is a perfect substitute for the correct case. Except it has no rim for the extractor to push on. This is why I said you would have to poke the cases out.
Just state the obvious:
9mm 35,000 psi
38 S&W 10,000 psi
Load the 9mm case with 38S&W powder charges.
I used 9mm cases for a few years in a Victory until I came across some 38S&W brass.
As i said, the 9mm and 38S&W are almost identical in case size. IF the chamber has a step machined in for the 9mm case to butt against, it is a perfect substitute for the correct case. Except it has no rim for the extractor to push on. This is why I said you would have to poke the cases out.
Just state the obvious:
9mm 35,000 psi
38 S&W 10,000 psi
Load the 9mm case with 38S&W powder charges.
I used 9mm cases for a few years in a Victory until I came across some 38S&W brass.
Thanks for the explaination. I'm sorry I used the lip word instead of rim word. It seens to me my buddy shoved a 9mm right through the chamber on his wobbly webly. I think it might have been a case.
There is alot of people like myself that are on a quest to learn things from the nutz on here and it really concerns me that some one may try a 9mm in an old wobbly webly. I have a image in my head of it blowing up in someones face. The pressures above sum it up quite well. Thanks for that!
I know the experts here know better but some of us have a lot to learn and count on you people to give us safe information.
There is alot of people like myself that are on a quest to learn things from the nutz on here and it really concerns me that some one may try a 9mm in an old wobbly webly. I have a image in my head of it blowing up in someones face. The pressures above sum it up quite well. Thanks for that!
I know the experts here know better but some of us have a lot to learn and count on you people to give us safe information.
Some people think a bit about what they read and hear and use their brains. So when they hear that it is not good to shoot 35,000 psi ammo in a 10,000 psi gun - it makes sense to them.
But I know a few people who continue to shoot factory 9mm in a 38S&W "because it fits".
This is a very unfortuante coinincidence. It is even worse than being able to chamber 357 in a 38 Spl.
However, for the purposes of finding brass for plinking in your 38S&W, 9mm brass might work. Here is my Webley with some 38 and some 9mm brass in it. As youc an see, it fits perfectly and shoots just fine with 38 power loads. I poke cases out with a screwdriver.
But I know a few people who continue to shoot factory 9mm in a 38S&W "because it fits".
This is a very unfortuante coinincidence. It is even worse than being able to chamber 357 in a 38 Spl.
However, for the purposes of finding brass for plinking in your 38S&W, 9mm brass might work. Here is my Webley with some 38 and some 9mm brass in it. As youc an see, it fits perfectly and shoots just fine with 38 power loads. I poke cases out with a screwdriver.
saskgunowner101
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- near Prince Albert
Ganderite
I don't suppose you have any load data using Titegroup in the .38 S&W, do you?
I don't suppose you have any load data using Titegroup in the .38 S&W, do you?
saskgunowner101
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- near Prince Albert
I was told that already, but nobody is willing to give up the goods.
All I want to do is shoot 124 grain cast through it. And I have a lot of Titegroup powder.
peter2772000
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Montreal, Quebec, Canada
I coulda sworn I saw new 38 S&W brass for sale somewhere....Higginsons?
I own a revolver in 38 S&W. J-framed 12.6er. Model 34 I believe. I keep it simply because it was one of the first revolvers I ever bought. But firing a fixed-sight J-frame 38 S&W which isn't exactly an amazing round to begin with......well, let's just say that the two boxes of reloads I have will prolly last 'till they bury me 30-40 yrs from now
I own a revolver in 38 S&W. J-framed 12.6er. Model 34 I believe. I keep it simply because it was one of the first revolvers I ever bought. But firing a fixed-sight J-frame 38 S&W which isn't exactly an amazing round to begin with......well, let's just say that the two boxes of reloads I have will prolly last 'till they bury me 30-40 yrs from now
