Can the Enfield no.2 mk1 pistols be re-chambered to .38special safely?
- Thread starter sgt.rock
- Start date
- Location
- Manitoulin Island
Edit: This was a Smith & Wesson chambered 38 S &W reamed to take longer 38 Spl. The bulges were not concentric with the original brass, looked like crap and the bullets, as stated were undersized in bore. It was not an Enfield which would be a weaker action.
I bought one of these re-chambered ones a long time ago. Thought it was 38 SP. Only reason I regret trading it back to the gun shop was because I would have had 12-6 had I kept it. Don't think you would get many reloads if you tried to recycle bulged cases. Always danger of a split case and hot gas on your hand. Better to buy/save fired cases and re-load, even if you only use a Lee loader.
I bought one of these re-chambered ones a long time ago. Thought it was 38 SP. Only reason I regret trading it back to the gun shop was because I would have had 12-6 had I kept it. Don't think you would get many reloads if you tried to recycle bulged cases. Always danger of a split case and hot gas on your hand. Better to buy/save fired cases and re-load, even if you only use a Lee loader.
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If the bulged cases were only neck sized by controlling the depth of the sizing die travel then the cases should fit and fire from then on just fine. They'd be really nasty to look at though.
The other issue is that the bullet size for the "proper" ammo is .361. And the usual .38Spl size bullets at only .357 for jacketed and .358 for cast will rattle down the bore so likely as not accuracy will be piss poor.
Also as stated already there's the issue of overall length. Wikipedia shows the .38-200 size ammo (.38S&W is close but not the same as the british .38-200) as 1.240 overall length. .38Spl is 1.55. So you're looking at over 1/4" of increase. It's unlikely that most .38Spl will fit without sticking out the front of the cylinder. Full wadcutter ammo would work. But there's still the throat and bore size to bullet diameter to consider.
All in all I'd suggest it's a very bad option.
The other issue is that the bullet size for the "proper" ammo is .361. And the usual .38Spl size bullets at only .357 for jacketed and .358 for cast will rattle down the bore so likely as not accuracy will be piss poor.
Also as stated already there's the issue of overall length. Wikipedia shows the .38-200 size ammo (.38S&W is close but not the same as the british .38-200) as 1.240 overall length. .38Spl is 1.55. So you're looking at over 1/4" of increase. It's unlikely that most .38Spl will fit without sticking out the front of the cylinder. Full wadcutter ammo would work. But there's still the throat and bore size to bullet diameter to consider.
All in all I'd suggest it's a very bad option.
If .38 Sp. were to be used, I think hollow based wadcutters would be the way to go. They would compensate for any bore dimensional differences, and the oal would be minimized.
Six chambers to ream. I suspect that a custom pilot would be needed. Special order reamer. $$$.
Six chambers to ream. I suspect that a custom pilot would be needed. Special order reamer. $$$.
