Low pressure 38 special
- Thread starter smmilani
- Start date
Maybe the cowboy ammo? That's lower than standard I believe. Full wadcutter target ammo is definitely lower pressure and velocity, but I haven't seen any offered commercially for a while. - dan
Unless you find original blackpowder loaded 38 special I wouldn't put anything commercially bought in an antique revolver. 38 special appeared in 1899 so after the antique cutoff date. So, any firearm that is legally antique was not originally designed to fire 38 special unless modified recently.
Regularly firing your antiques usually implies being able to reload your own ammo.
Regularly firing your antiques usually implies being able to reload your own ammo.
smmilani: You mentioned that this is an antique revolver. Just for the sake of clarity, is the revolver marked "Smith & Wesson .38 Special" ? Or: ."38 Smith & Wesson"? These two cartridges are not the same. Though easily mistaken for each other.
I mention this, as it's more likely that an antique (pre-1899) .38 caliber revolver would be chambered in the S&W round, rather than .38 Special. Also, depending on the revolver(Colt, for example), it could actually be chambered for the .38 Colt(Long) cartridge.
A bit more information about the revolver would be helpful.
Al
I mention this, as it's more likely that an antique (pre-1899) .38 caliber revolver would be chambered in the S&W round, rather than .38 Special. Also, depending on the revolver(Colt, for example), it could actually be chambered for the .38 Colt(Long) cartridge.
A bit more information about the revolver would be helpful.
Al
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Not sure if you reload, but I used to load 2.7 grains of bullseye with 148 gr wadcutters and it is a very light load.
- Location
- Onterrible, Communist Turdezuela
Get into handloading. You're rolling the dice with factory ammo.
Having said that rusty wood in BC has 38 special HBWC black powder ammo for sale.
As watchguy recommends, If you reload, Bullseye is a good powder for low pressure loads. Likewise: Clays. Either powder is hard to find right now. But do work well. Depending on bullet weight, anywhere between 2.5 and 3 grains of either powder, makes for a soft shooting load.
If you don't reload and need factory ammo, Black Hills Cowboy Ammo is likely your best bet. Available through Western Metal. Also: Canada First Ammo. This is smokeless powder ammo. Go to the Black Hills site, for further info.
Or, as mentioned, go to the Rusty Wood site, for black powder .38's. These will be safe for use.
Al
If you don't reload and need factory ammo, Black Hills Cowboy Ammo is likely your best bet. Available through Western Metal. Also: Canada First Ammo. This is smokeless powder ammo. Go to the Black Hills site, for further info.
Or, as mentioned, go to the Rusty Wood site, for black powder .38's. These will be safe for use.
Al
MosinMan13
CGN Regular
- Location
- Thornbury Ontario
That’s super uber very definitly unlikely.
Black powder. It doesn’t bite. It’s not that bad to cleanup. You might even like it. I liked it so much I started loading my modern smokeless cartridges/rifles with it.
Its no necessarily the pressure level but the rate at which the pressure builds.
BP or one of the substitutes is the way to go.
Yes a Pressure Spike is what we are trying to avoid.
Member Vicious is saying that it's the spike NOT the pressure. I'm simply pointing out that it is the Pressure in the Spike we want to avoid.
Not all smokeless powders have this effect. The sticky above (Smokeless in Antique) sheds some light on the subject.
I have owned and still own dozens of antique firearms and use Black Powder in only a very few of them. Only for the joy of smoke and BOOOOM.
20 years latter all my antique pistols and long guns still run fine using specific smokeless powders with specific recipes. YMMV
