38 s&w

[DeadeyeJack]

I acquired a pristine break top Smith & Wesson that someone found in "grammy's" drawer post mortem. It looked like a 38, but is an obsolete caliber 38 s&w (this was determined by Scott at Scott's). I can find bullets (.359) and dies, but brass is not available. Anyone try using shortened 38sp cases trimmed down?

 

[novus collectus]

I acquired a pristine break top Smith & Wesson that someone found in "grammy's" drawer post mortem. It looked like a 38, but is an obsolete caliber 38 s&w (this was determined by Scott at Scott's). I can find bullets (.359) and dies, but brass is not available. Anyone try using shortened 38sp cases trimmed down?

I thought of that at one point an even bought some .38 Special just for that reason (.38 S&W was almost completely out of production at the time), but I later found out that they are different diameters. The .38 Special parent case was the .38 Colt IIRC and did not progress from the .38 S&W.

YOu can find .38 S&W online now though and the price is actually not bad now when compared to most other handgun ammunition. YOu can probably find it for maybe $23 per box and you can just reuse that brass. The only problem with commercial .38 S&W is it is loaded to smokeless powder pressures which is bad for your S&W (I believe S&W stopped making top breaks before smokeless was common and and were designed for BP .38). So if you want to keep your S&W in great shape, then pull the bullets on the commercial and reload with smokelss but to BP pressures I suggest.
YOu however can find Cowboy Action .38 which is loaded to proper pressures online, but this is more expensive and often out of stock.

By the way, I'll buy that revolver off of you for $10
But seriously, if you name a price I can afford, I will buy that revolver from you because I always wanted a Smith and Wesson top break to add to my top break and antique collection.

 

[smokey]

basspro has 38 s&w for some reason behind the counter by the pellet guns

 

[novus collectus]

basspro has 38 s&w for some reason behind the counter by the pellet guns

Brand and price?

 

[smokey]

mmmmm i wanna say remington and probably too high...i'll check it out

 

[helg]

There are 38 S&W lots on gunbroker, for once fired and virgin brass. The price is low enough not to think of any caliber conversion.

 

[zoostation]

There's enough pistols out there in that caliber that I would think there's still significant enough interest in shooting and reloading it to keep the market going. The caliber stayed somewhat popular with Colt and S&W police revolvers through the early part of the 20th Century. The British continued to use it through WW2 but they called it the 38-200. In fact, the Smith & Wesson "Victory" Lend-Lease revolvers that were sent to Britain were chambered in 38 S&W.

 

[novus collectus]

There's enough pistols out there in that caliber that I would think there's still significant enough interest in shooting and reloading it to keep the market going. The caliber stayed somewhat popular with Colt and S&W police revolvers through the early part of the 20th Century. The British continued to use it through WW2 but they called it the 38-200. In fact, the Smith & Wesson "Victory" Lend-Lease revolvers that were sent to Britain were chambered in 38 S&W.

When I first got my first antique .38 S&W Iver Johnson top break I think about eight years ago or less. Back then it was unheard of to find .38 S&W online or in stores. The only way I was able to find some to shoot was a friend of a freind who found half a box stashed away in a cabinet from many years ago who gave it to me.
About four years ago I noticed some starting to show up online and I have even started seeing some in gun shops in the past few years. For instance, I bought a box from Zeke at the Delmarva Sporting Clays where we have the MDShooters shoots at the last one or one before last (for a good price too). It was a newly, or newer manufactured box of ammo too.
NOw I see a number of manufacturers for .38 S&W.

 

[Biggfoot44]

S&W break tops were made from 1880s until 1940s. The later ones used decent steel annd were stronger than most , and fairly strong. Consult the usual resources to determine the age of your gun.
The factory loads have always been mild, probably due to all the old weak revolvers out there. The R-P ammo has always been in production. Several small mfgs make ammo also, due to the cal's modest popularity in CAS sidematches. Starline makes brass inn this cal.
The actual S&Ws of this type were well made and comparatively pricey. The H&R and Iver Johnnson (in descending order) were also considered well designed , and reasonably well made porportinate to pice.

 

[joppaj]

The British continued to use it through WW2 but they called it the 38-200.

My father has a Webley chambered in that calibre. He always refered to it as a ".38 short". Would that be widely recognized nomenclature?

 

[Biggfoot44]

There IS a .38 Short, but the .38 S&W isn"t it. The British round has same case dimentions , but their standard bullet wt was first 200 gr< later folowed by a 173 in jacketed.
In the US .38 S&W origional and most common wt was 146 gr. In 1920s & 30s there was limited popularity of 200gr "Super Police" load. This is what inspired the British, but its popularity in US wained.

 

[DeadeyeJack]

Thanks for the input everyone.
There was ONE box at Bass Pro.
It was behind the counter. As an aside, when I asked for it the clerk just said "no" and chuckled. I stated that I had been directed to ask for it and it was behind the counter. He and another guy walked there with me (on the customer side) and lo and behold, he picked it up. All I could say was "that would be it then, wouldn't it."

So I will be firing it this weekend. I'll report back how it was.

 

[DeadeyeJack]

Finally shot it. I put the review in the C&R section.

 

[novus collectus]

A friend (another forum member too) just gave me about fifty rounds of .38 S&W less than a week ago. I actually have a good supply for all my .38s for once.

 

[Capt.Link.]

There IS a .38 Short, but the .38 S&W isn"t it. The British round has same case dimentions , but their standard bullet wt was first 200 gr< later folowed by a 173 in jacketed.
In the US .38 S&W origional and most common wt was 146 gr. In 1920s & 30s there was limited popularity of 200gr "Super Police" load. This is what inspired the British, but its popularity in US wained.

I believe the British Webly cartridge was known as the 380 and I'm not confusing it with the .380acp 9mmkurtz