mchapman Posted September 17, 2015 Share Posted September 17, 2015 I have been using 38 spcl in my 627, but I think that I can help my reloads on the clock by switching to one or the other of short colt or long colt. My question to those of you that have made the switch, which did you go with and why? Thanks in advance for any replies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pskys2 Posted September 17, 2015 Share Posted September 17, 2015 Starline Short Colt with Hearthco Moon Clips. With 160 gr bullets at 800+f/s it's a tack driver. Uses less powder and the loads seem more efficient. Have to load the 160's over 1.180 oal. The geometry is better the shorter the case. I can reload faster and more consistent with them than my 625. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatJones Posted September 17, 2015 Share Posted September 17, 2015 Tried short brass.... The bullets keyhole in my Revo. Try a few before you buy a couple thousand pieces of brass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carmoney Posted September 17, 2015 Share Posted September 17, 2015 I've had no problems--accuracy or otherwise--with my Short Colt loads in any of my guns. I don't even bother loading .38 Special anymore--well, except for Sam's Marlin carbine, but that's another matter.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MWP Posted September 17, 2015 Share Posted September 17, 2015 Short. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UFO Posted September 17, 2015 Share Posted September 17, 2015 Short Colts, 170gr Moly Coated,1.22 OAL. Load fast, shoot good.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AzShooter Posted September 17, 2015 Share Posted September 17, 2015 I've been shooting short colts for a number of years. Much better than .38s Accuracy is fine. I can keep then all in the A-Zone at 50 yards if I take my time. Never tried LC but they should work well. Short Colt loads were easy to develop, I use Billy 160 grain bullets and some of my own cast bullets that come out at 182 grains. I love the heavier bullet and they will shoot 1 inch groups all day long at 26 yards from the bench. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R1valdez Posted September 17, 2015 Share Posted September 17, 2015 I've been shooting short colts for a number of years. Much better than .38s Accuracy is fine. I can keep then all in the A-Zone at 50 yards if I take my time. Never tried LC but they should work well. Short Colt loads were easy to develop, I use Billy 160 grain bullets and some of my own cast bullets that come out at 182 grains. I love the heavier bullet and they will shoot 1 inch groups all day long at 26 yards from the bench. What mold are you using for that 182gr bullet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BBeavers Posted September 17, 2015 Share Posted September 17, 2015 I use Starline short colt brass w/ 160gr BBI bullets. Generally, I can reload just as fast with special brass but the real difference for me happens when I really push my weak-hand reload and maybe don't bottom the extractor rod out; the special brass won't quite make it out of the cylinder on the first try and that really screws up the rhythm of the whole process. I have never had that happen with short colt brass. Plus I can shoot the short colt rounds in both my 627 and 929! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alecmc Posted September 17, 2015 Share Posted September 17, 2015 I guess I'll be the oddball with my long colt brass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forrest Halley Posted September 17, 2015 Share Posted September 17, 2015 I feel like the difference would be in which feels better to grab off the belt. I loved the .45 and N frame .40's. The eight shot is taking some getting used to with the little short bullets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mchapman Posted September 17, 2015 Author Share Posted September 17, 2015 I have a new mold that I'm using it's from Accurate Molds and it's a 147 no groove TC in .358 that I'm powder coating. It shoots really well in my 986, 9mm with BE-86 powder loads from 3.7 to 4.5 getting 115 to 131 pf and I have tried that same bullet in my 38 spcl and it shoots pretty good there also. So I thought that I would try the shorter cases to see if I could get better reloads and shoot as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mchapman Posted September 17, 2015 Author Share Posted September 17, 2015 I tried to cut down 38 spcl to short colt and that didn't work to well and so I am trying the Long colt length, but I think that maybe I should just bite the bullet and order some Starline. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
310yuma Posted September 17, 2015 Share Posted September 17, 2015 You can only cut 38 special case down to 38 super (.9 or so) without reaming inside of case (not worth it) I cut some down but found it was much easier just to buy short colt cases from Starline They last a long time, I think out of 3k cases in the last 3 years I have found 2 split cases Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnRodriguez Posted September 18, 2015 Share Posted September 18, 2015 I have a batch of 38 special brass that I cut down to 38 super length, mainly so I didn't have to set up another powder measure, just use my super/40SW measure. My load for it is a 170gr Billy bullet with 3.3gr of vv310, about 129pf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mchapman Posted September 18, 2015 Author Share Posted September 18, 2015 Tried short brass.... The bullets keyhole in my Revo. Try a few before you buy a couple thousand pieces of brass. Pat was it too much crimp and swaging down? Or was there another issue? Did you try the long colts with any better luck? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mchapman Posted September 18, 2015 Author Share Posted September 18, 2015 I've had no problems--accuracy or otherwise--with my Short Colt loads in any of my guns. I don't even bother loading .38 Special anymore--well, except for Sam's Marlin carbine, but that's another matter.... Mike have you used any of the 147 weight bullets? Any problems with them?, I see that most are using VV powders, which I have none but I do have quite a few other maker powders, BE-86 Bulleye, Power Pistol, Auto-comp, Longshot,Red Dot,and 231/HP-38, all of which work well with the 38's the 9's and the 45's that I have been shooting. I would hope that I can get one or two of these powders to work well with the Long Colt/Short Colt if I switch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bamboo Posted September 18, 2015 Share Posted September 18, 2015 I had some keyholeing issues with a batch of 160 grain bullets but found that they actually were sized for 9mm. Got some .358 sized Bayous and all is good and accuracy with the Short Colts is good. Also, I tried cutting 39 special cases to .900 and didn't have good results. I spent about 4 months messing with cut cases and finally tossed in the towel and went to starline short colts. In hind sight I did learn a few things, but knowing what I know now I would have gone straight to the short colts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AzShooter Posted September 18, 2015 Share Posted September 18, 2015 The mold is from (LBT) Lead Bullets Technology (LBTisAccuracy@localnet.com) I had it custom made into a round nose so it would seed reload better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Freeman Posted September 18, 2015 Share Posted September 18, 2015 I trim back long colt to 38 Super length. Kind of a 38 Medium Colt or Rimmed 38 Super. I don't know if I am accomplishing anything really, but it is working for me. Although I don't think I have fired a shot through any of my 627s since I got my 929s... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carmoney Posted September 19, 2015 Share Posted September 19, 2015 I've had no problems--accuracy or otherwise--with my Short Colt loads in any of my guns. I don't even bother loading .38 Special anymore--well, except for Sam's Marlin carbine, but that's another matter....Mike have you used any of the 147 weight bullets? Any problems with them?, I see that most are using VV powders, which I have none but I do have quite a few other maker powders, BE-86 Bulleye, Power Pistol, Auto-comp, Longshot,Red Dot,and 231/HP-38, all of which work well with the 38's the 9's and the 45's that I have been shooting. I would hope that I can get one or two of these powders to work well with the Long Colt/Short Colt if I switch. My favorite bullet was the Zero 150-gr. jacketed RN in .356". Notice I said "was"--they don't seem to be making that bullet anymore. I am now running the MG 142-gr. pointy bullet. It's working OK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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