38 Short Colt Brass

[10mmdave]

This is my second range report:  I can't seem to get any accuracy out of .356 diameter bullets.  I tried more powder (higher speed) and a firmer crimp (more pressure) and my accuracy was always in the 5" range at 25 yards, which I find unacceptable for what I need (falling steel and ICORE).  I'm going to try .357 diameter bullets today.  I'm using Montana's .357 125 CMJ, but they have a flat on the nose that can hamper fast reloads.  If they don't work it could be the long jump to the forcing cone, but if they do, does anybody know a bullet maker that makes a .357 diameter bullet with a true round nose?  I know some of the plated bullet makers do, but I'd rather have a jacketed round, if possible.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

What barrel/gun are you using ?? 357 mag or 38 super ?? (I believe it was mag)

I've asked a couple of bullet makers for pointy .357 bullets, they pause and look at

me funny after I tell them why

Nosler makes a .357 135 grn bullet along with a 115 JHP .357, no cannlure.

I got a few 124 grn plateds from Acurabullet (westcoast) sized 357/358 with a nice

pointy nose but got terrible accuracy, and that was with special cases, not the SC.

Good luck.

[cooper_999]

don´t know if H&N is shipping/exporting to US - but have a look here H&N Germany

They have a nice 125 RN Bullet in .357 (originaly made for 9x19) - I use only H&N for reloading - they have a wide range of Bullets for Revo´s from 125grs up to 200grs!

Sascha

[R112mercer]

Thanks Guys, here's what I got. I shot the .357 diameter Montana 125 gr. CMJ and got acceptable accuracy over 4.0 gr. of W231. These bullets group outstandingly over 4.0 gr. of Clays in a .38 Special case. I'm going to try a bit more W231 and 3.0 gr. of Clays and see what happens. DougC, I think having a heavier .356 bullet might help, with the longer bearing surface and all. I'll have to try some. 10mmDave, yes, it's a .357 Magnum I'm using. My principal problem is I'm too cheap to go mail ordering all sorts of different bullets just experiment. I now have 400+ .356 diameter FMJ's that I have almost no use for. I'd hate to keep racking up expenses and have a pile of useless stuff laying around.

[10mmdave]

Thanks Guys, here's what I got.  I shot the .357 diameter Montana 125 gr. CMJ and got acceptable accuracy over 4.0 gr. of W231.  These bullets group outstandingly over 4.0 gr. of Clays in a .38 Special case.  I'm going to try a bit more W231 and 3.0 gr. of Clays and see what happens.  DougC, I think having a heavier .356 bullet might help, with the longer bearing surface and all.  I'll have to try some.  10mmDave, yes, it's a .357 Magnum I'm using.  My principal problem is I'm too cheap to go mail ordering all sorts of different bullets just experiment.  I now have 400+ .356 diameter FMJ's that I have almost no use for.  I'd hate to keep racking up expenses and have a pile of useless stuff laying around.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well to add my 2 cents..........

I've been working with some short brass as well, I cut down some to 38 Super

length .900. (used a case trimmer and chamfer tool and everything, not just a

hacksaw)

I've been playing with the 95 grn 380 ACP JSP Zero bullets, they have a canalure,

a very deep hollow base with about .12-.14 bearing surface.

Anyways, all testing has been done with a 357 mag length cylinder but using a

9mm sized barrel with a 10 inch twist.

For me and my combination it looks like the lighter smaller bullets don't work too

good with all that free bore, shooting the same bullet out of a 38 spcl case at the

same velocity/power factor, group size with the short cases is alot bigger than the

38 spcl case, i'm looking at 1 to 1.5 inches @ 50 feet compared to 3-4 inches plus

for the short stuff. (oh ya, using 231 powder and bullseye and me shooting resting

the gun on a pistol perch)

I can kinda see how the longer heavier bullets work okay in the short brass, less

chance to get messed up from case to pre-forcing cone area maybe ??

Looks like I have to get that model of an 8 shot revo cylinder to Brian at

Experimental Machining that sounds like a good winter project.

[Carmoney]

My own effort in "taking the short bus":

145-gr. .357 Bushwacker RNL over 3.2 gr of Titegroup, loaded out pretty long (calipers are buried somewhere on the bench).

Easy in, easy out, every time.

Round 25-yard groups around 3" or 3.5", BUT that was arms resting on a plastic trash bin on wheels, in fading light, after fighting with other lawyers all day..... I think this load is more accurate than that, and standing up I had no trouble hitting the small plate every time at 35-40 yards slow-fire.

A little more lead build-up on the cylinder face than I get with full-length .38 Spl. loads, might be better with a recut forcing cone, otherwise this load seems nice and clean. Loaded and shot 100 rounds or so and eveything kept working nicely and cleaned up good afterward.

Averaged 844 fps over the chrono for 122 p.f., which is about what I wanted for plates and ICORE. Drops in nice and quick, which to my mind is the whole reason for the short brass.

I'll report back after next week's steel match in Osceola.

Mike

[R112mercer]

Tried a variety of loads today. Montana .357 diameter 125 gr. CMJ over 4.5 gr. of W231 gave good accuracy. Montana .356 125 gr. FMJ over 3.0 of Clays gave interesting results. From the bench at 25 yards the first group looked like a shotgun pattern. I said "what the heck" and just banged out the other five rounds from the bench at a fairly rapid single action pace. This somehow resulted in a 5 shot 2" group at 25 yards. More experimenting is necessary...

[Carmoney]

Rob, "single action"? I don't believe I'm familiar with that phrase.......

[R112mercer]

Okay, Mike. I know you're a Rookie at this game so hear it goes: If you pull the hammer back (that's if you have something to pull on, I've seen your gun!) it'll stop and you can get a stock trigger pull just slightly heavier than a Randy Lee double action trigger job! I usually use the single action off the bench just to eliminate one more variable when load testing. All of my zero's are obtained as close to match conditions as possible, e.g.: same lighting, draw from holster, grip, stance, trigger pull, no hearing protection, etc.

[AzShooter]

I resurected some of my .38 short brass this week and loaded it with 158 grn lead bullets behind 3.6 grains of Unique. Velocity average was 840 fps for a nice pf of 132. Maximum load listed in the Lyman Pistol & Revolver loading manual is 3.7 grains. ( I hate going over maximum.)

I didn't shoot off a bench but shot a match, every month we shoot the Steel Challenge stages here and I found that accuracy was very good when I did my part. When I aimed every shot hit. When I missed it was clearly my fault not following my thoughts completely through the trigger pull.

Groups were well centered clusters after all 5 strings on the stages so, that means accuracy was pretty good..

Even at Outer Limits the hits were well centered at 35 yards and I had no problem on the close targets.

I normally load all my moons before a match and was able to shoot all 34 moons without having to clean the gun. I guess the new Unique is cleaner than the old stuff was. I also found cleaning at the end of the match to be easier.

I may have to do a little more experimentation but I really don't see that much difference in reload times. I shot an IPSC style match with the load earlier in the week and reloads were good, accuracy was good.

Biggest problem is loading the .38s in my 650 Dillon. Cases don't work well in the case feeder, binding up at the top or even spilling in upside down.

[Randy Lee]

You Guys are bad...

[R112mercer]

All right, looks like my final range report. I tried Montana's 125 gr. FMJ over 3.0, 3.5, and 4.0 of Clays. 3.5 and 4.0 were terrible, again, shotgun pattern bad. 3.0 seemed to group well, with the occasional wild flyer. I fired 15 rounds at 28 yards into one target and got a 2 1/2-3" group with only one flyer. The flyer was way off, 5-6", but the other 14 were nice and tight. Looks like my new steel/ICORE load. If anybody wants I measure the OAL and post.

[Round_Gun_Shooter]

All right, looks like my final range report.  I tried Montana's 125 gr. FMJ over 3.0, 3.5, and 4.0 of Clays.  3.5 and 4.0 were terrible, again, shotgun pattern bad.  3.0 seemed to group well, with the occasional wild flyer.  I fired 15 rounds at 28 yards into one target and got a 2 1/2-3" group with only one flyer.  The flyer was way off, 5-6", but the other 14 were nice and tight.  Looks like my new steel/ICORE load.  If anybody wants I measure the OAL and post.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If you want to try 158CMJ from Montana Gold, let me know I have about 2000 left and could send you a dozen or so.

Regards,

[Carmoney]

Rob, still not sure what you mean, where do I pull on this thing to try out this thing you call "single-action"?

[Carmoney]

I'll report back after next week's steel match in Osceola.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Everything ran smoothly with my 145-gr. lead Bushwhackers at the steel challenge match today. Seems plenty accurate for anything I'm going to do with it. I really like the way those stubby little short colts drop right in!

[robomanusa]

If anyone is interested, I have a box of 50 Remington new unprimed 38S&W nickel cases.

The box and tray they are in is original Remington and looks older than me, LOL

I dont have a use for them, I got them in a box of stuff when my grandpa past away, so if anyone wants them I will be happy to drop them in the mail to someone.