.38 S&W loads? Can I use .38 Short Colt in a revolver chambered for .38 S&W ?

[ysrracer]

.38 S&W loads?

 

Can I use .38 Short Colt in a revolver chambered for .38 S&W ? Light loads of course.

[Joe4d]

maybe,, probably wouldnt hurt anything. I mean guys ream out cylinders to take 9mm then put 38's in them..
Here is a page with the dimensions,, see what you think. Probably ruin your short colt brass though. 
https://www.targetbarn.com/broad-side/38-sw-vs-38-special/

[open17]

38 SC will fit in a 38 S&W, but it's a bit undersize.   Watch your pressure, a lot of old 38 S&W guns are built for black powder pressures. I used cut down 38 special in a couple of 38 S&W guns before I got dies to reload

38 S&W.  They went bang, accuracy sucked (most 38 S&W bores are .360ish).  Consider a cast HBWC bullet that will expand to engage the rifling.   

 

 

Edited August 27, 2023 by open17

[ysrracer]

Thanks, yeah I'm thinking of using a .38 Short Colt case, and a .358 coated bullet.

 

It's a top break gun, so maybe 2.2 grains of Win 231.

[Jim Watson]

.38 SC has dropped off the SAAMI tables, let's assume it is the same O.D. as .38 Special, .379".

.38 S&W is .3863" so you have 7 thou of slop.  It is the same sort of thing as all the British surplus .380 Revolvers (.38 S&W) that were reamed to take .38 Special for sale in the Colonies.  

It's going to bulge.  Will it split?  Probably not at that load.  

[ysrracer]

In going to load a 147gr Blue Bullets .358 bullet in front of 2.3gr of Win 231 in a Stairline .38 Short Colt case.

 

We'll see what happens.

[Squirrel45]

Just like open says be aware that many are black powder rated. I have one built turn of the century that I haven't shot yet due to this.