.38 Special practice...7 different loads

OMG. The Buffalo Bore 158gr Hard lead SWC +P feel like magnum loads. 1st shot low, 2nd right. Specs are 1250fps/548fl-lbs energy. Somewhere between 35-40 feet.

t
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6 Remington 158gr full wad cutter and 6 Federal 158gr LRN. About 770/210.
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4 Remington +P 125gr SJHP, 1150/250, and 2 Liberty +P, HP 50/1500/250. Little left today
Colt 1937 Detective Special
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All specs I assume are with 4” barrels.
Last 12; mix of PPU 158gr LRN 780/210, Fiochhi 158gr FMJRN is a nice compromise at 960/320, and a couple more wadcutters. The Remington SJHP was the most comfortable for the accuracy, but the old school round sometimes has trouble expanding. Closest to what a carried as a Fed a generation+ ago. All shots double action.
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When manufactures test velocity its with a specified testing platform. Email exchanges with CCi had said the industry standard is 24" barrel and they calculate from those results? The discussion was mainly on 22lr.
they went on to tell me that thier pressure and accuracy devices are completely different devices also. Some times its on the box what barrel length the stated velocity is from.

If you dig into SAMMI specifications for manufactures they have certain testing and guidelines to follow to achieve the data/specs that SAMMI put out.
 
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Buffalo Bore most often has the information on their website. Every test I have seen of their ammo confirms the company claims.
They make a clone of the old FBI load (158gr soft lead hollow point wadcutter) that indeed kicks like a mule. It has around 1050fps velocity.
Tim you aren't doing badly with those groups from that gun in DA. Would you rather carry that or the PP?
 
I was trained on and carried a S/W 4" stainless 66 as a Fed. In the early 90's Magnum had become a dirty word...we used +P+ 110gr SJHP Treasury loads. I'm just comfortable with a revolver. I got a couple Bianchi speed strips that are easy to carry in the pocket. Still waiting for a good carry holster with a retention strap. The one that came last week was too big. In addition to the PP I carry my '43 Mauser HSc .32...I'm very good with that one for some reason. The Buffalo Bore .32 I use is just as powerful as Remington +P .38 special...1150/250...with a 100 vs. the 125 gr head on the .38 special. I have some SJSWC Magtech 158/800/287 coming...the Buffalo Bore 158 +P SWC is too strong for a little Detective. I need to put 1-200 more out of the PP to get accurate/comfortable...a very light finger tip press works the best with it...but it is a beautiful gun.

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Going to try a couple more loads tomorrow. They are all 158gr. lead SWC slugs. The left is the Buffalo Bore (hard cast lead) from last time....at 1150fps and 548ft-lbs (all specs from a 4 inch barrel) they are too powerful for a small frame Colt Detective. I have two other candidates. The center semi jacketed slug is Magtech +P, rated at 890/278. The far right is PPU NOT +P, but rates 902/285....go figure. Both the Magtech and PPU are soft lead rounds. I will fire 24 rounds of each at separate targets and check each for comfort, recoil, and accuracy.

I can always pick up the old FBI spec load Remington or Winchester 125gr SJHP....rated at 945/248...I've shot a lot of that and it is the most similar to what I carried as a Fed a long time ago.

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Well, I’ll have to put these loads down as failures. First off, lead fouling was terrible, especially the PPU (right target). Still have lead in the barrel after cleaning - never a problem before. Lead splash on the leading edges of the cylinders, faces, Muzzle, and forcing cone. Next up a jacketed SWC, I think. Mag tech had quite a kick, PPU was more controllable and I shot better. Full 50 feet this time, double action. Mid 70s, partly cloudy.

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And swarms of mosquitos...

And birds made a nest in the range box. Noisy babies
Got him!

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IANAG but that splash on the cylinder would have me slipping a feeler gauge in the cylinder gap. There are plug gauges Brownells sells to check the forcing cone. The splashes look centered on the chamber sides which would seem to indicate the timing is okay. Check the end shake as well.

I love what the Tyler T grip does for those revolvers.
 
Used a variety of stuff at hand, new brush and jag. Got about 95% off the exterior and maybe half the bore. Hopefully I can shoot the rest out with some FMJ.

t
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All specs I assume are with 4” barrels.
Last 12; mix of PPU 158gr LRN 780/210, Fiochhi 158gr FMJRN is a nice compromise at 960/320, and a couple more wadcutters. The Remington SJHP was the most comfortable for the accuracy, but the old school round sometimes has trouble expanding. Closest to what a carried as a Fed a generation+ ago. All shots double action.
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Specs are from sammi spec test barrels unless stated other wise by manufacture. I want to say the sammi or universal receiver test barrel is 10” for pistol and 24” for rifle?
 
Well, I’ll have to put these loads down as failures. First off, lead fouling was terrible, especially the PPU (right target). Still have lead in the barrel after cleaning - never a problem before. Lead splash on the leading edges of the cylinders, faces, Muzzle, and forcing cone. Next up a jacketed SWC, I think. Mag tech had quite a kick, PPU was more controllable and I shot better. Full 50 feet this time, double action. Mid 70s, partly cloudy.

t
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Leading is a result of improper bullet size and lube most of the time.
Often commercial cast bullets have libe that is to hard and lead alloy that is to hard. I ran all my odd cast bullets through the Chief Special today DA
Put a few random shots ( all loads are reloads with 158 gn SWC or RN loaded to starting loads with clays maybe 700fps? Bullets where cast from indoor range scrap with a Bhn hardness of 8) 25 yards old school cop stance for range silliness
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The remIning 100 shots or so where at 10” plates at 25-50 yards. Fun stuff
I was aiming center hold. Its a model 36 that the previous owner neglected in his later years. Some holster rot and you can get the previous owners finger prints off the rusty prints inbedded in the blueing .....
Heres a quick look at my bore after today. I will give it a wet patch/dry patch/wet patch and put it away to next time.
Used to shoot these loads out of my 19-2 I could go 300-500 rounds with minimal leading and then would clean with a loose brush wrapped in ChoreBoy copper scrubbing pads. really grabs the lead.
Amazon product ASIN B006K3XS5AView: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006K3XS5A/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B006K3XS5A&linkCode=as2&tag=1911johnmac-20&linkId=78a8e90a126defe38a26e68e213cf1f2



View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D77JiznHBrM
 
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Have you tried Berry's plated bullets ? I hate leading and these seem to work well at fifteen yards with UNIQUE propellant.

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Very reasonable pricing too.
 
Have you tried Berry's plated bullets ? I hate leading and these seem to work well at fifteen yards with UNIQUE propellant.

HGKghXb.jpg


t0eZWb3.jpg


Very reasonable pricing too.
when it comes to 38spl im happy with my almost free home cast bullets. the "leading" is minimal in this at 125 rounds if I slug the bore and size correctly I could probably go 500 plus rounds with out any leading
 
for what it's worth i use blue bullets 158 gr. lswc for my .38 sp reloads. don't experience leading with that coating they have. just my observation. ;)
 
for what it's worth i use blue bullets 158 gr. lswc for my .38 sp reloads. don't experience leading with that coating they have. just my observation. ;)
i run a swc and WC with juzt a minimum powder charge. Makes for light fun target work.

the wax or rubber bullets can be fired with primer only.
you can drill out the flash hole on a handful of cases and get a 3/8 thick sheet of wax and just cookie cut the case into the wax.
 
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