I've got conversion cylinders for my ROA and Pietta 12-inch 58 Rem and like them as an occasional alternative to powder. I am thinking of getting a 38 spl cylinder for my Uberti 36 cal 1858 Rem and hear that hollow-base bullets are the way to go to overcome the cylinder/bore mismatch that wreaks havoc on accuracy. Using black powder, I usually use a .380 home-cast ball and get good accuracy. The .357 bullet from the 38 spl is simply too small for a good fit in the barrel to get the rifling to work. I have a hollow-base 38 spl mold and intend to reload. My question is: have any of you used hollow-base 38 spl bullets in your 36 revolver and what was the result in terms of accuracy? I really hope they do in fact "ballon" enough to engage the rifling, because I don't want to have the barrel re-lined. Also, if you're a reloader of 38 spl for a 36 conversion, what's your favorite load? Thanks for info.
.36 to 38 spl conversion accuracy question
- Thread starter Jeffers
- Start date
- Status
Loyalist Dave
Member
This was actually covered in a Cowboy shooting magazine a few years back (the title escapes me). The standard .38 special loads will work with "acceptable accuracy", which meant that the rounds would hit targets aimed at out to 50', but if one wanted the best possible accuracy, the hollow based wad cutters would indeed flare and stablize on the rifling. I don't think the size mismatch would cause "havoc" on accuracy. The difference between a .380 and a .357 is only .023, and I have used a .490 ball in my .54 rifle instead of a .530, and out to 25 yards it worked suprizingly well, and the dif there was .04. Granted the barrel on a rifle is much longer giving more time to work on the trajectory, but the hollow based slugs should work fine.
LD
LD
Thanks, Loyalist Dave, I too live . . .
in Maryland (Bel Air). You've given me assurance to go ahead and get the conversion cylinder. Also, I am thinking of trying to find a custom mould maker who will make a mould for .375 hollow-base bullets for those time when I feel like loading loose powder. (this could get expensive)
in Maryland (Bel Air). You've given me assurance to go ahead and get the conversion cylinder. Also, I am thinking of trying to find a custom mould maker who will make a mould for .375 hollow-base bullets for those time when I feel like loading loose powder. (this could get expensive)
The problems with accuracy seem to depend on individual guns, but as a rule of thumb, firing an undersized bullet down an oversized bore will not result in favorable accuracy.
The oversized/undersized relationship seems to be worse in .36 caliber C&B revolvers then in .44's, but in any case before I went to the trouble and expense of buying a cylinder, I'd slug my barrel to see exactly what I was working with.
Also a better route might be to get a mold that cast heeled bullets. They are a lot easier to cast then hollow bases.
The oversized/undersized relationship seems to be worse in .36 caliber C&B revolvers then in .44's, but in any case before I went to the trouble and expense of buying a cylinder, I'd slug my barrel to see exactly what I was working with.
Also a better route might be to get a mold that cast heeled bullets. They are a lot easier to cast then hollow bases.
- Status
