I'm discovering a "new" caliber: 38S&W

[Gordon]

Here is another of my S&W .38 corto as Fiocchi sometimes calls it's ammo. A 1963 Iver Johnson Trailsman 66 snub. This gun is about the same size and weight as a steel Colt Detective Special but has a 3/4" longer barrel and fully adjustable sights. This one must have been made on a good day, the trigger is good and it is accurate. I have only fired this one 150 rounds and put the sights dead on at 25 yards. It fired 4 inch groups single action from support indoors with Fiocchi fmj ammo I recently sold the identical Viking ( except for transfer bar and horrible trigger) I had which was not near as prime condition as this one is. I got $350 for the Viking .

 

[Gordon]

 

[Gordon]

I recently sold my Webley Mark IV .38 police safety post war gun to Jar . I fired that one more than these Iver Johnson s . It was more accurate I think and the latch system vastly superior. I been studying the IJ trailman latch , and of course it is 1960s steel an quite thick on the pieces. Nothing like pre war American top breaks. But from my knowledge of engineering looks like the stress of holding gun closed rests on a steel 10-28 screw that holds the latch. I don't see any wedging type lock up like the Webley. As such it means I will be oomed to factory level loads.No +p heavy wadd cutters in the IJ. I can probably in my Terrier, and have been shooting a few of those " super police " 200 grainers in the Webley and the Terrier over the years.As I remember chrono in my load of the .360 wheelweight 200 grain load it was 600+ change for the 2 " Terrier and low 700 fps from the Webley, which was all right and had a little reciol in the Terrier. These .38 shorts are a barrel of fun to plink with and every bit as deadly as any .380 imho.

 

[Gordon]

I am still on the lookout for a rare German made Remington o/u Derringer clone in .38 S&W. The made a few of those. Hy Hunter sold one in 50s and early 60s

 

[Crowman]

If anyone is interested I wrote an article for the Backwoodsman on the 38 S&W a couple of years ago and will e-mail it to you drop me a pm

I read that article! Still have the issue somewhere. Enjoyed it. Good job.

 

[Sarge7402]

I read that article! Still have the issue somewhere. Enjoyed it. Good job.

Thank you I remain your humble servant

 

[Michael Tinker Pearce]

Thank you I remain your humble servant

Was that the .38 Kit Gun article? If so Kudos!

 

[ilgac]

Sarge, thanks for sending the article. A very enjoyable read, I am saving a copy if that is ok.

 

[Jim Watson]

My 38/200 Webleys. 38S&W shoots low in them!

Back when a free Englishman might own a revolver, Webley sold front sight blades the right height for 146 gr commercial .38 S&W.

I am still on the lookout for a rare German made Remington o/u Derringer clone in .38 S&W. The made a few of those. Hy Hunter sold one in 50s and early 60s

Not a Hy Hunter, but I had a Great Western in .38 S&W for CAS derringer side matches. I could have had a .38 Special but took the S&W for common ammo with my S&W .38 Single Action for pocket pistol events and my Legal Defender Navy conversion backup to Colt and S&W .44s.

 

[Sarge7402]

Was that the .38 Kit Gun article? If so Kudos!

Yes it was.

I've had a lot of fun writing for Charlie and his magazine

 

[Monac]

Here is another of my S&W .38 corto as Fiocchi sometimes calls it's ammo. A 1963 Iver Johnson Trailsman 66 snub. This gun is about the same size and weight as a steel Colt Detective Special but has a 3/4" longer barrel and fully adjustable sights. This one must have been made on a good day, the trigger is good and it is accurate. I have only fired this one 150 rounds and put the sights dead on at 25 yards. It fired 4 inch groups single action from support indoors with Fiocchi fmj ammo I recently sold the identical Viking ( except for transfer bar and horrible trigger) I had which was not near as prime condition as this one is. I got $350 for the Viking .

Those late Iver Johnsons are interesting guns. I read once that Warren Center, later of Thompson-Center Contender, had a hand in their design. IJ made a 32 Long version as well, but only with a short barrel, and only as a 5-shot, just like the 38 S&W version. I have no idea why, except to scrimp on costs.

 

[Dave Markowitz]

This video is me shooting an antique S&W Model 2 in .38 S&W, with black powder cartridges from Buffalo Arms. The revolver belongs to RON in PA.



Shooting it accurately is extremely difficult due to the very thin, half-moon shaped, silver-colored front sight and barely-there rear sight, and 50 year old eyes. Still fun, though.

 

[RON in PA]

Dave got to shoot my 1877 vintage Smith .38 S&W, but I got to clean it.

 

[kBob]

So as a kid I had a buddy that had a Spanish knock off of the Enfield in .38 S&W. He kept it in his desk drawer in his bedroom and he had a 100 round wood block his dad made that held, yes, 100 rounds. You see his Dad let him keep it and the ammo right in his room BUT could check to see if he had been firing it without permission by simply glancing at the ammo block.

Great "Dad Plan."

Then one day at a bait shop while my Dad was checking out what sort of worms and crickets were available in back at the actual bait counter I noticed a gold fish bowl half full of assorted ammo. Seems the front counter sold ammo, by the round, and when a box got mostly empty they just dumped it in this bowl. There was everything from .30-06 and 12 gauge down to .25 auto and I quickly found there were at least eight rounds of .38 S&W in the bowl. Don't recall what I paid but by the time Dad came up to the counter the .38 S&W was safely stashed in my jeans pocket.

We cleaned the gun at least twice before putting it away and I think his Dad, and mine, was never the wiser.

Ah, those days when dinosaur ruled the earth were fun!

-kBob

 

[golden]

I have looked at buying one, a S&W victory model and another, that was a S&W 33, but the cost of ammo, especially when compared to the .38 Special 130 Air Force fmj load, makes it hard to justify.

Jim

 

[Michael Tinker Pearce]

I have looked at buying one, a S&W victory model and another, that was a S&W 33, but the cost of ammo, especially when compared to the .38 Special 130 Air Force fmj load, makes it hard to justify.

Jim

Yeah , this is only really a viable caliber if you reload..

 

[25-5]

Remington and Privi are about $19.00/50.
I reload them but weigh each charge rather than dump. Brit top breaks are more substantial than US so be careful.

 

[mcb]

Remington and Privi are about $19.00/50.
I reload them but weigh each charge rather than dump. Brit top breaks are more substantial than US so be careful.

Magtech, Winchetser, and Buffalo Bore also load 38 S&W. Matt's Bullet also offers a 38/200 Mk 1 replica load and a 180gr 38S&W load for your Webley or Enfield. So far I have had the best luck reloading Remington brass. the PPU was too thick and completely un-reloadable for me.

 

[25-5]

Magtech, Winchetser, and Buffalo Bore also load 38 S&W. Matt's Bullet also offers a 38/200 Mk 1 replica load and a 180gr 38S&W load for your Webley or Enfield. So far I have had the best luck reloading Remington brass. the PPU was too thick and completely un-reloadable for me.

I use Matt's in the Enfield. I do load a lot of Privi, pistol and rifle, however, i had the same problem with their 38 S&W brass. Glad i'm not alone.