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Flintshooter

Flintshooter

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D865D10D-0E29-4FAD-BC07-A2E40F4587AF.jpeg Among the things I have lying around are a set of RCBS 38 Special dies and a .358 size/lube die. They are leftovers from several 38/357 revolvers I have owned in the past. I didn’t own anything in either cartridge currently, and it seemed a shame to have those dies just laying around without having any practical use, so.......
 
Your logic is flawless. I extend it even further. If I have 100+ brass in some caliber I don't already shoot then I have to get the dies to reload it. And if I reload it then I have to get a gun to empty them again. Good for the environment. Recycling.

Nice gun.
 
Flintshooter

Fine choice in a .38 snubby! Like Olon I have the shrouded hammer version in the Model 638. Was at the LGS one day just looking around when I spotted this Model 638 in the display case. I was immediately impressed by how well built it was and how light and smooth the trigger felt. When the gentleman behind the counter told me it was on sale I said: "Great, I'll take this one"!
 
I like your thinking!

8E76952B-F1AD-4A31-A1D8-F20493D26FE4.jpeg
A 642 here, it is the only Airweight .38 Snub nosed revolver I own. I also really liked the DA only trigger pull.

She’s a bit rowdy with +P loads, but I can count on it to go bang every time I pull the trigger.

Stay safe.
 
Riomouse911 said:
I like your thinking!

View attachment 939897
A 642 here, it is the only Airweight .38 Snub nosed revolver I own. I also really liked the DA only trigger pull.

She’s a bit rowdy with +P loads, but I can count on it to go bang every time I pull the trigger.

Stay safe.
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I recently bought a pair of them because they were only 349 new at the height of the panic.

A couple days later, I was at the range to shoot something else and someone gave me some homemade ammo so I could try it out.

He said it was 5.0 Titegroup behind I forget which bullet. I said, “I don’t want to shoot any plus p stuff in here.”

He said, “Oh no. It’s a mild load.”

So I shot the twenty rounds and thought, “Man this thing is horrible to shoot. Why did I buy two of them?”

Later, I looked in two different load manuals and 5.0 Titegroup was way above anything they had listed for plus P.

Shot them with commercial 38 special and they’re a delight. Much more pleasant (for me) than an 38 LCRx.
 
Ya, that’s a hot one. I bet it wasn’t fun to shoot at all!

For plinking about, a 146 gr RNL from Eggleston or a 148 WC from just about any bullet seller over 3.0 gr Bullseye is just enough to be fun in an Airweight without being abusive at all.

A bit more recoil can be found with a 158 gr SWC over 4.5 gr Unique. These start to get old quickly in the 642, so I usually shoot them in my SP 101, new Cobra or K frames.

Stay safe.
 
I also have a 638. These are nice pistols. I'm old enough to rememberwhen all Smiths came from the factory with a great trigger. Had a gunsmith do a bit of polishing and put an Apex spring kit in mine. Went from a gritty 13lb pull to 9 1/2lbs and smooth as glass. $70 well spent.
 
I have a friend that started reloading 6 or 7 years ago. One day he called and said his Blackhawk was locked up after pulling the trigger. I knew he’d been shooting his reloads and asked if the recoil or bang seemed any different and he said no.

After he tried to disassemble his gun and finally had to take it to a gunsmith in a bag, it was discovered that a bullet was stuck between the cylinder and forcing cone. Presumably he didn’t put a powder charge in that one...

A week or so after his gun was put back together we were at the range and he offered me a cylinder of his reloads to shoot in my own gun. When he wasn’t looking I put them in my ammo can and continued to shoot my own factory ammo. Those 6 rounds are still sitting in a baggy in my ammo can.

I keep them handy in case I ever run completely out of ammo, that way I can take them to the range and throw them at the target. Because I sure as heck ain’t loading them in my gun!
 
A few years ago, I bought a Model 442 PC that was machined for moon clips from the factory. I liked it so I had my Model 642 and Model 437 machined for moon clips.

Along with a BMT Equipped moon clip loader/unloader, it makes reloads a breeze with these fine revolvers.
 
I like y’all a thinking. Next modern S&W I buy will likely be a 642. It will be a while though. I really like the look of a humpback. I have threatened to swap hammers on my charter to a DAO so that I have something devoid of hammer snags. I may do that once I get around to getting a TN carry permit. I have only been meaning to do that for the last 5 years since I moved...
 
buck460XVR said:
Looks like my 637 except I don't have the Lasergrips. How do they shoot?
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I took it to the range the other day just to get some idea how it shot although the main purpose was working up a load with a flintlock rifle. Keep in mind that:
The closest target frames at the club range are fifty feet. A gun like this was never intended to shoot at a target fifty feet away. The club range was never intended to practice combat shooting.
And,
I’m far from being the greatest shot in the world when it comes to handguns.
At fifty feet I was getting loose groups, very loose groups, that were in the neighborhood of a foot or so to the right of where I was aiming. The laser dot was showing to the left of where I was aiming. Except for one five shot group all forty shots were fired single action. If I ever have to use the gun for self defense it will probably be at ten feet or less but I need to adjust the laser to reflect where the pistol actually shoots. It will be on the back burner for a few weeks while I cast bullets and prep cases.
 
That’s why I don’t reload. Nothing against it.. me and my WIFE don’t want to risk any mistakes- I told her that mistakes can happen she said “ heck no!” I agreed lol


SteadyD said:
I have a friend that started reloading 6 or 7 years ago. One day he called and said his Blackhawk was locked up after pulling the trigger. I knew he’d been shooting his reloads and asked if the recoil or bang seemed any different and he said no.

After he tried to disassemble his gun and finally had to take it to a gunsmith in a bag, it was discovered that a bullet was stuck between the cylinder and forcing cone. Presumably he didn’t put a powder charge in that one...

A week or so after his gun was put back together we were at the range and he offered me a cylinder of his reloads to shoot in my own gun. When he wasn’t looking I put them in my ammo can and continued to shoot my own factory ammo. Those 6 rounds are still sitting in a baggy in my ammo can.

I keep them handy in case I ever run completely out of ammo, that way I can take them to the range and throw them at the target. Because I sure as heck ain’t loading them in my gun!
Click to expand...
 
shoebox1.1 said:
That’s why I don’t reload. Nothing against it.. me and my WIFE don’t want to risk any mistakes- I told her that mistakes can happen she said “ heck no!” I agreed lol
Click to expand...

I do reload, but I reload on a single stage press so I can easily monitor each and every step. It is very slow but I feel safe in my reloads.
 
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