Josey
member
I am thinking about 158 gr UMC lead rounds from Wal-Mart. What do you feed a 38 Special Model 1905?
What do you feed a S&W Model 1905 38?
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Jim March
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Those won't be too bad.
148 lead target wadcutters will be even milder...probably the mildest available.
148 lead target wadcutters will be even milder...probably the mildest available.
Josey
member
I will have to try those. I really posted this question as a way of telling folks I got another one. I ran across it in a pawn shop. Deep glossy original blue with holster wear. Unmolested original sights. 6" barrel. Checkered walnut grips. Square butt. I put a pair of faux ivory grips on it already. I need to find Bell Charter Oaks website and look at some repro vintage leather. I can see this in a swivel flap holster Sam Browne rig.
old, OLD, Smiths
I have a 6" 1902 and a 4" 1905 change 3. both .38 special. The full wadcutter is milder for sure. Would not like to shoot many, or any of the 158 stuff. Pretty stout for my before heat treating S&Ws. The white box Win. 130 fmj seem pretty tame but the 148 wadcutters are probably as mild as you will find in a factory load. I really like those two old guns. Got a photo of yours, Josey???-------tom Note: I have an original to the gun holster for each. One from St. Louis and the other from Brazil.
I have a 6" 1902 and a 4" 1905 change 3. both .38 special. The full wadcutter is milder for sure. Would not like to shoot many, or any of the 158 stuff. Pretty stout for my before heat treating S&Ws. The white box Win. 130 fmj seem pretty tame but the 148 wadcutters are probably as mild as you will find in a factory load. I really like those two old guns. Got a photo of yours, Josey???-------tom Note: I have an original to the gun holster for each. One from St. Louis and the other from Brazil.
Jim March
Member
Hmmmmm...even if they're "just as mild", FMJs of less weight will be harder on the forcing cone than heavier lead moving slower both at the muzzle and esp. at the forcing cone.
OK, let's remember it's a K-Frame. Go forward 70/80 years, and 357 K-Frames were being torn up by hot 125 jacketed, where jacketed 158s weren't as bad (moving slower at the forcing cone/back of barrel).
While the 1905 era critter is weaker, the principles are the same: a hypothetical 130 jacketed of the same total energy as a 148 lead target load will be harsher on the gun. (And I suspect that real-world 130 FMJs will be net hotter than the 148 target wadcutters, though I'm not certain of that.)
I suspect that 158 lead, even if "more potent" in total energy than either of the above (incl. the hypothetical "weak 130 FMJ") will still do less wear on the gun than the hypothetical "weak 130 FMJ".
Hmmmm...that might have been overly complex...hope that makes sense
.
OK, let's remember it's a K-Frame. Go forward 70/80 years, and 357 K-Frames were being torn up by hot 125 jacketed, where jacketed 158s weren't as bad (moving slower at the forcing cone/back of barrel).
While the 1905 era critter is weaker, the principles are the same: a hypothetical 130 jacketed of the same total energy as a 148 lead target load will be harsher on the gun. (And I suspect that real-world 130 FMJs will be net hotter than the 148 target wadcutters, though I'm not certain of that.)
I suspect that 158 lead, even if "more potent" in total energy than either of the above (incl. the hypothetical "weak 130 FMJ") will still do less wear on the gun than the hypothetical "weak 130 FMJ".
Hmmmm...that might have been overly complex...hope that makes sense
."Kick"
Jim--I'm sure you make a valid point, but I am going by the felt recoil. Not very scientific to be sure, but the 130 fmj sure feels like it "kicks" less than the 158 rnl even in my later and heavy barreled Smiths. They probably are harder on the gun than the the super mild full wadcutters, but they are usually easier to find at Wal-Mart. I don't shoot many rounds of anything in the old guys but usually run a few 130s (first) to make sure the wadcutters won't spit lead. From then on it's full wadcutters. ALL I would shoot all day if I was a reloader. ---Tom
Jim--I'm sure you make a valid point, but I am going by the felt recoil. Not very scientific to be sure, but the 130 fmj sure feels like it "kicks" less than the 158 rnl even in my later and heavy barreled Smiths. They probably are harder on the gun than the the super mild full wadcutters, but they are usually easier to find at Wal-Mart. I don't shoot many rounds of anything in the old guys but usually run a few 130s (first) to make sure the wadcutters won't spit lead. From then on it's full wadcutters. ALL I would shoot all day if I was a reloader. ---Tom
Crownvicman
Member
I shoot mostly 158gr LRN in mine. I have been doing this for years without a problem. Mine is an old Smith M&P with the 6 inch barrel
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