.38 spl cut down

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Anyone here ever play around with this?
Cut down .38 spl to long or short colt and use it out of something chambered for .357?
Was the free bore too much for it?
Whats the heaviest gr weight head used?

Books are all locked up in the Pod and wikipedia helps with case dimensions but thats it.
I'll rifle through SAMMI spec later

I've seen .38 short used in 9mm cylinders, but the cases are almost the same length. Not sure if the cylinders are cut to accommodate, that I'll have to research.

I'm trying to talk myself out of a 929.
I think between the (reamed) cylinder throats and the forcing cone on the 627, it might lose half its oomph at the muzzle.
 
Yes, I've taken split cases and cut them down to .38 S&W dimensions (or thereabouts). If you can shoot .45 Colt out of a Judge, why not a shortened .38 Special out of a .357 cylinder?
Is it the most optimum scenario? Probably not, but it does work.
If .38 Special brass ever became scarce, you would do what you have to, I suppose.
 

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I have done it but I’ve heard it was popular in 627s for a time due to shorter cartridges reloading easier on moon clips.

For some reason my iBooks has once again purged my PDFs so I guess I won’t post load data.
 
I have done it but I’ve heard it was popular in 627s for a time due to shorter cartridges reloading easier on moon clips.

For some reason my iBooks has once again purged my PDFs so I guess I won’t post load data.

No big deal on load data. It'd be more for Steel Challenge because theres no power factor requirement.
Shorter cartridges definitely speed load a little faster.

Was curious if there was any issues like the cylinders getting smeg'd up due to the shorter o.a.l.

You're in the wrong forum for that, Dan

I figured a 6 1/2" N-Frame might have been "unwieldy" compared to my 627, but it doesn't look like a huge weight difference.
Its on the bucket list, but as soon as I got one I'd want to ream it to .38 super comp. Because I can't leave anything alone.
 
Always good to have "last ditch" ammo loading knowledge.

I've always liked the 38 S&W cartridge but never bought a specific gun for it. I may at some point experiment with shortened .38spl.
 
No big deal on load data. It'd be more for Steel Challenge because theres no power factor requirement.
Shorter cartridges definitely speed load a little faster.

Was curious if there was any issues like the cylinders getting smeg'd up due to the shorter o.a.l.



I figured a 6 1/2" N-Frame might have been "unwieldy" compared to my 627, but it doesn't look like a huge weight difference.
Its on the bucket list, but as soon as I got one I'd want to ream it to .38 super comp. Because I can't leave anything alone.
Ahh i see. Yeah i would check brian enos forums for some first hadn't info.
In my experience with 38/357 just toss a brush through it now and then so it doesn't leave a carbon ring.
I can't see shorter cartridges really ruining a chamber with mouse fart loads of fast burning pistol powder. Now if you loaded 38s with H110 or similar to magnumize them then maybe.
 
Anyone here ever play around with this?
Cut down .38 spl to long or short colt and use it out of something chambered for .357?
Was the free bore too much for it?
Whats the heaviest gr weight head used?

Books are all locked up in the Pod and wikipedia helps with case dimensions but thats it.
I'll rifle through SAMMI spec later

I've seen .38 short used in 9mm cylinders, but the cases are almost the same length. Not sure if the cylinders are cut to accommodate, that I'll have to research.

I'm trying to talk myself out of a 929.
I think between the (reamed) cylinder throats and the forcing cone on the 627, it might lose half its oomph at the muzzle.
As cheap as I can be im not cutting down 38s , maybe a dozen or so for experimental purpose?
 
I have cut a bunch (a few k) down to 38 super length 0.90". It was a royal PITA. The ONLY reason I did it was because I had a bunch of Federal and RP brass that fit well with Revolver Supply 0.025" 627 moonclips. I would have bought starline SC or LC if they fit the cheap moonclips better. Would I do it again, probably not.

I used the Forster holder + a drill press.

Forster Power Case Trimmer

ETA: I had no problem making minor in USPSA. I think my 158gr load chorno'd between 137-140 at A7 in Maine a few years ago.
 
The only thing I've noticed out of using short cases in longer cylinders with the free bore is the velocity drops significantly. I've chrono'd .32 ACP out of .327 going about 400 fps, I've clocked .45 Schofield going about 530 fps from a Judge, .45 ACP from a Ruger Redhawk going under 750. Out of all those, only the .45 ACP seems to have bad accuracy and I'll blame that on the taper crimp.

After everything I've experienced in the past few years of shooting/reoloading, I would not go down to .38 Short Colt or other similiarly short lengths on cartridges because the velocity loss is too much. That said, I'll still shoot .45 ACP from my Redhawk because I use roll crimps with my handloads and I load up to .45 Super levels to make up for the velocity loss.

I'd have no issue shooting .38 Long Colt length brass in .38 Special or .357 revolvers. It's shorter, but not too short. Really, the only time I'd consider using the extremely short brass like .38 Short Colt or .45 Cowboy Special would be in lever actions with tube mags to up the capacity, but unfortunately few seem to be interested in making that a possibility.
 
I'd have no issue shooting .38 Long Colt length brass in .38 Special or .357 revolvers. It's shorter, but not too short. Really, the only time I'd consider using the extremely short brass like .38 Short Colt or .45 Cowboy Special would be in lever actions with tube mags to up the capacity, but unfortunately few seem to be interested in making that a possibility.
A friend of mine makes the .45 Cowboy Special Carrier for Uberti made rifles:

Cowboy .45 Special Carrier by The Smith Shop
 
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