38 special

Hello. Has anyone noticed that some Vihtavuori load data is pretty hot, even excessive for the max loads? Last week I reloaded some .38 Special for my new-to-me Detective Special, 5gr of N340 with a 158gr SWC. The average starting load from VV is around 5gr and max around 6gr, so 5gr seemed...

Hi all, Today I had my first experience at indoor bullseye competition. There's a league at my local indoor range with several old timers who are excellent shooters. I was given a lot of great advice ranging from stance to wobble zone to trigger control and I'm overwhelmed and excited to train...

The s/n is 506xxx with a V, but the V is stamped away from the s/n so it does not immediately precede the s/n. I gather that this means that it was around during WW2 but I recall seeing s/ns in the high 470xxx range with owners claiming that they were made in the 1920s. 470xxx to 506xxx is...

Hey guys, hoping someone here has some information on the old Astra revolvers. I snagged an Astra 960 revolver in a bit of horse trading today. I don't know a ton about Astra revolvers but I know they are somewhat regarded as fairly decent guns. The finish is rough but it appears to be in...

Does anyone shoot regularly with a light 38spcl load? I made some 158gr (Berry's plated) using 3.0 of Bullseye per Lyman manual and it was very pleasant out of a 5" GP100. I don't have a chrono yet and am curious as to what the real-world velocity of this load is. Lyman 50th says 3.0 BE is...

I'm considering getting a new firearm on the low-cost side of the spectrum. Amongst the firearms I'm considering I'm also considering a Rock Island Armory M206 .38 Special Revolver. I thought being a revolver I didn't have to worry about any malfunctions but I recently saw a number of reviews...

Hey all, From my appropriate powders on hand : clays, titegroup , unique or trailboss- which would you choose to work up new loads for an old s&w snubby? Bullets are the dreaded laser cast 158 swc (bnh 20ish I think :uhoh:) . not really seeking charge weights but which powder you would prefer in...

Hello all, I have been a hunter and firearms enthusiast for about 15 years but have just purchased a .357 and reloading supplies this year (worst possible time to get into reloading, I know). I want to be safe in this new endeavor and have many questions regarding my hodgepodge assembly of...

Hello all, I am looking into getting a cartridge conversion of a Uberti Colt 1851, and I have been wondering how powerful of a black powder cartridge I could use in the gun, and what I could feasibly make for it. I am hoping that maybe some of you others have already tried this out on your own...

I'm new to the forum, and to reloading and I'm looking for a little advice on 38 Special loads. A little background. I'm just getting started in reloading so I wanted to buy limited supplies. I wanted to be able to load 38 Special and 357 Magnum for my 6" GP100. My range requires FMJ ammo...

I have a .357mag/.38sp Uberti Cattleman revolver. I’m getting a Winchester 1873 Deluxe Sporting rifle in the same caliber. Any recommendations on the best ammo brands, grain, round/flat nose, etc... that I can use in both? Using mostly for target, maybe hunting with the rifle, and the...

I have seen a lot of 357 lever guns. Only have 3 requirements. 1 I would like for it to shoot 38spl reliably. 2 would prefer a side loader. 3 not cost $1,200 and prefer it cost less than a ruger 357/77. But if my only option to get a side load that can't tell the difference between 357 or 38 is...

I got my dad's 3 inch rossi 6 shooter. Never loaded 357 or 38 before, most of the brass I have was from dads range bags and are 38spl. I have WST, 540 (HS-6), unique, AA7, h110. Generally I only use non mag small primers. So that pretty much rules out h110. My idea was to load hot 38spl rounds...

I'm working on my first 38 special handloads and have some questions that I'm hoping someone can shed some light on. I've been reloading for about 5 years now and i finally got a chronograph last week to start recording velocities of my handloads and I noticed something unusual when metering...

So I was perusing gunbroker today, and low and behold I found my grail gun! A 3" s&w model 10 in nickel finish, like new or very near it, in the box. Fired but not worn out yet, looked awesome. I don't actually care for nickel on most guns, but on the model 10 I truly don't mind it even though I...

I am looking at Caliber 38/357 & shooting factory lead or powder coated bullets. I will be putting the die into a toolhead/ turret so I will probably not being moving it. Lyman M-die- They invented it ! They are priced near the bottom. Redding Case Expanding die - They copied it, make...

Couple days ago I picked up a post - war (WW 2) Colt Official Police. This one has a six inch barrel. Serial number gives it a DOB in 1947. It was priced at $500.00 (before taxes) and I did not hesitate. For a few years after the war (actually it started during the war when Colt was making the...

New here been reading for awhile though. I have recently started wondering about old Smith & Wesson durability wanted to know if it's okay to shoot these old model 10s a lot. I currently own a premodeled 10 5 screw and have put about 500 rounds through her. Not sure how old mine is either but...

I wanted to get most of my reloading needs taken care of before I retired when my wife's and my income will drop. I'm nearly there. But during the shortages of the last few years, I was in the mode of "see powder, buy powder" and so I've got something of a mixed bag when it comes to pistol...

About two years ago, now, I bought a box of 115 grain jacketed hollow-point bullets for 9mm from the Magnus Bullet company. The bullets looked great but I was concerned that they were all measuring 0.3555 or larger, many 0.356. I contacted them and they said to just use jacketed load data like...