New Toy!
- Thread starter oscarflytyer
- Start date
CZ93X62
Official forum enigma
A friend has one of these "32/20'ed" 38 S&Ws. It shoots OK.
My thoughts......get yourself a 38 Special cylinder that fits your pre-1948 frame. Have the chambers reamed to fit a 38 S&W case and the throat reamed to fit .361"+ bullets. Instant S&W pre-Model 11. Another route to restoration might be to ream out and re-sleeve the charge holes, then resore the 38 S&W chambers and throats to match the bore & grooves in the existing barrel.
I have 4 revolvers chambered in 38 S&W. The S&W M&P x 5" in (OEM shape) has the aforementioned .362"+ (.363" no-go) throats, and I found the bore x groove today--.355" x 'skinny' .362". In the S&W and the Webley-Enfield, I use .363" castings, an old NEI #169A weighing 202 grains. It prints about 3.5"-4.0" groups at 25 yards with the top-break W/E, and runs 2.0"-2.5" from the S&W.
Also in the fleet are a S&W Regulation Police x 4" and a Colt Police Positive x 4" in 38 S&W. Using Lyman #358477, both of these will run 2" groups at 25 yards if I do my part.
What I'm driving at.......the 38 S&W can be a VERY accurate caliber if a reloader will go to the effort to cater to its dimensional poetry. The caliber and the K-frame platform are worth getting right, IME.
My thoughts......get yourself a 38 Special cylinder that fits your pre-1948 frame. Have the chambers reamed to fit a 38 S&W case and the throat reamed to fit .361"+ bullets. Instant S&W pre-Model 11. Another route to restoration might be to ream out and re-sleeve the charge holes, then resore the 38 S&W chambers and throats to match the bore & grooves in the existing barrel.
I have 4 revolvers chambered in 38 S&W. The S&W M&P x 5" in (OEM shape) has the aforementioned .362"+ (.363" no-go) throats, and I found the bore x groove today--.355" x 'skinny' .362". In the S&W and the Webley-Enfield, I use .363" castings, an old NEI #169A weighing 202 grains. It prints about 3.5"-4.0" groups at 25 yards with the top-break W/E, and runs 2.0"-2.5" from the S&W.
Also in the fleet are a S&W Regulation Police x 4" and a Colt Police Positive x 4" in 38 S&W. Using Lyman #358477, both of these will run 2" groups at 25 yards if I do my part.
What I'm driving at.......the 38 S&W can be a VERY accurate caliber if a reloader will go to the effort to cater to its dimensional poetry. The caliber and the K-frame platform are worth getting right, IME.
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StrawHat
Well-Known Member
He would still have a 38 S&W that accepts the 38 Special cartridge. Just what he has now
This is the ticket. Several gunsmith can do this for you.
Or, find a K frame cylinder chambered for the 38 S&W.
Kevin
oscarflytyer
Well-Known Member
eh, about 3-4 diff paths. I am fine with it as is. Long as it doesn't split case necks, and it isn't. I won't shoot it a lot. I bought it for the history of the piece. While it HAS been altered, it is period correct. Much like a very nice Colt 32-20 I have/good friend's GF's gun. Would be a collector, except... GF stenciled his SSN on the side plate after he had guns stolen. Killed the collector value, but to me it is way cool. I know where it originated, it IS period correct with what was done to guns back then, AND even better, the SSN starts with 000!!! I knew neither of these guns were collectors. and I am into shooters. And pay/purchase accordingly. Mine will shoot and make 38 SPC cases look funny (AND unique!). As it, is is shooting about a 3" group at 10 yds with my old eyes and minimal sights. Was with a load I just happened to have. I am SURE I can get it inside 2" playing with it. And the cool factor, both for me, and for anyone I let shoot it, outweighs a lot of other negatives! It isn't/wasn't purchased as a collector or target gun! It is safe just as it is! (BTW - my ugly Smith 1917 dom 1918 1946 Brazil contract gun - same boat. But it just happens to shoot lights out!)
oscarflytyer
Well-Known Member
oh - and actually, I would also MUCH rather have an original 38 S&W. In a Colt. I recently purchased a mold and 38 S&W dies just waiting for that to happen. And they will prob do double duty stuffing some 38 S&W for the Victory too!
StrawHat
Well-Known Member
Ian
Notorious member
It looks fine the way it is, just treat it like a custom chambering with really common brass as a basis. If you have to body-size the brass on occasion I'm sure a S&W die can be employed. The only issue may arise from the SPL chamber not being reamed on center with the S&W chamber and throats, but hey, it's a fun gun not a target masterpiece. If it's minute of grapefruit at 15 yards that should be good enough for fun.
oscarflytyer
Well-Known Member
EXACTLY Ian!