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Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 1
New Member
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OP
New Member
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 1 |
I have an old S&W Military and Police, first change, vintage about 1900 that belonged to Great Grandfather that I have had in the safe for many years and never fired. It is in pretty fair shape but my concern is modern chamber pressures in a hundred year old revolver. I reload for modern pistols and revolvers using Unique and Titegroup but am reluctant to use modern recipes in this old Smith. Usually I load 158 grain XTREME plated bullets. Can anyone recommend a recipe for this that will not over pressure?
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 40,179
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 40,179 |
I use 3.8 grains of ww231 and a 147gr lead bullet. Very mild, very accurate.
Son of a liberal: " What did you do in the War On Terror, Daddy?"
Liberal father: " I fought the Americans, along with all the other liberals."
MOLON LABE
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Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 96,121 Likes: 1
Campfire Oracle
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Campfire Oracle
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 96,121 Likes: 1 |
3.5grs of Unique or Universal and 158gr cast bullets.
"Dear Lord, save me from Your followers"
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Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 3,891
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 3,891 |
Light load of bullseye and 148 gr bevel base wadcutter. A pound of bullseye will last forever just be sure to inspect your cases for 2x charges.
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Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 5,468
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 5,468 |
2.7 to 2.9g Bullseye for the 148g wadcutters. 3.5 - 3.8g Unique for a lead 158g SWC should work fine. If your pistol was made before 1920 or so it would not have been heat treated the same as the later Smith's. Better to stay with the light loads.
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 28,423 Likes: 6
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 28,423 Likes: 6 |
Since you use TiteGroup instead of Bullseye just substitute the same weights; 2.8 to 3.0 grains under a 148 HBWC. That is what I use to duplicate that old classic Bullseye load.
Gunnery, gunnery, gunnery. Hit the target, all else is twaddle!
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 626
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 626 |
Using lead will be easier on the older gun as most guys already stated
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Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 5,468
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 5,468 |
Your Extreme plated bullets are basically lead, so they should be fine. Any load staying around 700 to 800 at the high end should be low enough not to stress your M&P.
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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 15,786 Likes: 3
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 15,786 Likes: 3 |
I use trailboss. Not sure about pressures though. Dunno if it would be safe for older ones
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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 15,786 Likes: 3
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 15,786 Likes: 3 |
It would keep you from double charging and I believe the book says 800 fps at most
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Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 5,468
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 5,468 |
Yep double charges are an issue, I load for a S&W 52 a lot and I find I have to be anal about checking things. It is very easy to miss a double load in a dirty case. 2.7g of Bullseye is perhaps a fifth of what a 38 Special would hold. I still shoot a Hand Ejector 1903 in 32 Long, as long as the loads are around 700fps no issues with and older pistol. I use lead as the jacketed bullets often require more pressure for a safe load.
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Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 15,880
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 15,880 |
Back in the '80s when I shot PPC competition the standard load was 2.7gr of bullseye or 231 pushing a Zero hollow based wad cutter. Indoors-50' we went down to 2.2gr. Double charges are bad...
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Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 14,311 Likes: 3
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 14,311 Likes: 3 |
If you turn those hollow based wadcutters around,they make a hell of a SD load.I use them in my Chiefs Special.
Its all right to be white!! Stupidity left unattended will run rampant Don't argue with stupid people, They will drag you down to their level and then win by experience
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Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 21,986 Likes: 3
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 21,986 Likes: 3 |
The first thing I would make sure of is that its a 38 SW Special and not a 38 SW. Just an FYI.
If you're sure then disregard...
Standard loads exist for both with either Bullseye and Unique with LEAD bullets.
The 38 SW will run .358 bullets, better if hollow base. Even better at .360.
Last edited by HawkI; 02/28/17.
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Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 28,971 Likes: 25
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 28,971 Likes: 25 |
Trail Boss and 158gr Hornady swaged. Pressure for the top load is 13,700.
One of my pals here pooh-poohs the double-charge business, but he's pretty frugal with regard to powder. I load the top load of 4.2gr and find it accurate and pleasant, and it doesn't lead a bit. The HPs probably won't expand at that velocity, but I wouldn't want one coursing through my innards.
Trail Boss meters well, just don't sneeze over an open bowl-full.
What fresh Hell is this?
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Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 133
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 133 |
Trail Boss meters well, just don't sneeze over an open bowl-full. The imagery is amazing!
What's the worst thing that can happen? O.K., what's the next worst thing?
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Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 5,056 Likes: 9
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 5,056 Likes: 9 |
I've loaded some lead HBWC and lead round nose over book minimum Bullseye, 231, and Unique that were mild and recoil was only a little more than a 22.
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 30,949 Likes: 21
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 30,949 Likes: 21 |
this stuff............
T R U M P W O N !
U L T R A M A G A !
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Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 6,696 Likes: 5
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 6,696 Likes: 5 |
'Four legs good, two legs baaaad." ---------------------------------------------- "Jimmy, some of it's magic, Some of it's tragic, But I had a good life all the way." (Jimmy Buffett)
SotG
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Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 23,151 Likes: 6
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 23,151 Likes: 6 |
Trail Boss is "safe" in that it fills up a lot more of the case. On the other hand it has about the worst "bang for the buck" of any powder made. Give me 2.7 gr. Bullseye and I'm happy- so what if I have to take an extra 30 seconds to visually triple check my charged cases in the loading block. You can't beat a penny per powder charge.
"You can lead a man to logic, but you cannot make him think." Joe Harz "Always certain, often right." Keith McCafferty
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