A new .38 Special!

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  • Last Post 20 April 2013
Pigslayer posted this 09 February 2013

Well friends & neighbors I have been fortunate as of late in that I have had some unexpected extra money that came in. With that (as I have already posted) I was able to order a new Handi-Rifle and today after a whole lot of looking around over the last six months I bought a new .38 Special. I had talked to many including Ed Harris about buying one. What frame, what barrel length etc.. Deep inside I new I wanted a snubby. Why only a 2” barrel? Heck, I don't know, I just wanted something different to play with! Anyway, I bought a Taurus Model 85B2. I looked closely at a S&W SS .38 Special with a 4” barrel but it was a little too weighty in that I just wanted something smaller & light. I've had Taurus handguns and they always served me very well. So now, it's just waiting on the background check. Let's see, any arrests . . . no, mental defect . . . no, restraining orders . . . no. What other checks is the United States of Maryland going to come up with??? Anyway, am looking forward to getting my new toy.

Pat

If someone else had of done to me what I did to myself . . . I'd have killed him. Humility is an asset. Heh - heh.

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Tom Acheson posted this 09 February 2013

Just bought a “new” S&W Model 52 in .38 Special....now for some decent weather!

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Pigslayer posted this 09 February 2013

Tom Acheson wrote: Just bought a “new” S&W Model 52 in .38 Special....now for some decent weather!

You betcha!

If someone else had of done to me what I did to myself . . . I'd have killed him. Humility is an asset. Heh - heh.

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R Dupraz posted this 09 February 2013

Pat:

You have made a good choice, choosing that .38 special. You will be pleased. After having had a tin star pinned on my shirt every day for 25+ yrs, I am somewhat familiar with the .38. Even before, several 38's had passed through my hands.

While over the yrs. my duty guns were .357's, 9MM,s and finally the .40, I have fired untold numbers of .38 special ammo, mostly HBWC's in bullseye as well as police combat competition.

It is just a fine, pleasant, and accurate round. I still have my eyes open in the event that I might run across the right one again.

RD

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Pigslayer posted this 09 February 2013

R Dupraz wrote: Pat:

You have made a good choice, choosing that .38 special. You will be pleased. After having had a tin star pinned on my shirt every day for 25+ yrs, I am somewhat familiar with the .38. Even before, several 38's had passed through my hands.

While over the yrs. my duty guns were .357's, 9MM,s and finally the .40, I have fired untold numbers of .38 special ammo, mostly HBWC's in bullseye as well as police combat competition.

It is just a fine, pleasant, and accurate round. I still have my eyes open in the event that I might run across the right one.

RD

RD, Thank you for your post. Over the years I have had several pistols in the magnum configuration . . . And liked them. They were fun as the “Magnum” craze was in vogue. I am no longer the recoil junkie that I once was and find pleasure in shooting comfortable subsonic calibers. Heaven forbid that I have to use it for protection in my home as shooting targets at the range is my intent. But . . . Should the situation arise where I must use this for protection it will serve just as we'll as the magnum calibers.

Pat.

If someone else had of done to me what I did to myself . . . I'd have killed him. Humility is an asset. Heh - heh.

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R Dupraz posted this 09 February 2013

Pigslayer:

While I don't have to face the possible situations that I once did,the .38 special comfortably serves my needs anymore. It's all about shot placement. And becoming intimately familiar with continual patactice, which is easy with the .38 Special. Doesn't matter if one carries a 155 howitzer, if ya can't hit the target, what good is it?

RD

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Pigslayer posted this 12 April 2013

Finally! After waiting almost 2 months to the day my background check was approved & I have my new handgun. The “United States Of Maryland ” was not prepared for the onslaught of handgun buyers after that horrible massacre . There were 38,000 background checks in MD in the entire year of 2012. There were equal that amount in the last TWO MONTHS ALONE in this state. The anti-gun rhetoric has only succeeded in arming the general public “to the teeth". Go figure. Pat

If someone else had of done to me what I did to myself . . . I'd have killed him. Humility is an asset. Heh - heh.

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Skirmisher posted this 12 April 2013

R Dupraz wrote: Pigslayer:

While I don't have to face the possible situations that I once did,the .38 special comfortably serves my needs anymore. It's all about shot placement. And becoming intimately familiar with continual patactice, which is easy with the .38 Special. Doesn't matter if one carries a 155 howitzer, if ya can't hit the target, what good is it?

RD 155mm: 300 meter bursting radius, called danger close in combat.

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Pigslayer posted this 13 April 2013

Just loaded up 100 rounds for the range tomorrow. Lyman 358156 GC loaded w/4.6 grains Unique. We'll see how this little guy does. I have read some promising reviews about it.

If someone else had of done to me what I did to myself . . . I'd have killed him. Humility is an asset. Heh - heh.

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delmarskid1 posted this 13 April 2013

I'm betting you only bring brass back. 38's are very addictive.

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Duane Trusty posted this 13 April 2013

Pigslayer

Let us know how your Unique load shoots in relation to the sights. I am interested to know if Taurus uses the same bullet weight and velocity criteria that S&W bases their fixed sights ajustment.

Duane

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PETE posted this 13 April 2013

Pat,

Yeah. Let us know where your gun shoots with that load. Just bought a 4” Taurus in .38 Spec. a at the gun show this morning so would be nice to have some other opinions.

Pete

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Pigslayer posted this 14 April 2013

delmarskid1 wrote: I'm betting you only bring brass back. 38's are very addictive.

LOL!!!! Yeah, you're right about that! I'm really pleased with the feel of it in my hand. I have big hands but that snubby feels real comfortable. I'm just going to have to play with bullet weight. Don't know what that 2” snubby will digest properly. May even have to go to a lighter bullet but I'll see. The throats are pretty consistent at .3595. The only sizing die for that that I have actually sizes to .3585 but when trying to push a bullet through the cylinder sized to .3585 it would hang up at the throat. Should be OK with that. I do know this, I can load a whole lot of rounds for this with a pound of powder!!!! I not only bought this handgun for plinking & having fun but also for in-home protection. It's light, comfortable in the hand and easily wielded. I'll really be pleased if I get good close up accuracy at the 7 yard line & will be ecstatic if I do we'll at 15 yards. I've been told that thes little guys shoot well.

Pat

If someone else had of done to me what I did to myself . . . I'd have killed him. Humility is an asset. Heh - heh.

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delmarskid1 posted this 14 April 2013

You could probably skip the gas check with the 4.2 of unique. Gas checks on handgun bullets are a nuisance to me. It looks like you have a nice revolver there. I've been trying to talk my wife into a snubby so that I can get my 4” Taurus back. I like 148 button nose bullets in the .38. The 158 Keith types are good shooters for me too. Also have a 180 flat round nose that is a torque-r. My Taurus has very tight chambers. I need to really watch the wad cutters as they sometimes bulge the middle of the case and won't chamber.

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hunterspistol posted this 14 April 2013

I'll be looking this thread up again. I bought a used S&W 19-3 years ago, 4” barrel with pachmayer grips. Recently, I bought some once-fired 38 special brass for it. I don't want to keep pushing magnum through it. I've shot it double action at 15 yards, way to accurate to keep penned up at that distance.

I'll try it in 38 special and see if I can get 50 meters pretty good. This is just a personal goal, to plink 50 meters. It's also a back-burner project, have others going on.

Watching with much interest, Ron

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Pigslayer posted this 14 April 2013

Just got back from the range and am very happy! Again my load was 4.6 grs. of Unique behind the Lyman 358156 GC sized to .359. At 25 ft. I was grouping at about 1 1/2". At 50 ft. I was grouping at 2 to 2 1/4". All shots were from a rest while standing. No leading whatsoever. The sights are fixed and the gun is shooting a little to the left. It could be me. I am right handed & right eye dominant but find that my best shooting with some guns is with both eyes open. I'll try that next time. Attached is a picture of my last 12 rounds fired @ 25 ft.. Being that the handgun only has a 2” barrel & shooting that well, I am ecstatic! It does have a little more recoil than I expected but is still a very comfortable shooter

If someone else had of done to me what I did to myself . . . I'd have killed him. Humility is an asset. Heh - heh.

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LWesthoff posted this 14 April 2013

A few months ago, Ed Harris posted some .38 SP loads using standard .38 wadcutters, seated out about where similar type Keith type bullets are seated, which makes room for a little more powder (and a little more velocity) than usual target wadcutter loads. They work pretty good in my S&W snubby. According to Harris, they are more effective defense loads than RN or Keith type bullets. Might not hurt to try some of them.

Wes

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tturner53 posted this 15 April 2013

For an economical and easy plinker check out the Lee 358-125 RF. I shoot them as cast with mixed scrap alloy and tumble lubed very lightly with LLA mix. I was surprised to find they shoot to the sights in my 'belly guns'. The 6 cavity mold knocks out a lot of bullets real fast and the tumble lube is a snap. Easy way to feed a hungry .38. Recoil is mild, roughly in the .380 ballpark. Also, is there a 'best' SWC type? Keith or Thompson?

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Pigslayer posted this 15 April 2013

tturner53 wrote: For an economical and easy plinker check out the Lee 358-125 RF. I shoot them as cast with mixed scrap alloy and tumble lubed very lightly with LLA mix. I was surprised to find they shoot to the sights in my 'belly guns'. The 6 cavity mold knocks out a lot of bullets real fast and the tumble lube is a snap. Easy way to feed a hungry .38. Recoil is mild, roughly in the .380 ballpark. Also, is there a 'best' SWC type? Keith or Thompson?

Will be looking to try other bullets but right now there seem to be no molds available. Will probably have Mountain Molds make one for me in plain based.

If someone else had of done to me what I did to myself . . . I'd have killed him. Humility is an asset. Heh - heh.

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beerd posted this 19 April 2013

The Lee 105gr SWC is easy on the lead supply and shoots quite well in a lot of 38's. ..

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fa38 posted this 19 April 2013

Pigslayer >>The sights are fixed and the gun is shooting a little to the left. It could be me.<<

That gun probably thinks it is a left hand gun and wants you to shoot it left handed.

I have a Colt single action that when I shoot it right handed it groups left and when I shoot it left handed it groups close to center.

I have been told its the way I grip the gun but I don't want to change and it works left handed.

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R. Dupraz posted this 19 April 2013

Pigslayer:

Your group with the Lyman 358156 GC made me smile. I am not surprised. My 4 cavity is now 50+ yrs old and is the only 358 mold that I have had for all of the .38's and 357's that I've owned over the yrs. All those guns shot like that with the 358156.

An old gunsmith who ordered my first pistol, nickel plated S&W Mod. 19 also got this mold for me. Hank was a pretty opinionated old fart and said that this mold was what I needed. And he was right.

He also liked to shoot cast and got himself a Thompson Contender chambered for the 357/44 BD. One summer evening a bunch of us were shooting at our gravel pit range. And because Hank had MS, he gave me that Contender to try. I remember it well cause I shot a group very similar to yours over iron sights at 100yds, off the bench, with that Contender and the Lyman 358156 GC. It may not have been quite as tight but it was damn close. You should have seen the smile on old Hank's face.

That was back when I didn't need these spec's to see across the street.

Sorry for carrying on but you brought back some memories.

RD

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Pigslayer posted this 20 April 2013

R. Dupraz wrote: Pigslayer:

Your group with the Lyman 358156 GC made me smile. I am not surprised. My 4 cavity is now 50+ yrs old and is the only 358 mold that I have had for all of the .38's and 357's that I've owned over the yrs. All those guns shot like that with the 358156.

An old gunsmith who ordered my first pistol, nickel plated S&W Mod. 19 also got this mold for me. Hank was a pretty opinionated old fart and said that this mold was what I needed. And he was right.

He also liked to shoot cast and got himself a Thompson Contender chambered for the 357/44 BD. One summer evening a bunch of us were shooting at our gravel pit range. And because Hank had MS, he gave me that Contender to try. I remember it well cause I shot a group very similar to yours over iron sights at 100yds, off the bench, with that Contender and the Lyman 358156 GC. It may not have been quite as tight but it was damn close. You should have seen the smile on old Hank's face.

That was back when I didn't need these spec's to see across the street.

Sorry for carrying on but you brought back some memories.

RD

I have been using the 358156 since 1972 in the S&W Mod. 19, 27 & 28. Now of course in my new Mod. 85 Taurus. It's accuracy has remained constant. Although my first mold in that configuration has long been gone due to one of my many moves (bought it from Herter's) I was able to find one (of the older single cavities) on eBay. The older ones seem to drop bullets with plenty of room to size. Mine actually drops at .3645 and is unaltered. I'm sizing to .359 even though my throats average .3595. I may step up to .360.

Pat

If someone else had of done to me what I did to myself . . . I'd have killed him. Humility is an asset. Heh - heh.

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