.38 Short Colt

[Bunk]

Is anyone out  there besides me loading for this tiny cartridge?
With a 125 grain outside lubricated .375" bullet and .7 c/c of FFFg, which is a slightly compressed load,  it hits hard at SASS handgun distances and recoils like a .22LR.
Old West makes a heavier bullet, 135 grain or bigger but I  have not tried it out but should be a bell ringer.
The gun is an 1851 Navy with the Kirst Conversion with an unlined barrel so it will shoot cartridge or percussion.
Kind of neat having two guns for the price of three. Sound familiar?
Remarks welcome.
Bunk

[Sedalia Dave]

I didn't find the difference in recoil to be worth it.

BTW 38 short Colt will not make the SASS smoke standard for BP categories.

[Bunk]

True, but it is fun to play with.
And with that heathen fad smokessomewhatless stuff a pound of powder will load  with some powders sometimes over 800 rounds per pound.
 There is something to be said for that and it is just a cute little guy.
The Long Colt holds over 1 c/c but I am not sure how much. I have not tried it just yet.
Bunk

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[Roosterman]

I have a R&D conversion in .38 colt. I use full length .38 special cases with a 148gr hollow based wad cutter seated so it just clears the cylinder mouth. I think it holds 18gr 3fff BP. I smear lube over the sear mouths just like a C&B revolver. Works great. Plenty of smoke and very accurate. Never had anybody say it wasn't smokey enough and never had any trouble with knock downs, although everybody said I would.

[Bunk]

Hello Roosterman.
That may very well be the original Gunpowder loading  amount but with a different weight  bullet. My Krist cylinder will accept that length case,possibly.
If I can figure out how to reset my heel bullet crimp die somewhere in my shop are a dozen or so .38 Special cases trimmed to .38 long Colt size.
Interesting
Thanks
Bunk

[Navy Six]

Not the Short Colt, Bunk, but I have loaded the 38 Long Colt cartridges for a pair of Uberti/Kirst 51 Navies using a couple of different heel bullets molds I got from Accurate Molds. I kept the barrel unlined(traditionalist) and can get about 18/19 grs of 3F Swiss under the 120/135 gr bullets. I see Kirst now makes the cylinders for the standard .358 size bullets also. Anyway, got no trouble with SASS knock downs or smoke requirements. More smoke the better.

[Major 2]

I too have loaded, 38 long with heeled base bullets for this in the Avenging Angle configuration.
The 51 barrel I had lined to .357.

I used heeled Bullet's I had gotten from GAD, I won't recommend him though   

They had to be sized, and in some cases the casting was so bad I just remelted them 

Nevertheless, the ones I sized and loaded with BP shoot well enough @ CAS distance.
In the 7.5 length also BP but I use both a 148-gr semi wad cutter and Round Nose bullet.

[Bunk]

OK! I did a search and found the Long Colt cases. Also figured out how to reset the Old West Bullet  Moulds heel crimp die for the Longer case.
In the next day or two we shall see.
But you got to admit smoke and fun with only 8 grains FFFg ain't to be sneezed at.
Bunk

[Bunk]

The Long Colt was not worth the effort. Every die had to be changed so no thanks.
Old West casts a 150 grain .375" round nose bullet with the same length heel. The only change was the seating die and there are 6 on the bench waiting.
The barrel is going off for a real front sight it now hits nicely about a foot high and about the same to the right.
So far this year I have run 50 rounds through it and figured the Kentucky hold.
If anyone is interested in playing with this baby caliber PM me for a great deal on about 150 cases trimmed from .38 Special some freshly primed.
A deal you can't refuse. It does work with some fad powder and .358" bullets using small,less that 3 grains, of some powders.

Hitting center (more or less)
Bunk

[Bunk]

Major 2
I messed up the PM sorry try again
It is about 150 cases some fresh primed
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