Posted on 05/16/2015 2:54:18 PM PDT by Tijeras_Slim
A selection of .38 Special revolvers from their "Golden Age"
1930's Vintage Smith & Wesson M&P
1930's Smith & Wesson M&P Target, serial number only a few hundred off the one Ed McGivern used to set several speed shooting records.
1920's Vintage Colt Army Special
1920's vintage Colt Officer's Model.
I love the old long-action S&W revolvers.
.38 Spl. easily outpowers the 9mm Luger. +P+ loads are in the .357 category. The old 158 gr. police load was underpowered, yes, but the modern loads are far hotter.
I have a Colt 1917 and a S&W 1917 in .45 ACP. I have to say I prefer the Colt.
My Great Grandfather carried a Colt 1917 in the AEF. I can’t see how he could shoot it, since he was a little guy, and those need at least medium sized hands to use.
When the Illinois State Police switched to Model 59s they dumped a bunch of semi-custom Model 19s on the local market. I bought one for $200 and a few years back in a weak moment I sold it. I should not have done that.
But I recently acquired a 4” nickel plated Colt Python made in about 1973. That has eased the pain of a poor decision considerably. I used it to qualify for my CCL.
Yes, I let the instructor shoot it. Got tired of the begging. LOL
L
Back around 1970, roughly the same time Super Vel was making a fuss, a guy in one of the gun magazines, I think it was Dean Grinnell published what he called a hot 9mm load.
I will not repeat it here but it was 2 grains above what the Speer manual listed as maximum for Unique in the 9mm. I figured he would not have published it if it was not safe so I loaded maybe 20 rounds.
I loaded up a mag for the Browning Hi-power and let loose. It threw the empties around 30 feet and the primers were as flat as a frying pan. Some of the primers just fell out. The load was insane and it probably would have blown up some guns.
I still have no idea what the consequences of him publishing that load were. It must have resulted in some damaged guns.
Either gun is a fine self-defence weapon.The kind of gun that gives you confidence.
Maybe from too many early cop and PI shows where the 38 snubnose was prevalent. Just my theory.
“I’ve got a VICTORY model .38 from S&W by way of England. While there it was converted to .22Long Rifle. New barrel, sleeved cylinders, modified hammer, adjustable sights. covered all over with British proof marks. ONE of some 300 made I have heard.”
Cool. I have a Swedish Nagant that was converted to .22 RF. I picked it up at a gun show for $75. Decent shape, shoots ok, but a quite loud report. I think the barrel/cylinder gap may be a bit oversized.
Excellent work. Thank you for the article.
Looks real easy to clean
That’s classy
This is a really fun and informative thread you started. I would greatly enjoy seeing more like it in the future.
That model 22A came with a test fired .22LR case in a plastic bag. Some requirement from some states I assume. I wondered how they didn’t notice when they fired it but then remembered I had fired it several times before it jammed.
I have owned a couple of Beretta Minx in .22 short. They had no extractor as part of the design. The tip up barrel allowed you to remove rounds from the chamber. It was extremely reliable so an extractor might not be absolutely necessary in calibers with very short cases.
Of course there has to be some way to remove unfired rounds from the chamber.
“I still have part of a box of original Supervel 90 grain jhp in 9mm. It is extremely hot.”
Back in the days of transition from revolvers to semi-autos two Alaska State Trooper investigators engaged a perp with their S&W M 59’s loaded woth “hot” 9mm 90gr JHP’s. It was winter and he was wearing several layers of clothing incuding a Carrhart coat. The Troopers scored several torso hits but none of those rounds penetrated the clothing. Didn’t take the AST long to change to heavier bullets.
.38 special is a decent round, but don’t discount the 9mm - at close range, a regular round can go through one or two people. Put a decent hollow point in it and it has plenty of stopping power if you can hit anywhere near center mass.
IIRC , Super Vel was a 110 gr. round at about 1300 fps.
Back in the 60s the .38 ammo was hotter than today’s stuff.
I have a Speer reloading manual from 1970.
Chronographed velocities by Speer..
.38 Speer 125 g. JSP...1094 fps, 4” brl.
.38 Norma 110 gr.JHP....1366 fps, 6” brl
.38 Rem Hi Speed 158..1025 fps, 6” brl
9 mm Rem 124 gr.MC ....1131 fps, 4” brl
Don’t think you can come close to those in .38 today w/ factory ammo
Oh, SV 110 gr. JHP...1246 fps, 6” brl
You and me, both, if I’m in the house when the SHTF. Then it’s 12-gauge all the way.
Walking around town, though, a 12-gauge will get me arrested.
Glance over and see the Hun coming across the lines, you'll figure out how to shoot it.
I have one, customized, and it is a hand filler for my large hands.
Damn I almost missed this thread Slim..... ya gotta kick me when ya do good stuff like this........:o)
I have my grandfathers M&P 38 that was chopped to 3 inches an his Tom Threepersons holster he purchased in El Paso back in early thirties. Also have a Standard M&P that you have pictured here that some damn fool cerekoted flat black ..... nice shooter that I’m trying to figure out if it can be restored. Great thread bub.....
Stay Safe !!!
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