After 4 years - Part two of the .38 Colt article in Chronicle

[Tuolumne Lawman]

Enjoy!

https://www.sassnet.com/uploads/downloads/cowboychronicle/2024/24JanChronGO.pdf

Part one was in 2020.  Part to was delayed by 2 years of COVID hell, and another year because of my major surgery and several deaths in the immediate family (and estate settling).  I sent the article to CCs editor Skinny in in August, but missed getting it in the October issue. 

I still have the pair of 38 1851 conversions, but they are third string.  My first and second string pistols are Truth and Justice (my Dave Anderson custom 1860 Colt .44 conversions), and my new love, and sequentially serial numbered pair of Ruger Bisley Vaqueros in .45 Colt. The easy cocking, lower tang, Bisley hammers are wonderful for my arthritic right hand. And there is something about shooting 255 grain .454" bullets that smack steel with authority!

[RoyceP]

I think the article was great! I load 38 Long Colt using heeled 150 grain bullets and 4 grains of Unique. I find that is the best load from these revolvers. I am using bullets from Old West and the crimp die from Old West as well.

[Marshal Will Wingam]

Great article. Well worth the wait. Thanks for going to the lengths you did to make it as honest a comparison as possible.

[Tuolumne Lawman]

Thanks! 4.0 grains of Unique was the winner.   It is hotter than some of the 38 Colt data, but I stumbled on the load in an old Cartridges of the World listing it as the factory duplication load.  The most Unique I used with the 140 grain heeled bullet was 3.3.  I bet that 4.0 grains of Unique would be awesome with the heeled bullet.  I will probably try that the next time I do heeled bullets.  Unique is quick, and doesn't need much crimp.

[Marshal Will Wingam]

I haven't used Unique for many years. From what you found, it sounds like the right powder for 38 Colt. I experimented with 38 Colt a few years ago and found TB a non-starter, too. I never did find a good load.

[Tuolumne Lawman]

Unique is my back-up go-to for CAS when TB is not available.  .44-40 -7.5 to 8 grains (44 Henry duplication) and .45 COLT 6.5 grains.

[Marshal Will Wingam]

That's good to know. Thanks for that.

[Coffinmaker]

Well Now 

One of our valued fellow citizens had an 1851 Conversion built on a .36 Pietta.  After the conversion, has had absolutely no luck getting it to shoot.  It produces patterns, akin to a 12Ga Shotgun.  Perhaps this latest suggested Unique Load will do the trix.  He has been loading with "Period" 38 Short and Long cases with healed bullets, looking for Hysterical (Historical??) accuracy in the ammunition.

Personally, I just use Hollow Base Wadcutters in a 375 bore.  Mucho more simppeler.   

[Reverend P. Babcock Chase]

Howdy all,

In my experience, Coffinmaker's approach works better than it should. You just have to be sure that the load has enough oomph to flare the base. Soft lead swaged HBWC's seem to work best for me.

Rev. Chase

[Tuolumne Lawman]

I have shot heeled bullets from the 38 Kirst/Pietta Konversions with great result, HOWEVER,  those work best with real FFFG Black Powder.  Modern propellants require a brutal crimp with an OWBM heeled crimp die, and the case tear from the heavy crimp.  With FFFG black, it takes very little crimp.

The better option is the Bear Creek 150 grain round nose, hollow base lead with 4.0 grains of Unique.  With a modest roll crimp, it obdurates in the bore sufficiently to give passable groups

[Abilene]

So, I've been thinking about trying these new Bear Creek 150gr hollow base bullets in my converted 1861, but it sounds like the best group results are actually from the HBWC bullets.  So why would one want to use the 150 grainers?  (I am loading .38 Spcl, not .38 Colt).  Bear Creek carries a 148gr HBWC.  Is that the one you loaded?

I had thought to just send the barrel to Kirst to have him line it, but it seems he doesn't do that any more.  Anybody have another suggestion for getting it lined?

[Tuolumne Lawman]

I used a proprietary 148 HBWC from Jeff Hoffman at Black Hills ammo.  The are pure lead, and have a thinner wall to the hollow base, so obdurate better.  The HBWCs are a pain to load in the cylinder, and just don't look "Cowboy" enough for me.  the Bear Creek duplicates the 1892 Army load of the .38 Colt.

[nativeshootist]

the link to your article doesn't work anymore.

[Tuolumne Lawman]

They redid their web page.  Try this:

https://www.sassnet.com/uploads/downloads/cowboychronicle/2024/JanChronGO2024.pdf

[nativeshootist]

it just says problem loading page

[Coffinmaker]

Abilene 

Give Hoof Hearted aka; Gary Barnes a shout.  Last I knew, not only was he still doing conversions, but also offered to line barrels.  I two was tempted to give Gary a shout to have my .36 conversions lined to shoot .357ish bullets until playing with Hollow Base Wadcutters showed them to be perfectly adequate.  They may not "look" the part, but Who Cares??  We ain't playin re-inacting in our fun little game....are we??

Oh. Most forgot, with OEM bores I can switch back to Percussion in about 30 seconds and be shooting EPP UG - 36 Bullets.  Can't do that with lined 357 bores dontcha know.

[Abilene]

it just says problem loading page

The link works for me on both laptop and Android phone.

[Abilene]

Abilene 

Give Hoof Hearted aka; Gary Barnes a shout.  Last I knew, not only was he still doing conversions, but also offered to line barrels.  I two was tempted to give Gary a shout to have my .36 conversions lined to shoot .357ish bullets until playing with Hollow Base Wadcutters showed them to be perfectly adequate.  They may not "look" the part, but Who Cares??  We ain't playin re-inacting in our fun little game....are we??

Oh. Most forgot, with OEM bores I can switch back to Percussion in about 30 seconds and be shooting EPP UG - 36 Bullets.  Can't do that with lined 357 bores dontcha know.

Thanks, Coffinmaker, I will have to check with him.  I do not have a percussion cylinder nor rammer for this pistol and don't see myself getting one, so I don't mind losing the ability of using it as percussion.

[Major 2]

Gary did an excellent relining job with my 51 barrel, the bobbed 61 barrel is still OEM bore. and I used Heeled bullets 

[nativeshootist]

The link works for me on both laptop and Android phone.

yeah i got it to work, just got impatient. my bad