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’ve got an old S&W pre-war .38 4 inch.Very smooth,a person could use it to defend themselves with ever expectation of success.
Back around 1990 a lot of police dept.s traded in their revolvers for Glocks. I bought a nice Colt official police in .38 special. It cost exactly $100.
It had the best action I have ever found on any revolver. Also was about as accurate as it is possible to make one.
The pre-war actions are truly slick.
Nice!
The pics, not You trapped inside.
The Army Special pictured became the Official Police in 1927.
Somehow,folks have come to consider the .38 as ineffective.It will do a lot more damage than a 9mm.
Very nice! I don’t believe I’ve seen that particular model with the folding hammer before.
No, it won’t.
Maybe the obsolete .38/44 would.
Yeah, it’s pretty cool. won’t snag on your pocket. It’s probably antique. The factory burned down, so no records left.
My grandfather bought .45 Long Colt revolvers from New York Highway Patrol when they switched to .38 Specials.
.2000 of an inch .357 to .355 isn’t going make a bit of different it is all about vel and bullet type,
Given bullets of the same weight, type, vel. The 9mm and .38spl are equal
so is any thing else in with the same bullet type and vel.
In the early 90’s I bought an S&W 13-2, a .357 with 4” barrel, that was a police trade-in. It was in like-new condition, but only set me back $125. It’s one of my favorites.
My late Brother bought a Colt New Service in .45 Colt around 1965. He bought it from a retired cop. I am not certain but I think it was pre WWI. Fixed sights and a grip adapter to make it easier to hold.
Again, a really really smooth action.
The new Gold Dot loads are nasty.I shoot thousands of 9mm a year through a USP and MP5,the .38 load is worse.
Some of the folks on the S&W Forum years ago duplicated the .38 Special loads of the 30’s and found them surprisingly hot. The limitation of those days was clearly the 158 grain round nose bullet.
The .38/44 was a good round. One particular .38 Special variant that I’ve found curious was the .38 Super Police, a .38 Special with a 200 grain bullet under 700 fps.
I would guess that 95% or more of 9mm loads are hotter than 100% of .38 special loads.
Pressure in 9mm is far higher. Interestingly the 9mm makes a pretty decent revolver load. Using full moon clips it is quick to reload and performs well in short barrels.
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.
Then some idiot here in the USA attempted to blue it before I got it.
Now if I could find some .22 shells....
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