Reloading the 38-200 Official Police,

[1873Bob]

Any one got any pet loads for this cartridge/revolver say with a 158g projectile. I dont cast, so a 200g is out of the question, commercially available in my location are 158/160g only.

About to take possession of an Official Police 1941 build that was part of 18000 or so bought by the British defence purchasing commission in the era 1941/42, about 18250 were made and delivered in this contract.

[Steve in Merritt Island]

Sorry, I can't help you with the load data, but, I do load .38 Specials with cast 200 grainers that I have purchased from Magnus in Toney, AL. Nice guy runs the company. I think the stock # is 507. I fire them with rather mild charges of Bullseye in my Detective Special.

[longranger]

.38 Colt N.P. aka .38 S&W, 2.2gr Bullseye and 148gr. Remington HBWC.Filthy with their dry lube,but I have not found anything that shoots better in the .38 Colt N.P.I just got 1000 bullets from Missouri Bullets for .38 S&W and they are to big for my P.P. chambered for the .38 Colt N.P.
This link has the best load info I have found for the .38 Colt N.P/S&W
http://www.reloadammo.com/38sw.htm

[Bisley]

Hello, 1873Bob. About a year ago, I was having trouble with a 2nd. gen. Colt S.A.A. 7 1/2" .38 spec. getting to shoot to sights. It was printing way low & right, when firing with wrist supported by sandbag. I tried everything..not wanting to resort to the file.. I found a Lyman #358430 round nose, that drops from mould at 200grs. This big slug did bring groups higher..but still a bit low. Then I got smart & tried shooting off hand..with 158gr., it prints to p.o.a. and windage is perfect! But getting back to those 200 grainers...even with very light charges of TrailBoss and Bullseye..the recoil was unpleasant!

[SMLE]

I just got 1000 bullets from Missouri Bullets for .38 S&W and they are to big for my P.P. chambered for the .38 Colt N.P.

Hey longranger, how can they be too big? I though 38 S&W and 38 Colt NP were the same cartridge, except the Colt NP had flat nosed bullets. What did they measure at?

[SMLE]

Any one got any pet loads for this cartridge/revolver say with a 158g projectile. I dont cast, so a 200g is out of the question, commercially available in my location are 158/160g only.

About to take possession of an Official Police 1941 build that was part of 18000 or so bought by the British defence purchasing commission in the era 1941/42, about 18250 were made and delivered in this contract.

Bob, I just bought an Official Police with British markings as well. Can't wait to get it delivered and start shooting.

My ammo is going to come from me casting. I know you said you don't, but if you ever do, it's a hoot. I just got in on a group buy for a 200 gr. bullet mould for this cartridge. Should be fun to shoot. Here is a link to that mould group buy in case you're interested: 38-200 mould group buy

[PattonTime]

I do not yet have a Colt in this cartridge, but soon will.
However, I already have a Smith Model 33-1 and am waiting on delievery
of a Smith British Victory.
I have been shooting the one I have with a Missouri Bullets 146 grain bullet
and Trailboss and it shoots great.
I will use the same combo in my Victory and when I find my Colt Police Positive Special, which I will find and buy at my first opportunity.

[LouisianaMan]

See 38 S&W load devopment Pt. 1 - Page 4 for some loads I have tested satisfactorily, some in the 158-160g bullet weight 1873Bob is looking for. I use one load with a nominally 158g bullet, that drops 161g in my alloy, for about 710fps in a 4" barrel. Quite accurate, POI very close to POA, and velocity darned close to what is claimed for current factory-loaded 38 SPL LRN or LSWC standard-pressure rounds. This is the load my wife likes in her 32-1 and 33-1.

I miked several of my S&W 32-1 and 33/33-1 revolvers at .359 groove diameter, and they function fine with bullets from .357 to .362 or so, in my guns. I miked one or two Colts at about .355-.356, and several loads that worked fine in the S&W would not chamber in the Colts. My Enfield does fine with anything I shoot in S&W guns and is surprisingly accurate, although I've read where others obviously had a larger groove diameter with their Webleys and/or Enfields and needed .360+ to obtain acceptable consistency and accuracy.

I've miked some vintage Winchester .38 S&W 200g bullets at about .356; probably sized that way to fit both Colt & Smith & Wesson revolvers, and the hollow base & soft lead alloy probably allowed the bullets to obturate & achieve acceptable accuracy in guns with somewhat larger groove diameters.

FWIW, I have not done anything with the myriad of old .38 S&W, Iver Johnson, H&R etc. top-breaks, and have no idea of their groove diameters, but I also note that reloading manuals I've consulted all warn against using their recipes in such guns.

[Oyeboten]

Hi Louisianna Man,



Nice to see a Post from you over here in the Colt Forum.


Yahhhh...the .38-200 Loadings would not be good for any of the Top Breaks, and, those have to have their own deferential Loadings if we are to be kind to them.


I did get myself a Colt Police Positive, and, an S & W 'Terrier'...and I imagine either of these would be alright with any low end .38-200 Loadings, if one wanted...as would a 'Banker's Special' I am sure.

Darn, other than occasional stolen minutes at the Computer, I have been too over-booked Work wise and home wise to do any thing with my old Guns...have done no re-loading in months...and, gunna stay that way too for a while.

[Claymore]

I've had very good results with a 158 grain commercial cast SWC (supposed to be .358 diameter) over 3.2 grains of Unique. Gives about 720 fps in my 2" Terrier. My old Lyman manual says you can go up to 3.5 grains, and I intend to work up carefully to see if I can get 750 fps out of the Terrier's short barrel. It's a dandy little pocket gun.