anyone load for the "Calibre 38 Rimless Smokeless"?

[AreWeNotMen]

AKA 38 Automatic and 38ACP...This caliber is the precursor to the 38 Super (as I suppose you all know). Anyone else load for their sidearm (a pic of mine is below) and shoot it as I do?

[AreWeNotMen]

Well, so my post doesn't die alone...

My typical loads are Winchester plated 38 Super cases, CCI primer, and either 4.9g of Universal with a 115g Rainier HP OR 4.6g of Universal with a 124g Berry. I carefully worked up to these to just where they would reliably cycle the slide and no more. I've also used 6.1g of AA # with good results (910 FPS ave). It shoots well.

[kryten67]

Thanks for the information. Finding reload data is getting tuffer to find.

[Oyeboten]

Hi AreWeNotMen,



Nice Sporting Model!!!



In the 1980s I used to shoot my Sporting Model in local 420 League and Bullseye and Bowling Pin and Steel Plate and all sorts of Competitions.

I did zillions of me-Load rounds.


For Target up to 50 Yards, I simply used regular old .357 Semi-Wadcutters of 148 Grain, otherwise made for the .38 Special Cartridge, and, I empirically loaded to well below full power for that weight, and, for most uses, I simply worked up a load of 'UNIQUE' which would j-u-s-t cycle the Slide when the Pistol was fired pointed straight down into a Bucket of Sand with a sheet of Cardboard over it.

This worked splendidly then. You could virtually watch the Slide cycle in fact, kuhhh-chunk...Lol...


For more nearly full power I just used 130-ish Grain pure Lead Round Nose of .357 which I cast up myself with an old Ideal Mold, or, I used to send off for something similar in a softer end of Alloy, from I forget-now-who, and, I downloaded a little from whatever the old Tables called for as top loads, for that Bullet weight.



I personally never liked using Hardball in the old Autocolts, so, I stayed with Lead for all my plinking or Target or other Competition things.



Nice to see someone else loading for the .38 Automatic!

[Oyeboten]

Here's a picture of mine -




I paid $200.00 for it sometime back in the mid 1980s...it was low Miliage but had about 3 percent Blue with smooth no pits few dings surfaces and a minty bore.

I just always kept it well oiled and clean...carried it as my CCW also for several years.


I sure love the old .38 Autos and wish I would have got a few more of them when the getting was good.

[kryten67]

Attachment 22169 I recently acquired this 1903 pocket hammer. I am really interested in acquiring a 1902 military to add to my vintage colts.

[Ratzo]

I have a Pocket Hammer that I shoot occasionally. I have attached loading data from Lyman #43, and their Cast Bullet Handbook from the same era. As always start low and work up. 6 grs. of Unique worked well in mine with a 124 gr. cast bullet.

.38 ACP 002.jpg.38 ACP 003.jpg

[kryten67]

Thank you Ratzo. I will be shooting some factory ammo .38acp. The seller included 50 rds with the sale so I will have some brass to reload.

[AreWeNotMen]

Good to see fellow 38 ACP folks! Thank you for posting those pics of load data - much appreciated.

[kryten67]

I forgot to say thanks also for the load data. Great to see some fellow .38acp users.