.38 Short Colt ? Here's my favorite load...

[ysr_racer]

...for use in a modern .357 !!

Do not, do not, do not use this load for a gun chambered for .38 Short Colt

THIS IS A HIGH POWER HIGH PRESSURE LOAD

Name: .38 Short Colt: 158gr Xtreme FP: Clays 3.1gr: OAL 1.125
Notes: S&W 627 5"
Shots: 8
Average: 762 ft/s
SD: 19 ft/s
Min: 729 ft/s
Max: 785 ft/s
Spread: 56 ft/s
Power Factor Average: 125
Power Factor Low: 119
Power Factor High: 128
Barometric Pressure: 30 in Hg
Temperature: 65 F
Weight: 164.0 gr.
Powder: Clays 3.1gr
Bullet: Xteme 158gr FP
C.O.A.L.: 1.125
Primer: Fed SPP
Case: Starline

[Lead Waster]

My .38 LONG COLT (not short) is similar, but 3.2 grains of Clays with a 160 gn bullet. Fairly similar. I also like Ramshot Silhoutte, but don't recall the recipe at the moment.

[sofbak]

Who (besides the op), shoots a .38 short colt load?

More importantly..... WHY?

[ysr_racer]

Who (besides the op), shoots a .38 short colt load?

More importantly..... WHY?

It's an ICORE (International Confederation of Revolver Enthusiasts) competition load.

We use .38 short colt in place of .38 Special because they eject and load quicker. When you push the ejector rod on a S&W revolver, .38 Special brass doesn't clear the cylinder, .38 short colt does.

Plus they drop into the cylinder quicker.

ICORE video with reloads

[Cowboy T]

Yep, that's a very good reason to use .38 Short Colt brass. Those reloads you did were pretty fast. It looks like moon clips that you're using; is that correct?

[sofbak]

Thanx for the explanation!
Not being a wheel gun competitor, I had no knowledge of this.

[ysr_racer]

Yep, that's a very good reason to use .38 Short Colt brass. Those reloads you did were pretty fast. It looks like moon clips that you're using; is that correct?

Yes, 8 shot moon clips, but that's not me

[Cowboy T]

^^ This forum needs a "Like" button for posts like that.

That's a pretty sweet setup there. Would, say, .38 Long Colt brass also eject as well? I'm thinking that this might even better accommodate, say, the old "FBI load" for .38 Special. Or would .38 Short Colt brass also accommodate such a load? In either case (pun intended), this would, of course, be used only in a modern .38 Spl +P or stronger revolver.

[eaglemike]

^^ This forum needs a "Like" button for posts like that.

That's a pretty sweet setup there. Would, say, .38 Long Colt brass also eject as well? I'm thinking that this might even better accommodate, say, the old "FBI load" for .38 Special. Or would .38 Short Colt brass also accommodate such a load? In either case (pun intended), this would, of course, be used only in a modern .38 Spl +P or stronger revolver.

Yes, there's guys using long colt brass as well, but not as many that use short colt. It has a little more flexibility for loads, but of course is about .25 or so longer. Some guy's short colt brass I've seen is so hammered you can't easily read the head stamp after it's been loaded and shot a few times. The long colt is still .535 shorter than .38 special, IIRC - more than plenty sort enough to eject easily.
The good thing about a wheel gun and short colt (also long colt) you have a lot of range on where to crimp. I played a little with crimping in the grease groove on coated bullets before I found a powder that made the pressure I wanted (low enough), burned clean, etc at normal crimp length.
Burning clean is important in this game. Powder flakes under the star will ruin your day if you are trying to reload quickly.
Guys used to trim about 1/8" off .38 special brass too, just to get the ejection working well.
I have one of the fairly few .627's in .38 super - that length is really nice, but they used a .358 barrel in those. I started to make a barrel for that one from a .355 blank for cast bullets. The 929 and 986 seem to be hit and miss. I'm not really happy with either one of mine from the factory. Never seem to have as many issues with the .38/.357 guns. Knowledge base is waaay bigger, and the factory doesn't seem to make as many mistakes.

[ysr_racer]

Both my 627 (.38/.357) and my 929 (9mm) have barrels that slug at .357.

.38 Short Colt is really just a rimmed 9mm. I use the same load in both. 3gr (+ or -) of Titegroup or Clays, and a 160gr plated Bayou bullet.

Anybody in Orange County want to take a "spin class"

[2761377]

Both my 627 (.38/.357) and my 929 (9mm) have barrels that slug at .357.

.38 Short Colt is really just a rimmed 9mm. I use the same load in both. 3gr (+ or -) of Titegroup or Clays, and a 160gr plated Bayou bullet.

Anybody in Orange County want to take a "spin class"

do you use clips in your 929? I'm thinking if you do they're the ones for the 627?

short colt dies?

[eaglemike]

do you use clips in your 929? I'm thinking if you do they're the ones for the 627?

short colt dies?

Not ysr
I use a combination of .38 special and 9mm parts for the dies. .38 special crimping and expanding stuff usually isn't long enough. Sizing works fine.
There's a zillion different clips out there. You pretty much need to choose your brass, then use clips that work with your brass.

[ysr_racer]

do you use clips in your 929? I'm thinking if you do they're the ones for the 627?

short colt dies?

For my 929 yes, you need to. Mine won't fire without them. I use .035 TK clips.

For .38 Short Colt I use an old style Dillon size die, a Mr Bullet Feeder powder funnel, 9mm seating and crimping dies. Most guys are running some form of that.

If you're in Orange County, you're welcome to shoot them.

[ysr_racer]

Oh, and 627 and 929 moon clips are different. They're not interchangeable.

[2761377]

Oh, and 627 and 929 moon clips are different. They're not interchangeable.

Yes, that was stupid of me. I should have remembered how impossible it is to fit .357 in a 929 moon clips. luckily that gun (trr8) doesn't need clips.

what I did remember is the 929 clips are thicker, which affects headspace. hence my question.

the combination of die sets is important or just a function of people being tight? I don't have 9para reloading capability, I need to buy something anyway.

and Short Colt die sets are half as much as people are getting for 9para.