.38SP Overall Length

[jgaffney]

A friend of mine, an avid reloader, passed away about a year ago. In helping his wife clean out his garage, I walked away with about 300 rounds of 38SP. I have 5 S&W revolvers, all in 38SP/357 so I have plenty of room for more bullets.

Last week at the range, I came across 3 rounds that would chamber but would not revolve. When I got home, I found that these 3 were too long. The Speer book says that 38SP should be 1.55" overall, and these three rounds measured 1.6+". Is it safe for me to put each round into a bench vise (with my soft jaws) or a C Clamp and squeeze it down to the spec length? All of the rounds have round nose lead bullets.

[bhilliker@comcast.net]

I'm not in my reloading shed with my books and notes but I can tell you this. I have found there are or at least one head stamp that has a thicker base and will not fit under my shell plate. That could be why they are not sitting deep enough to allow the wheel to rotate

[ar15barrels]

A friend of mine, an avid reloader, passed away about a year ago. In helping his wife clean out his garage, I walked away with about 300 rounds of 38SP. I have 5 S&W revolvers, all in 38SP/357 so I have plenty of room for more bullets.

Last week at the range, I came across 3 rounds that would chamber but would not revolve. When I got home, I found that these 3 were too long. The Speer book says that 38SP should be 1.55" overall, and these three rounds measured 1.6+". Is it safe for me to put each round into a bench vise (with my soft jaws) or a C Clamp and squeeze it down to the spec length? All of the rounds have round nose lead bullets.

Throw away the 3 rounds.
You might cause more problems than you solve by squeezing them in the vise if they are roll crimped.
If you want to save them, pull the bullets with a bullet puller, then re-size the cases without a decapping pin and then expand the cases and re-seat the bullets to the correct length.
If you don't reload, the easy fix is to just throw the 3 rounds away.
Even if you DID reload, the easy fix is still to throw the 3 rounds away.

If you REALLY want to use those 3 rounds, the safer fix would be to file the noses of the bullets shorter.
This will not effect the crimp or cause any weirdness with the 3 cases but will solve your OAL problem.

[Imageview]

Trying to “fix” reloads you didn’t make that you know were not reloaded correctly is not a good way to keep your fingers attached to your hand. Just my personal opinion.

[jgaffney]

If you REALLY want to use those 3 rounds, the safer fix would be to file the noses of the bullets shorter.
This will not effect the crimp or cause any weirdness with the 3 cases but will solve your OAL problem.

Excellent idea! Given that they are cast lead bullets, that should be easy. Thanks, AR15Barrels.

[P5Ret]

Call me over cautious, but I'm in the throw them away camp. Even careful avid reloaders can have accidental over charges. My fingers hands and eyes are much more important to me than 3 free rounds of anything. Never mind that the majority of my revolvers are not replaceable in their current form.

[Revoman]

It sounds like those 3 rounds might be .357, not .38 from the length that you are describing??.

[Sailormilan2]

It sounds like those 3 rounds might be .357, not .38 from the length that you are describing??.

They might be loaded to 357Mag levels, to be used only in 357Mag revolvers. So, they are loaded to a longer length so they can’t be chambered in a 38Special revolver. Failing that, they could be loaded for use in a Thompson Contender Break Ooen single shot.

[ar15barrels]

It sounds like those 3 rounds might be .357, not .38 from the length that you are describing??.

OP is attempting to shoot them in a 357 mag revolver per the first post.

[ar15barrels]

They might be loaded to 357Mag levels, to be used only in 357Mag revolvers. So, they are loaded to a longer length so they can’t be chambered in a 38Special revolver. Failing that, they could be loaded for use in a Thompson Contender Break Ooen single shot.

Does anyone read the first post where the OP states that ALL 5 of his S&W revolvers are chambered in 38/357?

[Sailormilan2]

Does anyone read the first post where the OP states that ALL 5 of his S&W revolvers are chambered in 38/357?

I missed that part. But, they still could have been loaded for use in a single shot, break open Thompson Contender. Depending on the bullet design, the extra length may still work in a Contender.

However, with the OP’s stated length of 1.6+”, they should have fitted in most 357 Mag revolvers. I have a S&W Mod 28, and the Mod 27/28 design is notorious for its shorter than standard cylinders. But, even with its shorter cylinders, it should still have worked with ammo loaded to a max 1.625”(cylinder length). So, if the ammo is loaded to longer than 1.625”, it should still have worked in most 357 Mag revolvers. If it’s still too long, then I would seriously look at a Contender.