can someone please provide year of manufacture of this revolver and what model number it is? Serial number 176182. Caliber 38 S&W.
Also few other questions:
- if you reload for the same type of revolver, what are your reloads? I have Bullseye and HP-38 powder available.
(I think I figured out this one. Found few helpful post on this forum. Thank you.)
- picked it up today and started to clean it. One of pictures show how rusty it is inside. Should I soak parts in some rust removal liquid, or just try to wipe it off if it is surface rust.
I would soak it well in a penetrating oil such as Kroil, then wipe down well with paper towels. The remaining finish is thin enough that I wouldn't use bronze wool or steel wool on it. For it's age it looks pretty good. If mechanically O.K. it should be capable of using the current factory loads available. If you are reloading for it I would use starting to mid range load as your reloading manual would list for either of those powders.
Well, revolver is almost all taken apart. Those pins are pain to take out, but doable.
Will need to replace firing pin, since the old one has flat end. Not sure if it is broken, or someone just made it flat. Hard to find original, so I ordered (reproduction) one from Numrich.
So once all parts are cleaned and I'll remember how to put it back together , I will take it to the range.
Should be fun.
Went to the gun show last weekend and small holster caught my attention. For $5 I thought, ah why not, maybe it'll fit with my Safety Hammerless. I'm sure it is not one for it, but it fits OK.
Here is my ne question:
What would be the correct holster for my Safety Hammerles (also for time period when revolver was manufactured)? Can you guys post some pictures of yours?
Just on the side.
After I assembled revolver back with new firing pin from Numrich (fit great), I took it to the range.
Well, it shoots high, quite high. After first few shots, I was aiming and lowest red dot, and got most of the grouping at black area (at approx. 30 ft). I think still not bad for 113 year old revolver.
What would be the correct holster for my Safety Hammerles (also for time period when revolver was manufactured)? Can you guys post some pictures of yours?
I don't know the answer to this and I don't have a holster for my SH. My thoughts are the .32 and .38 SH were concealable pocket and self defense revolvers that were not really intended for an OWB belt holster. Maybe a shoulder rig. But, like for many things, I'm probably wrong.
Quote:
Well, it shoots high, quite high. After first few shots, I was aiming and lowest red dot, and got most of the grouping at black area (at approx. 30 ft).
What weight bullet were you using? IIRC, S&W regulated its fixed sights for a 6 o'clock hold at 21 feet. The bullet weight was probably 158 gr. lead round nose. I suspect you were shooting 145 gr. which is typical of the commercial ammo today. If so and you are sure about your POA, they should impact lower on the target than your examples. The sights on these old top breaks are pretty poor and I am usually satisfied if I hit somewhere on the target and really happy if I can get most of them on the bull.
I believe that 38 S&W was always around 145 grain RN design. Original rounds were actually 146 grain RN, while today's bullets seem to be mostly 145 grain. The 38 Special "standard" used to be 158 grain in RN, RNFP, and WC. I have to say that most of my Safety revolvers shoot high at 15 yards. I have never shot them at 21 feet, so will see how they shoot at that distance the next time it is warm enough to get out to the range. I reload 38 S&W to match original velocities of this caliber, around 700 fps, so speed should not be an issue affecting accuracy. Most factory loads today also run close to 700 fps, pretty close to original rounds.
As for regulating the revolver at the factory, in the old days, they used to place a target in the boxes of most caliber S&Ws. I believe that the target was not shot at the factory, but here is one I found in a 38 New Departure box, where the gun must have shot where the owner aimed. The distance is noted on the top of the target - 20 yards.
I realized that I should have mentioned what USRA meant. The United States Revolver Association ran from 1909 to 1924 and the rules and equipment are detailed in Major D.B. Wesson's Burning Powder. A sales flyer is of interest and is below.
__________________
Gary
SWCA 2515
Last edited by glowe; 02-11-2018 at 12:41 PM.
Reason: added content
I do reload these.
Bullet 145 gr., 0.361 dia., RN, from Missouri Bullet Company
Powder HP-38 2.2 gr
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wiregrassguy
If so and you are sure about your POA, they should impact lower on the target than your examples. The sights on these old top breaks are pretty poor and I am usually satisfied if I hit somewhere on the target and really happy if I can get most of them on the bull.
I'm sure I aimed at lower red dot, but as with other handguns I shot, even when I aim in center, it does not end up there. Not that good of a shooter. Only good grouping I get with my S&W model 15-3. I like that one a lot.
Indeed. I mistyped 158 for 150...mind not matching mechanics. In the book S&W Handguns by McHenry and Roper, they give 146-150 gr. for the bullet, 14 gr. of powder and 579 fps as the velocity.
As far as the sights regulation, it was likely 20-25 yards as 25 yards was a typical target range in the early days of target shooting. I looked back at my 21 feet and it was, at one time, a police qualification distance for dealing with a perp armed with a knife. Recall getting weaker as I get older.
I see the OP responded as I was cogitating and typing. Yeah, the old handguns are harder for me to hold properly...grip frame too small. As a result, I sometimes pull the barrel up with my trigger pull, usually right and high. Could be some of that with you.
__________________
Guy
SWHF #474 SWCA LM#2629
Last edited by Wiregrassguy; 02-11-2018 at 01:50 PM.
Thanks Guy for the information. Here are some chronographed loads to compare. I reviewed my reloading data and find that current factory loads are in the range of what you are stating from McHenry/Roper book, around 580 fps average from a 5" 38 DA, while original Black Powder loads averaged just over 700 fps. Now the ammo was over 100 year old plus, but BP keeps well. Perhaps when smokeless powders came into the picture, the ammo manufacturers reduced the loading and that carried into present times? I have shot many loading recipes for this caliber that provide around 700 fps, but my most accurate loading is 2.2 grains 700X under a 145 grain LRN.
S&W Safety hammerless
Linear Mode
