Hello every body, new to the sight, and got a question.
The other day I got a k-38 target masterpiece, don't know too much about what kind of loads the gun can handle, so my question is, can this gun shoot +p ammo ?
I don't know how old the gun is yet, the s/n is k 79xxx.
Thanks for any replys.

Bernie,

Should be circa 1949. Should a narrow rib bbl. It should handle +p ok, but why do you want to put added wear and stress on a classic? It's a target revolver, not a ccw piece...

Oh and you need to posts pics or it never happened

That gun is likely from 1948 or 1949. While it may handle +P, I would recommend you just use standard loads in it. You don’t want to shorten its life with a higher velocity round. It was mean to be a target gun so no don’t need to shoot faster holes in paper.

Yes but not regularly.

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Mike
S&WCA #3065

Thanks every body or the quick reply!
As soon as I figure out how to upload pictures I will send a few.
I picked up one boxes of 158 grain lead rn & one box of 158 grain f m j and was just wondering about the +p, but now I will stay away from the +p's too nice of a gun to abuse.
Again thanks for the information!!

I have two K-38 Target Masterpieces and I only shoot .38s of my own manufacture - 3.2 grains of Bullseye pushing a 158 grain plated semi-wadcutter or 3.3 grains of HP38 pushing the same projectile. Both are nice soft target loads that provide great accuracy.

They will handle +P's, but like the others I see no reason to do so. They shoot so well with normal pressure 38's that in my K38 I have never tried to push the envelope. I have a Colt Trooper MKIII if I want +P or 357 Magnum pressure loads.

Thanks OldChief, for the heads up on the soft loads, I think I will stay away from the +p's it's too nice of a revolver to abuse.
I am finding this sight to have great information!!
Thanks to all.

A +P thread makes me miss Saxon Pig!

GF

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SWCA #2420

I prefer to shoot -P ,ie, wadcutters.

Welcome to the Forum. I guess my question is WHY????? This revolver is a K38 Masterpiece if it has a 6" barrel and a K38 Combat Masterpiece if it has a 4" barrel (but 1949 was the first year for the Combat Masterpiece). The proper name does not include the word "Target", but they were designed to be a target revolver. Target revolvers do best when shooting target ammunition and there were no pre-war K frame revolvers designed to shoot heavy 38 Special loads. The first for that purpose was the 38/44 Heavy Duty which was a heavier N frame. I tend to read the barrel and shoot what is says. Your gun was manufactured in 1949.

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Gary
SWCA 2515

Welcome to the FORUM! Previous posters pretty much said it all about using +P. A target gun such as yours is meant for accuracy. I normally use standard velocity in my Model 14-3. You have probably noticed that +P costs more also. I do handload, and it makes .38 specials pretty economical. Enjoy your K-38! Bob

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I have a '51 K38 and have found these rounds to be enjoyable to shoot.

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this last shot is of 130 grain Aguila

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Mike
S&WCA #3065

As others have said plus p is purely a defensive round and has no place for routine shooting in any revolver. The general consensus is if you must ( because you plan on using a particular gun for defensive purposes) is to shoot a couple cylinders full to verify function and point of impact then use standard pressure for routine practice

I have 2 K38 Masterpieces, one is a 4 screw, the other is a 3 screw. In order to make these revolvers last, I refuse to shoot jacketed bullets through them. These revolvers only get either swaged bullets or cast bullets. As a note, gilding jackets can wear rifling down over time.

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Judge control not gun control!

In a modest pressure caliber like .38 Special, it would take a lot of shooting to create any real wear on a barrel with most jacketed bullet loads. The odds of having enough money to do such damage are modest, and likewise the use of +P ammo of quality manufacturer. You can buy several more revolvers for that amount of money.

As most said, this is a revolver intended for target shooting, for which the default load is a low velocity wadcutter. The square shape helps cut clean holes in paper to make scoring easier. My K38 makes me look like a better shooter than I am, with the wadcutters or with a standard velocity semi-wadcutter. The good news is that the WC, and more so the SCW, are also potentially viable defensive loads if you are in a situation in which you have one gun for all purposes.

While the 6" barrel will give you a bit more velocity than a 4" most of the time, even that will not really do enough for most +P loads to bring their performance up to a level that makes the cost and noise worthwhile. Light bullets tend to not penetrate enough, and they may not expand; heavy bullets often won't expand. (Assuming you are using hollowpoints as you should; soft points, round nose, and other loads of such nature are of limited if any use and should only be used to make empty cases for reloading.) It is possible that the most modern designs, such as the +P 135gr Gold Dot, will work better, but if I had to use my K38 for a social revolver, I would be reasonably happy using the standard velocity SWC. That is in fact what I usually carry in my M66 (.357 Magnum) when I carry that.

If you have a different need for a bigger more powerful round, get a platform for that purpose and have at it. I shoot my my K38 for fun and to look good at it.

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NHI, 10-8.

38 specials and .22s always have someone looking for a way to shoot magnums,or something close, through 'em.

All of the major ammo companies have, at one time or another, provided target ammo in 38 Spl. Perhaps the best of all times were the 148 gr hollow based wadcutters categorized as MRWCs (mid range wad cutters.) As others have mentioned, you can closely duplicate it with mild charges of Bullseye or HP-38. I shot a mound of those in our informal PPC competitions back in the late '80s.

Froggie

What happened to SP? I haven't seen anything from him recently. He and I agreed 100% on the folly and myth of the .38 Special +P.

I think he had philosophical differences with the owner of this Forum.

If you search his last few posts, you can piece the story together.

I enjoyed his posts as well. Here's hoping he has gone on to bigger and better things.

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You're shy a few manners.

While +P is probably too much, make sure you pick ammo with enough oomph to leave the barrel...



/protip

I have one from roughly the same time frame. Since I also have a couple of M52s, I reload 148 grain wadcutters with just about 0.5 mm of lead showing above the case mouth. These are 650-675 fps when I break out my chronograph and cloverleaves at 10 yds. Dave_n

...ahhh...minus P...now we can all exhale and relax...

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A Country Boy Can Survive

Yep Mid Range Wadcutter.. I also have a 52-2 and shoot a ton of them it is the normal diet for my '53 K38 along with some 158g SWC. These are the loads it was designed for and shoots very well. My son will get it when I am done with it. No idea how many others enjoyed before it came to me.

bernie -

Your K frame will "handle" +P loads alright , but what's the point? Feed it what it was accustomed to when it was young.

Enjoy your K38 ---What a great revolver you have!