Hey guys (and gals),

I recently purchased a 38 S&W Special. I dated it and everything, turns out it's an M&P model of 1905 second change round butt (model of 1902 if you go by the original catalogs, but that's a different subject). Tjat dates it to between 1906 and 1909. It's clearly been rebarreled, because they didn't make a 2" barrel back then. It is pre heat treatment though. Everywhere I look says use wadcutters because of pressure. I'm having trouble finding any at a decent price. Can anyone give me a link to some, or perhaps an alternative to wad cutters that hurt the gun, and aren't too expensive? Thanks a ton.

Wadcutters are good, but any standard velocity lead bullet loading will be safe. Or you could take up handloading.

Wad cutters can be hard to find. If you reload, that is the best way to keep a steady supply.

DWalt is right. Just stay away from the +P and +P+ stuff and you'll be okay.

Lead was mentioned...Is there anything wrong with 130 grn FMJ with standard pressures?

Okay, cool. I saw some Remington PMC 158gr low velocity semiwadcutters. Those should be good then?

Those should be fine. Remington and PMC are two different companies but standard pressure is standard pressure .

The 130 gr FMJ is probably OK too, but I have never been impressed with their accuracy out of any gun.

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

* UMC. Remington UMC, not PMC

That is Remington's "budget" line (yellow boxes), should work fine. Let's see those 1/2" 25 yard groups .

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

Great......I just bought 100 Winchester fmjs to do an accuracy shoot-out between my 1946 M&P and a friend's 1947 Colt Official Police...at least now I can blame MY poor skills on the ammo!

You have to hold up the honor of Smith & Wesson, despite the conditions .

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

If you hand-load you can make up some puzzy-cat loads but if you don't and can't find any Wad-cutters get some 158 grain standard velocity RNL Remington or Winchester which is pretty anemic these days. I have a 1905 4th change and shoot it all the time with hand-loads consisting of 158 RNL bullet over 3.1 grains of Titegroup. It's very mild and is very accurate! I always use 158 grain RNL bullets on old guns as that's exactly what they were designed to shoot.

S&W barrels made prior to WWII have softer steel, and allegedly will experience a more accelerated bore wear rate if jacketed bullets are used. But a limited number of jacketed bullet rounds probably won't hurt much. Back then, virtually all .38 Special ammunition had lead bullets and bore wear was a non-issue.

I wish somebody would post one of those barrels worn out by jacketed bullets.

I've seen thousands of rusted out barrels, but I've yet to see a worn out barrel.
Seems like those pre-war magnums held up OK against those hard? copper jackets.
Seems like the 38/44s held up OK against those hard? copper jackets.
Seems like the 32/20s held up OK against those hard? copper jackets.

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Regards,
Lee Jarrett

Well now S&W did advise against the use of jacketed bullets in their
older revolvers, even the 38/44 HD. As for worn out barrels I don't
know about that. I just prefer using lead bullets in my handloads, the
cheap ones without gas checks. Read this info from S&W on the top
half of the box for my 1956 HD.

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Personally, I would be more concerned about cracking a forcing cone on guns from that era.