-
Update – 12:30 PM EST
Attachments are now working, and all members can once again upload files.
We are currently testing URL redirects and other miscellaneous features across the site.
Thank you for your continued patience and support during this migration.
Prefer a darker look? You can switch between light and dark modes in your account settings:
smith-wessonforum.com/account/preferences
PRVI PARTIZAN 38 spc 158 gr LRN - BAD !!!
- Thread starter wrightd
- Start date
Very unlikely that the lead is "too soft" as it's likely about pure lead swaged to shape. Which is what about every commercial manufacturer does for bare lead bullets. All "dead soft", as are hollow based wadcutters.
Could be a lube failure, as in "none", which would still look about the same as a normal "waxed" bullet.
Also could be the cases have sized down the bullet shank, so that the bullet is now too small for the barrel. Fairly likely, if the mfg. used the same tooling to load jacketed rounds, which can survive a fair amount of case "pinch" without being affected.
Shot a case lot (or two? Will have to check how much brass is about.) of PPU 158gr LRN .38 Spl. a couple of years back and my only real complaint was that accuracy was somewhat substandard for precision work. (can't remember if the Pythons got any, probably did at least a little.) Pulled a few bullets and did find them a little undersized, which was no surprise as there was no cannelure in the case behind the bullet, which is what was standard from Rem., Win., Fed., etc. back when 158gr lead .38 was probably the most common centerfire handgun round. (Mechanical bullet retention front and rear more than the common interference fit used with jacketed bullets.)
ETA: Oh, I remember now what was most annoying about the PPU(Prvi) .38 Specials! The wretched box dividers! Weak based posts that kept breaking and allowing the ammo to come adrift.
Their rifle ammo has been good to excellent, though.
Could be a lube failure, as in "none", which would still look about the same as a normal "waxed" bullet.
Also could be the cases have sized down the bullet shank, so that the bullet is now too small for the barrel. Fairly likely, if the mfg. used the same tooling to load jacketed rounds, which can survive a fair amount of case "pinch" without being affected.
Shot a case lot (or two? Will have to check how much brass is about.) of PPU 158gr LRN .38 Spl. a couple of years back and my only real complaint was that accuracy was somewhat substandard for precision work. (can't remember if the Pythons got any, probably did at least a little.) Pulled a few bullets and did find them a little undersized, which was no surprise as there was no cannelure in the case behind the bullet, which is what was standard from Rem., Win., Fed., etc. back when 158gr lead .38 was probably the most common centerfire handgun round. (Mechanical bullet retention front and rear more than the common interference fit used with jacketed bullets.)
ETA: Oh, I remember now what was most annoying about the PPU(Prvi) .38 Specials! The wretched box dividers! Weak based posts that kept breaking and allowing the ammo to come adrift.
Their rifle ammo has been good to excellent, though.
Last edited:
andy640
New member
Count me among the unhappy campers too. I've used Prvi ammo for my pocket pistols (.25, .32 and 380 acp) for several years and been pleased with it. Of course, they all had FMJ bullets. About a month ago, I was in Cabelas and bought a box of Prvi in .38 Special, 158 RN lead. After following this thread, I figured it was a good time to try it out, so I went to the range this morning and put the box through my 686-6. The bad news was that one or two rounds from each 7 round string keyholed. The really bad news was when I got home and saw the worst case of leading that I've ever had. I don't own a Lewis lead remover, but it looks like I soon will.
I will continue to use the FMJ Prvi ammo, but I'm going to avoid their stuff that uses lead bullets.
I will continue to use the FMJ Prvi ammo, but I'm going to avoid their stuff that uses lead bullets.
RichCapeCod
Well-known member
- Joined
- Feb 20, 2006
- Messages
- 522
- Reaction score
- 957
Interesting thread. I’ve used a lot of Privi 158 grain round nose in a number of .38s (Colts and S&W) with no issues. None the less, it’s pretty clear that the OP had some sort of problem with the ammo.
Some years ago, while with the NYPD Firearms and Tactics Unit (I served as a sgt and a lt there) we had a lot (as in an entire shipment) of Winchester 148 grain wadcutter that was bad ammo. The rounds would barely stay on a combat silhouette target at 25 yards and keyholed like crazy. So, ammo is manufactured by humans and sometimes they mess things up.
Rich
Some years ago, while with the NYPD Firearms and Tactics Unit (I served as a sgt and a lt there) we had a lot (as in an entire shipment) of Winchester 148 grain wadcutter that was bad ammo. The rounds would barely stay on a combat silhouette target at 25 yards and keyholed like crazy. So, ammo is manufactured by humans and sometimes they mess things up.
Rich
