I have two earlier Hand ejectors one in the 90K serial range and another around 450K serial range. I have several boxes of 38 special +P loads I'd like to shoot. I'm thinking the later of the two serial numbers would be better and it has adjustable target sights. The earlier one made about 1906-7 maybe not so good a choice?
38 +P in earlier hand earlier hand ejectors
- Thread starter greenwellg
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Eddie Southgate
Member
Shoot them in the newer one . Limited use in the early one won't hurt it but using them a lot will wear it quicker. Neither is going to blow up .
OP
Thanks. I won't shoot a lot of ammo through either. The model 36 I have came with one full box but I think it has seen a lot of +P loads since it was owned by the chief of the Hampton Police Department. I don't want or need to shoot them out of anything that would even come close to being marginal. I think the original proof loads were black powder for the HE and the Triplelocks. Pretty sure by the early 1920s they were all tested with smokeless powder. Maybe make sure the one I shoot them through is sighted in for me then save the rest for home defense since they are hollow points.
Outpost75
Member
The issue with firing +P in pre-WW2 HE's is not cylinder strength, which were heat treated after about 1920 but soft steel in the frame and yoke barrel which are only about Rockwell B scale 80-90. Post 1957 guns are generally RC 20-25.
Most of the prewar guns will not be damaged firing only few rounds of +P, a box or two spread over the life of the gun. Not more. Carry +P, but use only standard pressure ammo for training and practice.
High volume use use of +P WILL result in frame stretch and development of cylinder end play. More than 0.002" end play (as measured with and without rear gage in place) accelerates wear by the cylinder pounding against the frame.
End shake is corrected by stretching the yoke barrel and refitting.This increases B-C gap and can usually be done only twice before B-C gap increases to max 0.010. Once end shake increases to over 0.005 it will often produce misfires.
If it were me I would trade the +P ammo for wadcutter and use that because it is the most effective standard pressure load.
Most of the prewar guns will not be damaged firing only few rounds of +P, a box or two spread over the life of the gun. Not more. Carry +P, but use only standard pressure ammo for training and practice.
High volume use use of +P WILL result in frame stretch and development of cylinder end play. More than 0.002" end play (as measured with and without rear gage in place) accelerates wear by the cylinder pounding against the frame.
End shake is corrected by stretching the yoke barrel and refitting.This increases B-C gap and can usually be done only twice before B-C gap increases to max 0.010. Once end shake increases to over 0.005 it will often produce misfires.
If it were me I would trade the +P ammo for wadcutter and use that because it is the most effective standard pressure load.
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Eddie Southgate
Member
I think you are mistaken , there would be no reason to proof guns designed for smokeless powder with black powder proof loads.
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