.38 S&W questions

[jimmywalkabout]

A local shop has a reasonably clean S&W revolver with fixed sights and about a 4-5" pencil barrel. I think it's one of the early Victory models since the SN is V 5269xx on the bottom of the butt grip. The barrel is stamped "38 S&W CTG" on the side and 5269xx underneath. Under the crane where they usually have the model stamped is says "84930". The gun also has a proof mark of "BNP" with what looks like a king's crown directly over the "N". This same proof stamp is on the barrel, the frame and the cylinder in several places. It must be stamped about 6 times all over the revolver. It has plane wood grips (not checkered) and is missing the toggle in the bottom of the grip butt, although there is the hole from where it use to have one. It appears to be reasonably sound and the timing seems OK. They're only asking $280 (which I could probably get down lower, maybe around $250). I don't want to get into something that I can't shoot with easy-to-find ammo. Am I correct in thinking that this is NOT a .38 spl? If so, how easy is it to find inexpensive 38 S&W ammo? What about brass/bullets, etc? Any help you can offer me is much appreciated.

 

[Texas Star]

We've answered so many questions like this in the last week or so that I'll just refer you to those topics. Everything you need to know is in there. Read those posts.

The short answer is that you need to avoid this gun.

Buy a real .38 Special and one with a manufacturing date after 1957, when model numbers were assigned and the factory warrants the guns to fire Plus P (higher velocity) ammo.

Better yet, put your money into the stainless version, Model 64. It has lots of maintainance (sp?) advantages and you can polish out small scuffs and scratches on your own. Much less expensive than refinishing a blued or nickel gun.

You will find .38 Special cartridges to be more available and cheaper than .38 S&W, and it offers considerably more power in the Plus P loads.

The gun you asked about is inferior for your needs, and may not even interest the British martial collector if it has been altered to take .38 Special ammo, which is potentially dangerous for that gun.

 

[jimmywalkabout]

I don't recall saying it's beautiful....although it does have a decent looking blued finish. Anyways, thanks for the quick response fellas! I'll avoid this one like advised.

 

[Art Doc]

It's a Victory Model with a 5" barrel (BTW- no such thing as a "pencil barrel") but at over 500,000 serial not a particularly "early" one.

The 38 S&W is not a good choice for the casual shooter. Ammo is very hard to find and is very pricey when you do.

 

[HeyJoe]

im glad that i didnt read this thread before i picked up a pre war/post war terrier.

 

[DWalt]

Whether it has or has not been rechambered from .38 S&W to .38 Special, if you are intending to buy it as a shooter and not a collectable, you would be happier spending a bit extra and buying something else. .38 S&W ammunition is not all that difficult to find (but it does take some looking) and is somewhat expensive.

 

[Green Frog]

im glad that i didnt read this thread before i picked up a pre war/post war terrier.

Uh-oh, now you've done it. You'd better get rid of that terrible Terrier at your earliest opportunity... in fact maybe you'd better send it to me for proper disposal. I'll do that for you at no charge because you seem nice but misguided. Just pack it up and send it to me at ...

Froggie

 

[HeyJoe]

what a nice fella that Green Frog is!

 

[jimmywalkabout]

It's a Victory Model with a 5" barrel (BTW- no such thing as a "pencil barrel") but at over 500,000 serial not a particularly "early" one.

The 38 S&W is not a good choice for the casual shooter. Ammo is very hard to find and is very pricey when you do.

What do you figure all those people who call really thin barrels "pencil barrels" are talking about?

 

[Dave_n]

Now come on guys, a lot of non-allied troops found that the 38/200 made them stop and think when hit with it. I have a fair number of Webleys, Enfields and S&Ws (martial and non-martial) chambered in 38 S&W. If you have (as I do) a local bullet caster who will make 180 grain heads sized to 0.360 and you buy the Starline Brass/Lee dies, you have a fun set of guns to play with. The Colt New Police used to be chambered in this calibre as were a multitude of S&Ws. Buy it and enjoy, if it has not been converted by boring out the cylinder.

I have one that was professionally converted by sleeving the chambers for 38 Special. The 38 Spec is narrower than the 38 S&W, and a lot were converted (butchered!) by simply boring through. You can tell because your 38 Spec cases crack open on firing. Dave_n

 

[STCM(SW)]

Here are the 358430 195 gr bullets I mold for the 38 S&W.

That's if you can't find any of thies rounds.

 

[BearBio]

Now come on guys, a lot of non-allied troops found that the 38/200 made them stop and think when hit with it. I have a fair number of Webleys, Enfields and S&Ws (martial and non-martial) chambered in 38 S&W. If you have (as I do) a local bullet caster who will make 180 grain heads sized to 0.360 and you buy the Starline Brass/Lee dies, you have a fun set of guns to play with. The Colt New Police used to be chambered in this calibre as were a multitude of S&Ws. Buy it and enjoy, if it has not been converted by boring out the cylinder.

I have one that was professionally converted by sleeving the chambers for 38 Special. The 38 Spec is narrower than the 38 S&W, and a lot were converted (butchered!) by simply boring through. You can tell because your 38 Spec cases crack open on firing. Dave_n

I agree. I have a British Victory model and an old lemonsqueezer. Both are really fun guns. Midway has brass, bullets and dies for the 38/200 (38 S & W). The British went to that caliber after studies showed that the 200 grain bullet equaled the 455 webley in stopping power. It does fall short when loaded with the 146 gr slug.

 

[DWalt]

Not actually "Stopping Power" more like kinetic energy. Stopping power was not a quantifiable concept then and it is still not - but lots of people have tried to attach a number to it.

 

[olskool]

just threaten me with that old tired weak ineffecteive 38 s&w and it will make a man stopper out of me!

 

[S&W627]

.38 S&W sells at my local gun store for about $40.00 a box.