Altering .38 S&W pistols

[jono2]

How Does one alter a .38 S&W pistol to .38 SPL? Any
other calibers like .32 long??
Don't give detailed replies, as a gunsmith will do
this for me- just generalites and caveats please.
I see numerous Victory models altered to .38SPL for sale.

JON OSGOOD

 

[jimmyj]

Hi, Jon:
The most common method is to "Bore Out" the chambers to accept the longer .38spl. cartridge.

Another more expensive method is to fit a .38spl. cylinder to the revolver.

Jimmy

 

[GNLaFrance]

If the gunsmith is worthy of his title, the first thing he'll ask you is why you want to do this. It's pointless. It would destroy whatever collector value the revolver might have. At the least, it will eliminate a gun that uses an accurate, historical, enjoyable, easy-to shoot cartridge. The world is awash in .38 Specials, but no one is making any more .38 S&W revolvers.

 

[Waidmann]

Jono,
You have to look at this in context. 4 million G.I.'s return from WWII many who got there first exposure to firearms in the military. Concurrently something like half a million S&W Victory Models, British Service Revolvers and the like as well as WWI retreads hit the market.

Product liability was not as in today. Gadzooks of .455's were altered to .45 ACP and .45 Colt, .38 S&W's re-chambered (sort of), barrels cut, plating, bluing you name it happened.

Some of it can be overcome with handloading and judgement. Others like shaving Webley blackpowder guns to .45 ACP borders on criminal.

It can be very technical at times. Hope this answer was not too "gunsmithy".

 

[nutsforsmiths]

I have a British "Victory" in 38 S&W and really like shooting it. I seem to run across more of these that have been rechambered, poorly at that, for 38 Special.

If you want a pistol in 38 Special, save the gunsmithing money and just buy an older Model 10. There are a lot more of those out there then British service "Victory" models.

In other words, if it was me, I wouldn't rechamber it.

 

[Mike Gordon]

Rechambering will result in bulged cases.

Back in the 1950s and early 60s many distributors rechambered .38 S&W Victory Models to .38 Special by simply running a .38 Spl reamer into each chamber. They then sold the revolvers as .38 Special Victory Models. They were cheap and firing .38 specials through them would result in bulged cases since the .38 S&W case and chamber have a greater diameter near the rim.

I guess a gunsmith could do the same thing today, except you would be ruining the value of a good .38 S&W victory model. Finding and fitting a .38 Spl cylinder could work but would be expensive. Why not sell the revolver and look for an old Model 10 or M&P.

As recently as twenty years ago one distributor was importing and converting Colt Police Special revolvers that had been sold to the Hong-Kong Police in the early 1970s and originally chambered in .38/200 (same as .38 S&W). In this case the guns came with new cylinders originally made for .38 Special. Not much collector value but they were cheap, only about $100 at the time.

 

[jono2]

Converting a .38 S&W

I am convinced! No conversion!
Thanks for all the constructive criticisms. I have been able to locate some ammo for my gun, but the amount of ''out of stock''
notations is amazing.
Jon Osgood

 

[IDPA]

I looked at the Starline site and see they manufacture new 38 S&W brass; Maybe consider this a nice reloading project.

 

[austintexas]

In 1962 I was stationed at Wheelus Field, Tripoli, Lybia and I purchsed my first Smith & Wesson. It was a Victory model converted to 38 special by Parker-Hale of England. They had reamed the 38 S&W cylinder and sleeved it so the 38 special cases would not bulge. I shot that pistol at the base range every Saterday for 6 months until the Rod and Gun club got some M-28s in. I paid $15.00 for the Victory Model and sold it for $25.00 and bought a new m-28 for $70.00. I was paid $165.00 a month as a Airman First Class. $70.00 was a lot of money at that time.

SWCA 892