Heat treating?

[pasound]

I have a very nice 1913 .38spl. hand ejector. Nickled, 6", fixed sights, finish a little worn. When did S&W start heat treating the cylinders? I want to go ahead and shoot it, but have no intention of shooting +P or any "modern" .38's. Considering the lack of .38's, other than 130gr FMJ and similar among the ample multi-caliber stocks now in local stores, I think I should load some easy shooting 158gr RN and SWC. Nothing else for this not-quite-a-safe-queen. Like to know how safe is this old lady.

 

[JP@AK]

Heat treatment on K frames started in September, 1919, at serial number 316648. It should be noted that even without heat treatment, the cylinders were sufficiently strong for .38 Special pressures. Factory assertions to that conclusion have been well documented.

That said, I believe it is wise to use standard pressure ammunition with lead bullets.

Like to know how safe is this old lady.

Assuming it locks up correctly and is properly functioning, it is perfectly safe. I shoot S&W revolvers older than that one.

 

[pasound]

Mine is 215518. Locks up like a bank vault. Even though it has shooting residue on it, looks very little used. Thanks for the info. No problem for me to create some gun specific handloads. Manuals I have show me I can create some 800-900fps safe loads with the powder and bullets I have.

 

[DWalt]

Even using the lower yield strength steels of that time, there was still a substantial safety factor designed in. The ballistics of standard velocity .38 Special factory loads made in 1913 have changed little since. Many earlier K-frame revolvers survived the use of much higher chamber pressure .38-44 loadings without a whimper.

 

[6string]

There are a couple other considerations besides the cylinder heat treatment, (although that is important).
Higher pressures, or at least recoil inertia, eventually affect endshake.
Also, stick to lead bullets, for sure. The factory handlapped barrels with a lead lap and abrasive polishing compound. This continued well into the post-war era. So, the barrels were of soft enough steel for this work. The benefit is that this is one of the reasons these old-timers shoot so accurately! As per Doug Wesson's book "Burning Powder", the accuracy standards were just the same as for the M&P "service" revolvers as for the target models.
Jacketed bullets will eventually take their toll.
Standard velocity lead ammo would make a nice safe load.

Sounds like a nice revolver you have! Glad you are planning to shoot it!

 

[DWalt]

It wasn’t until WWII that S&W started to use more wear-resistant barrel steel alloys that held up better to firing jacketed bullets. Even with the early softer barrel steels, it would take an awful lot of jacketed bullet use to wear them out. While lead bullets are preferred for use in older guns, most shooters wouldn’t be shooting nearly enough jacketed bullets to do any significant damage to the bore.

 

[pasound]

I recently bought a 6" 1947 Pre-14 Target. I'm sure it will take the planned loads. Also a bank vault lockup. Now that I own a pair of antique 6".38's, love to find out which one shoots better, 3 decades apart.

 

[DWalt]

You will find, if you haven’t already, that the fixed sights of 1913 leave much to be desired, and there is little that can be done to improve them.