How to identify a .38 S&W reamed to .38Spl (pre Victory)

[PatrickEggert]

I have a 4" S&W pre Victory Model. Serial 935,128. Has the blued finish. British and Canadian acceptance stamps. Side of barrel marked .38 S&W. My question is how exactly do I tell if it has been reamed for 38 spl? I read an earlier thread that said if you see 2 rings in the cylinder, it's been reamed. How far apart would the rings be from one another? I see what looks like 2 rings very close together but almost look like one ring. Would they be farther apart
if reamed? Secondly, a Parker Hale England front sight has been added to replace the factory blade. Was that common or heard of? It does have the smooth grips with lanyard loop. Thanks guys

 

[.455_Hunter]

The two rings should be separated by the difference in case length between .38 S&W and .38 Special- about 3/8".

Given the history of your revolver, I would be shocked if it wasn't bored-out. I think the two rings look closer together due to the perspective of viewing the chambers from the ends.

 

[PatrickEggert]

I was thinking it would have been bored out as well. I cleaned the cylinder and it clearly is just one ring. Once I removed some fouling in the cylinder I realized it was just a small layer of grime just inside the step that was throwing me off. It's just the one ring and smooth shiny cylinder.

 

[.38SuperMan]

I know this isn’t related to the question but I have a Terrier 38 S&W and would never consider reaming it but to those that have experience with a reamed one, how is accuracy? What about case splitting? There’s a good bit of difference in case and bullet diameter and would expect accuracy to seriously suffer and expect a lot of split cases.

Your experience?

 

[Wiregrassguy]

Welcome to the forums from the Wiregrass! Look into the cylinder chambers from the rear. A light in front of the cylinder should provide sufficient illumination to see the shoulders. There should be two. The one nearest the rear will be smaller than the farther one. In between, the cylinder wall will be rougher than before and after the two shoulders. The easiest way is to just insert a .38 Special cartridge or casing. If it fully inserts, the chamber has been reamed.

 

[Muley Gil]

I know this isn’t related to the question but I have a Terrier 38 S&W and would never consider reaming it but to those that have experience with a reamed one, how is accuracy? What about case splitting? There’s a good bit of difference in case and bullet diameter and would expect accuracy to seriously suffer and expect a lot of split cases.

Your experience?

The cylinder is too short for a .38 special cartridge. That's why the J frame was introduced.

 

[gwpercle]

Also the 38 S&W case is slightly larger diameter than the 38 special case ...

When a 38 special is fired in a reamed out 38 S&W chamber , the case will swell where the 38 S&W chamber remains ...above the rim !

If fired cases come out a little "wonkey" looking ...
it's had a Ream Job !

Don't shoot +p or high pressure ammo in 38 S&W reamed out to 38 special ... the case could split at the enlarged section .

Gary

 

[glowe]

The cylinder is too short for a .38 special cartridge. That's why the J frame was introduced.

Almost true. I had a friend that loaded fully seated wadcutters in the case and reamed the chambers of his Terrier to shoot them. I would not recommend it, but the case length of a 38 Special is shorter than the cylinder. His theory is that using a hollow-based Wadcutter and a bored through cylinder allowed the skirt to expand in the cylinder and be restricted in the barrel, increasing accuracy. Questionable at best.

Simple way for the OP is to try a 38 Special cartridge. If it chambers, it has been lengthened.

 

[glenwolde]

Almost true. I had a friend that loaded fully seated wadcutters in the case and reamed the chambers of his Terrier to shoot them. I would not recommend it, but the case length of a 38 Special is shorter than the cylinder. His theory is that using a hollow-based Wadcutter and a bored through cylinder allowed the skirt to expand in the cylinder and be restricted in the barrel, increasing accuracy. Questionable at best.

Simple way for the OP is to try a 38 Special cartridge. If it chambers, it has been lengthened.

I'd say he had some flawed logic for a 2" small frame revolver. What a terrible thing to do to a Terrier.

 

[glowe]

I'd say he had some flawed logic for a 2" small frame revolver. What a terrible thing to do to a Terrier.

It was over 50 years ago, and a whole different world where almost all guns were tools and not collectibles. It was also a time when my grandfather kept a 32 Double Action S&W in the barn to shoot vermin without worry of punching a hole in the roof!

 

[Muley Gil]

Almost true. I had a friend that loaded fully seated wadcutters in the case and reamed the chambers of his Terrier to shoot them. I would not recommend it, but the case length of a 38 Special is shorter than the cylinder. His theory is that using a hollow-based Wadcutter and a bored through cylinder allowed the skirt to expand in the cylinder and be restricted in the barrel, increasing accuracy. Questionable at best.

Simple way for the OP is to try a 38 Special cartridge. If it chambers, it has been lengthened.

I thought about .38 special wadcutter loads when I typed my response, but I didn't feel like digging an I frame out of the safe and measuring.

I still wouldn't ream a Terrier. There are more Chief Specials out there than there are Terriers.

 

[Jakerin]

I read somewhere years ago that to ‘make the swap’ you’d have to get a .38 special cylinder and then cut the forcing cone down so the new cylinder would fit.

 

[Dave_n]

I have an earlier (not Victory) S&W 38SW that was "Operated on by Parker Hale". They reamed out the cylinders and then sleeved them to fit a 38 Special cartridge and then reduced the barrel length by an inch but put an almost full barrel length sight (marked Parker Hale). Nicely accurate at <10 yds and is my "run bag pistol!!" Dave_n

 

[Frailer]

FWIW, here’s what the cylinder of my converted Victory looks like:

As an aside, some folks (not without justification) bemoan the fact that so many historical firearms were mutilated, but I happen to like them. They are historical artifacts in and of themselves…and they’re fun. Mine sits on a bookcase and serves as a dry fire gun. It also gets fired periodically at my backyard range, and it is more accurate than one might think.

 

[DWalt]

I have always thought that a good Victory collection should include a nice example of a chopped and rechambered BSR. Or maybe a couple of them.