Post war N frame 38 Heavy Duty & 357 ammo

[BC38]

The OVERALL length is the same, from the front of the cylinder to the ratchet teeth.

So, the cylinder length isn't measured from the front face of the cylinder to rear cylinder face, but rather from the front face of the cylinder to the rear face of the ratchet?

I never realized that the "cylinder" length included the ratchet.

That is a very interesting tidbit.

 

[Tmnguuyen]

Very interesting discussion. Here is a few numbers from the cylinders from my pre 28 and HD.

HD:
front face to back face 1.57", front face to ratchet 1.68", front face to a back of a shell 1.62" (the cylinder for 38 spl was never recessed)

Pre 28:
front face to back face 1.62", front face to ratchet 1.68", front face to a back of a shell 1.62" (the cylinder has a recess), the empty cartridge sits flush with the back face.

So the front face to the ratchet and front face to the back of the shell are the same.

 

[steelslaver]

The only reason a model 28 cylinder won't fit a HD frame is the frame lug won't allow the extra rear length of the 28's recess while mounted on the yoke. File back the frame lug .060 and it will. Try sticking the cylinder in directly from the side and it will go

A non recessed 28-3 or later would work with the normal amount of adjustment

 

[Chuck Edwards]

It seems that the specs for the +P .38 special cartridge loaded with 158 grain bullets comes to 890 fps, at least from two of the major ammo companies (Remington & Winchester). That is almost the same as the OLD standard .38 special specifications-158 at 860.

Back in the days of the old standard, only ammo manufacturers and the Government had access to chronographs. I wonder how close that ammo would come to that velocity standard now that we can test them? Serious question, not snark, and coming from a guy who wishes the factories would reintroduce the old .38 Special "full charge" wadcutter load.