bedbugbilly
New member
Deerhunt - one thing you might do is to use Wikipedia.
Google something like "Winchester 32 Specuak Cartridge Wikipedia", Winchester 32 WCF Wikipedia" etc.
For pistol - to learn the history of the "38" - Google "38 Soecial Cartridge Wikipedia".
Those Googles will usually provide you with a picture of the cartridge, the dimemsions of the bullet, casing, overall length, etc.
As an example - If you Google fir the "38 Soecial" - you'll find out that the "parent cartridge" for that one is "38 Colt Long". Then Google for the "38 Colt Long" and you'll find that the "parent cartridge" for that one is the "38 Colt Short" - which came about for the cap and ball pistol conversions such as the Richard & Mason Conversion for the 1851 Colt Revolver.
There is also an excellent book - I believe it is "Cartridges of the World" - can probably get it off of Amazon - that will give you a good history on the cartridges and what they are.
Not to confuse you - but as mentioned, the 30-30 and 32 Special are rifle cartridges. If, when the time comes, you get a 1873 Single Action Army - Pietta, Uberti, etc. make excellent "copies" or "clones". They are available in such cartridges as 357, 44, 45 Colt, 32-20 (32 WCF - Winchester Center Fire), 38-40 and 44-40, etc. Yes, these are "pistol cartridges" but reproduction lever action rifles are also available in the same cartridges - in other words, you use the pistol cartridge in the lever action rifle. That does give you the opportunity to use the same cartridge in your pistol and rifle as well.
It can be a little confusing, but read and study and you'll be able to learn a lot about the various cartridges and the firearms they can and can't be used in.
And, also realize that a lot of folks have a pistol and rifle chambered in two different cartridges. I have two 30-30 rifles - a Winchester 94 and a vintage Marlin. I love reloading the 30-30 - I cast my own lead boolits and reload for it. I also have a number of pistols but the Single Action Army is my favorite. I have a 357 Uberti "Bisley" and I cast and reload 38 Colt Short, 38 Colt Long, 38 Special and 357 Magnum for that pistol because all four of those cartridges can be fired from a 357 Magnum. I also have a Uberti 45 Colt "Cattleman" that I love and I cast and reload for it - both the 45 Colt (Colt Long) as well as the 45 Schofield Cartridge ( a shorter version of the 45 Colt that was designed to be shot in the Smith & Wesson Schofield revolvers) - both an be shot in a pistol chambered for 45 Colt.
Good luck to you on your "journey" as you will learn a lot of information and history as well that will provide you with a lifetime of enjoyment. I was like you - I started shooting and hunting when I was very young - I shot black powder rifles and pistols starting when I was about 12 and have enjoyed shooting for over 50 years now. I built my first muzzleloading rifle when I was 12 and in those days, we didn't have a lot of "reproduction" parts - I used parts and pieces from original "junker guns" that were safe to use and carved the full stock out of a plank of hard maple. Be safe and enjoy!
Google something like "Winchester 32 Specuak Cartridge Wikipedia", Winchester 32 WCF Wikipedia" etc.
For pistol - to learn the history of the "38" - Google "38 Soecial Cartridge Wikipedia".
Those Googles will usually provide you with a picture of the cartridge, the dimemsions of the bullet, casing, overall length, etc.
As an example - If you Google fir the "38 Soecial" - you'll find out that the "parent cartridge" for that one is "38 Colt Long". Then Google for the "38 Colt Long" and you'll find that the "parent cartridge" for that one is the "38 Colt Short" - which came about for the cap and ball pistol conversions such as the Richard & Mason Conversion for the 1851 Colt Revolver.
There is also an excellent book - I believe it is "Cartridges of the World" - can probably get it off of Amazon - that will give you a good history on the cartridges and what they are.
Not to confuse you - but as mentioned, the 30-30 and 32 Special are rifle cartridges. If, when the time comes, you get a 1873 Single Action Army - Pietta, Uberti, etc. make excellent "copies" or "clones". They are available in such cartridges as 357, 44, 45 Colt, 32-20 (32 WCF - Winchester Center Fire), 38-40 and 44-40, etc. Yes, these are "pistol cartridges" but reproduction lever action rifles are also available in the same cartridges - in other words, you use the pistol cartridge in the lever action rifle. That does give you the opportunity to use the same cartridge in your pistol and rifle as well.
It can be a little confusing, but read and study and you'll be able to learn a lot about the various cartridges and the firearms they can and can't be used in.
And, also realize that a lot of folks have a pistol and rifle chambered in two different cartridges. I have two 30-30 rifles - a Winchester 94 and a vintage Marlin. I love reloading the 30-30 - I cast my own lead boolits and reload for it. I also have a number of pistols but the Single Action Army is my favorite. I have a 357 Uberti "Bisley" and I cast and reload 38 Colt Short, 38 Colt Long, 38 Special and 357 Magnum for that pistol because all four of those cartridges can be fired from a 357 Magnum. I also have a Uberti 45 Colt "Cattleman" that I love and I cast and reload for it - both the 45 Colt (Colt Long) as well as the 45 Schofield Cartridge ( a shorter version of the 45 Colt that was designed to be shot in the Smith & Wesson Schofield revolvers) - both an be shot in a pistol chambered for 45 Colt.
Good luck to you on your "journey" as you will learn a lot of information and history as well that will provide you with a lifetime of enjoyment. I was like you - I started shooting and hunting when I was very young - I shot black powder rifles and pistols starting when I was about 12 and have enjoyed shooting for over 50 years now. I built my first muzzleloading rifle when I was 12 and in those days, we didn't have a lot of "reproduction" parts - I used parts and pieces from original "junker guns" that were safe to use and carved the full stock out of a plank of hard maple. Be safe and enjoy!