38 spec shorts

I have run into this problem a lot with women shooters. It just so happened that I needed to work up a load for my Davis derringer in .38 Special as shooting full house in that is painful. I wound up using Lee 105 grain mold for the bullets and 5.2 -5.4 grains of Red Dot.
 
hartcreek . . . I use that 105 SWC mold/cast bullet a lot - in 38 Colt Shorts, Long and 38 Special. You post has me a little confused . . . you say "full house" loads are painful in your derringer . . . with 5.2 - 5.4 gr. of Red Dot . . YOU ARE SHOOTING FULL HOUSE LOADS. In fact . . . 5.4 gr. of RD is .2 grains over max for loading data in the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook which gives a MAXIMUM load of 5.2 gr of RD for a 92 gr. cast bullet (358-242).

I'd be interested in where you found your published loading data for the charges you state? If you find full house loads painful .. . . you certainly aren't gaining anything by loading the grain weights you state?

And, since this thread is about 38 Special Shorts - which I am assuming is actually the 38 Colt Short . . . with a much shorter case and case volume . . . the grain weights you are using of RD are way over exceeding Maximum charges. Shorter casing - decreased case volume = increased pressure.
 
I'd sure appreciate it if somebody would elaborate on the ".38 Special Short" cartridge. That is a new one on me, if truly it is .38 Special Short.

Would like to see a photograph of details. Or are you talking about the old .38 Short Colt round?

Bob Wright
 
Bob,
Slim Jim's right on the button. I used these for my wife when we found out that the CT grips hurt her hands like the blazes. Switched to Hogue Tamers and
now she's shooting full 38 specP+s out of her LCR 357.

Doc
 
From the looks of that illustration, my guess is that it the .38 Short Colt case loaded with an inside lubricated bullet?

Specs on the round?

Bob Wright
 
I just want to point out the manufacturer's recommended uses:

Suggested Use:
Target & Match, Range, Plinking

As long as you use them for one of these they'll be fine.
 
Pretty interesting, but at $0.40 a round I'll stick with light 130 grain .38 special "longs" :p

They look to me like .38 Short Colts. I've fired those in a 6" Ruger GP100 and let me tell you, it felt like a pellet gun!!! :D
 
Guys & Lady,
The acquisition of the 38 shorts were strictly used to allow my wife to experience her new grips that would not hurt her hands. Mission accomplished and this was worth " HAPPY WIFE HAPPY LIFE". PLAIN AND SIMPLE.
now I can concentrate on my next acquisition. A 2.plus inch or 3 inch 357 mag. Smith or Ruger. New or used.
Doc
 
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Model12 - if you have any of the brass around, could you possible measure and post the casing overall length of these "shorts". To me, they look like a 38 Colt Short "re-packaged" for a new and different "generation" of people.

I loas a lot of the Colt Shorts - the slug she show is very similar to a Lyman/Ideal 121 gr RN from a 358-242 mold. I'm guessing that the slug they are using is one with one lube groove and a thinner upper roll crimp groove.

I wish they would show some specs on these "shorts" but I couldn't find any when I looked.

I use three different cast bullets when loading the 38 Colt Shorts - the Lee 105 gr. SWC, a 115 gr Lead SWC out of an old Ideal .360 mold originally designed for the 38 S & W cartridge (not S & W "special") and the 121 gr RN 358-242.

The original 38 Colt Short was a black powder cartridge with a "heeled" bullet - designed for the 1851 Colt conversions (such as Richards & Mason).

I'm not "high tech" and I don't have a chronograph. I can't speak for the "38 Special Shorts" but from my own experience with my re-loads in the 38 Colt Shorts - they would do some damage as SD ranges. Poo poo if you will . . . but I don't think anyone would volunteer to stand at SD range and be shot with one.

I use them for plinking and yes, they are on the milder side but still nothing to sneeze at. Again, I don't have a chronograph but I would hazard a guess that the ballistics would be similar to a .380 ACP - give or take.
 
I'm not "high tech" and I don't have a chronograph. I can't speak for the "38 Special Shorts" but from my own experience with my re-loads in the 38 Colt Shorts - they would do some damage as SD ranges. Poo poo if you will . . . but I don't think anyone would volunteer to stand at SD range and be shot with one.
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That's pretty much true for any gun and cartridge combination. Some of us are a bit pickier about what we use.

Again, I don't have a chronograph but I would hazard a guess that the ballistics would be similar to a .380 ACP - give or take.
Click to expand...

A 380 will launch a 100 grain bullet @ 1050 fps. Personally I'd gladly give up 25 grains (20%) of bullet weight for a 400 fps (62%!) gain in velocity.
 
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