djturnz

My FIL has an H&R 38 S+W top break in great shape (as soon as I fix the trigger reset problem). The local Wal-mart doesn't sell 38S+W. I will be getting into reloading shortly. The first thing I am going to get into loading is 38spl. Can I use the same bullets and just load them into 38S+W brass? I would of course find a recipe for powder charge for the S+W, but I just wonder if I can consolidate componants?
If not, can I use the same dies at least?

I know very little about handloading. A friend of mine is going to let me load on his stuff first, before I buy my own press and that.

My FIL probably won't shoot it much, but I think someday it will be mine.

Also, I saw 38S+W for sale online, as well as 38short colt`~ same thing?

P95Carry

I am not totally sure on that - but suspect it is another designation - someone else may know for sure.

I originally cheated with my .38 S&W in a couple of old top-break Enfields, and turned down .38 spl cases, loading with my 125 grain lead RN's that I used for 9mm. Used light load of Bullseye.

BUT! The dia for this cal is for lead (per Lyman) listed as .361, whereas for 38 spl .360 - both allowing some useful over-sizing for swaging in use. My normal .38 spl lead bullets I sized at .358 usually.

My normal 9mm 125's were sized .356 - but I used them unsized and ''got away with it''! Not ideal but good enough for the odd plink! In fact even the case dia is slightly different - .3865 for the S&W against .379 for the spl. I reckoned that this was no biggie and cases would be fire-formed after first use.

Main thing is - slug the barrel and see what you need for bullet size - and certainly if pos' - keep looking for the ammo. You could consider too getting some Starline brass for these and then load them yourself.

I still have some factory ammo by Rem - 88 grain lead bullets.

__________________
Chris - P95
NRA Certified Instructor & NRA Life Member.

"To own a gun and assume that you are armed
is like owning a piano and assuming that you are a musician!."

If a BG dies as the result of pointing a gun at me, then he has merely succumbed to an occupational hazard of being a thug