Now for some Gun Stuff - Revolver Versitility

[Art]

The switch from revolvers to auto pistols is now so complete that at least a plurality of whole generation of shooters under 40 doesn't even know how to open a revolver much less use one effectively. Wheel guns do have some virtues though.

(1) The ability to fire more powerful cartridges. Only the 10mm in current popular (more or less) cartridges really equals the .357 Magnum as a practical defensive round in the "one shot stop" department and the .357 Magnum is at the low end of the scale on magnum power when it comes to hunting cartridges. For more punch against game the .41 Magnum, .44 Magnum and the new super magnums are the best in "bear country" or as hunting options for larger antlered game.

(2) A simple manual of arms. Revolvers are very easy to use and can be stored indefinitely loaded with no springs compressed. They are also not subject to failures to feed due to cartridge variations or problems with magazines. If used for self defense you just pull the trigger. If the weapon doesn't fire pull it again....easy peasy.

(3) Cartridge interchangeability. Auto pistols are limited to the cartridge the pistol is designed to operate with. while some auto pistols will fire more than one type of cartridge, the ones that will are now mostly obsolete. Here are some examples of cartridge interchangeability. I realize that obsolete cartridges are not always readily available but when push comes shove you might be happy to get them. Asterisks denote a possible issue with the cartridge.

,22 rim fire single action revolvers will handle .22 Win. Magnum and .22 WRF if the revolver comes with an extra .22 Magnum Cylinder.

.327 Federal Magnum: .32 S&W, .32 S&W Long, .32 H&R Magnum, .32 ACP, .327 Federal Magnum.

.357 Magnum: .38 Short Colt (often used by steel plate shooters in large S&W revolvers for "run & gun' competition,) .38 Long Colt, .38 S&W*, .38 S&W Special, .38 Super Auto **, .357 Magnum. If you have an old .357 S&W Maximum Revolver it will handle all of the other cartridges as well.

.44 Magnum: .44 S&W Special, .44 Russian.

.45 Colt: .45 Schofield, .45 ACP***, .410 Shotshells****

*.38 S&W is a tight fit in .357 cylinders but as an LEO I did confiscate a couple of .38 Special revolvers loaded with .38 S&W cartridges. They will work if you mash them in but will be even more difficult to extract and eject after you fire them.

** Some manufacturers .38 Super will not chamber in all .357 Magnum revolvers, Remington comes to mind. If they do chamber they will chamber and eject easily. Not for use in small frame .357. I have fired them out of a large frame S&W with no problems.

*** Some but not all revolvers

**** Sort of reverse interchangeability. .45 Colt will chamber in .410 Judge and Governor revolvers but not the reverse.

[togor]

Hi Art,

Nice post. All good points. I have my father's old 27-2, 8", nickel plated. It shoots well and with .38 special rounds is a mild gun. I remember being a kid though and firing off the .357 rounds--your wrist has to be ready! I have a buddy who has his uncle's old Mod. 27 service pistol. He'll never sell but that is one I would gladly buy from him.

[lyman]

the 38 S&W you shot in a 357 , US version or the UK 38\200?

[S.A. Boggs]

I cut my eye teeth on a Colt SA as I truly like revolvers. Saving up my pennies now to buy a new version of the Python when they become more readably available. My current plinking guns is a pre warning Ruger Super Black Hawk and a 1984 Black Hawk in .357. The Ruger's are tough guns and stand up well, a pain to completely disassemble compared to my Colt.
Sam

[Art]

the 38 S&W you shot in a 357 , US version or the UK 38\200?

U.S. .38 S&W. I didn't shoot them since they were in seized guns. maybe I should have. We had to use a tool to tap the ejector rod to get them out. If you get them into a tight cylinder they will work but getting them out can be even harder. .38 Super Automatic isn't a sure fire thing. All of the .38 Super I've experimented with chambered fine except Remington which won't fit at all. I want to say that I'm not encouraging experimentation with .38 Super or .38 S&W in .357 Magnum revolvers, just saying either could possibly be an emergency option.

It's amazing what you can do to a gun sometimes. I once seized an S&W Model 12 (Model 10 with an aluminum frame) that had six hot Remington .357 Magnum rounds in it. I did several double takes on that one. Back then S&W had local warranty authorized gunsmiths and I asked the local guy about it. He said it was an unauthorized field modification he'd seen before. When I said the gun must be a bomb waiting to explode he said it probably wouldn't fail in that way but it wouldn't take many rounds for the recoil from the magnums to peen the frame back to the point the firing pin wouldn't reach the primer. Yes he said he'd seen that too.

[jmm03]

Art, noticing that I get leading when I fire .38 specials in my Python, wouldn't it be really bad using any of the shorter rounds? (I realize that it would be an emergency situation only) I just wonder what the jump would do and if it would be dangerous. (as a side note I am not going to experiment personally) Thanks, Jim

[Art]

Art, noticing that I get leading when I fire .38 specials in my Python, wouldn't it be really bad using any of the shorter rounds? (I realize that it would be an emergency situation only) I just wonder what the jump would do and if it would be dangerous. (as a side note I am not going to experiment personally) Thanks, Jim

Serious Steel plate competition shooters shoot .38 Short Colt and lots of them in .357 Magnum revolvers during training and competition so I don't think it would be dangerous, however, leading can be an issue over time if you don't clean regularly after shooting bunches of these cartridges and may actually make the weapon hard to load. Once upon a time I shot a lot of rats using .22 BB caps in a single shot .22 rifle. Back then I didn't clean the rifle with a brush. When I went back to .22 Long Rifles I found the LRs quite difficult to chamber because of leading, in fact I could see, on close inspection, a lead ring in the chamber. I scrubbed the chamber out with a brush....problem solved.

Using FMJ or jacketed .38 special would solve your leading problems. If you want to see some real leading shoot a box of factory 158 gr. .357 Magnum lead semi wadcutters in your Python .

[lyman]

leading as in in the barrel, or leading as in the ring of carbon, lead etc in the end of the chamber?

[jmm03]

leading in the barrel right at the junction of the cylinder and the barrel, and in the cylinders. I have been shooting only some semi wadcutters in .38 special.

[lyman]

that , at least the cylinder part , is common when shooting 38's in a 357, since the cartridge is just a bit shorter, lead and lube buildup , with some carbon, will fill the gap,

[S.A. Boggs]

I leave the .38 Special to my wife's pre-war Colt OP and I load "mild" .357 for my Ruger. Do the same for my .44 Mag Ruger to avoid problems in the future. Shooting jacketed will clean up a leaded bore pretty well, still need to use the Kroil #9 treatment and a patch to clean the bore.
Sam

[jon_norstog]

Art, you forgot to mention safety. A revolver won't just go off if you forget to do something. You can't really shoot yourself by carrying one, at least not without an advanced level of stupidity. Plenty of people accidentally shoot themselves with autoloaders. If you need to shoot, there is less to think about as well - Gerald Ford survived because Squeaky Fromm didn't know about the grip safety on her 1911. As you said, point the piece aND squeeze the trigger

JN

[JimF]

. . . . .Gerald Ford survived because Squeaky Fromm didn't know about the grip safety on her 1911. . . . . .JN

I read there was NO cartridge in the chamber . . . .although the magazine was loaded!

I’m believing someone put her up to the deed! . . .handed her a 1911, WITHOUT any instruction as to how to use it!

“Here, Squeaky . . .take this gun and go shoot the president.”

[Ltdave]

an interesting note about barrel leading...

my SW 66-1 with 2-1/2" barrel will lead up enough, with one box of LSWC in .38 or .357 that i can almost cast a 148g Double Wad Cutter...

my Glock 22, with 155g SWCL bullets wont get a gram of leading after 150+ rounds...

[S.A. Boggs]

an interesting note about barrel leading...

my SW 66-1 with 2-1/2" barrel will lead up enough, with one box of LSWC in .38 or .357 that i can almost cast a 148g Double Wad Cutter...

my Glock 22, with 155g SWCL bullets wont get a gram of leading after 150+ rounds...

Hope you have a Wolfe barrel and not a Glock.
Sam