Having a conversion cylinder for the Colt's 1851 Navy in "38 Special" I decided to ply my hand with 38 Short Colt cartridges with a heeled bullet and outside lubrication. I first cast some of the Eras Gone 38 Colt Cartridge Works .375" heeled bullets in pure lead. These are great bullets to use in a standard 1851 or 1861 Navy cylinder instead of the round ball normally used. At .375" in the 38 Short Colt, these will fit the barrel of the revolver nicely and are period correct for the 38 Short Colt bullet diameter and configuration.
Brass was procured from Starline along with some 38 Long Colt brass which I use with the Old West HBRN .358" bullet and not exceed the cylinder O.A.L. length restriction. I am well aware that 148gr HBWC bullets may be used in 38 Special brass, and be fired just fine in these cylinders. I wanted however, to make period correct ammunition to be used with these revolvers in their original bore size.
With gobs of Pyrodex-P powder on-hand from decades ago, I figured it would suffice in lieu of Black Powder. It smokes and stinks just fine and leaves your hands and clothes all black and stinky just like Holy Black. The .7cc Lee dipper delivers 8.4 grains of Pyrodex-P right to the base of the seated 127gr bullet. A crimp was applied to the cartridges with the Old West heeled bullet crimp die.
After crimping, the bullets were dip lubed with Paul Matthews Black Powder Premium Plus bullet lube. This ensures the Bison taking ballistic performance of this cartridge. OK, perhaps not Bison taking, but definitely whistle pig taking performance. Firing these little gems at the local range gets a lot of eye rolling from the younger crowd who have never heard of heeled bullets with outside lubricant. They are young enough now to NOT know of a 22LR cartridge having cut their little tactical teeth on 5.56 NATO and 9mm. I just avoid showing them paper patched bullets which would blow their little tactical minds. Shooting the 38 Short Colt with either Pyrodex-P or Holy Black smokes the range all to heck and their $4,000 dollar tactical optics can't seem to see through it. Well what do you know? Combat. Where it all goes to heck immediately after the first shot. Dust. Smoke. Noise. Well most of you know.
So, if you have a 38 Conversion Cylinder for your open top revolver, investigate shooting something other than 148gr HBWC bullets in the thing. Making smoke is a heck of a lot more fun and the 38 Short Colt and 38 Long Colt are no harder to load then a 38 Special. All the steps are the same, just use heeled bullets in the Short Colt.
Old West Web Site: HBRN Bullet Mold / Bullets / Heeled Bullet Crimp Tool
Eras Gone Bullet Molds
Shoot Safe!
With rifle in hand, I confidently go forth into the darkness.
