ISO 38 Short Colt Ammo

[Willyhunts2]

 

My father in law inherited an old gun used by a family member who was an officer back in the day. The gun looks to be in great shape but he wants to shoot it and have a box or two of ammo to keep with it. I have been checking online the last few months and it seems impossible to find just like everything else. Anyone want to part with a box or two? Thanks

602-312-4679

[Eli]

Not sure if you reload but I know you can make the brass by cutting down 38 special cases. It’s to the 38 special what the special is to the 357 mag, just a matter of length. 

[Crazymonkey]

The only place that seems to have any is unfortunately Gunbroker .

[Sonorakitch]

There's a guy in south-central Wyoming that had a few boxes. Yes...it's that hard to find and might be worth a trip for you!

[Edge]

I have a top break in 38 S W. The caliber goes back to the 1870s.  Date your pistol. If it's over 100 years old it may have been designed for black powder. My Iver Johnson .38 short was manufactured for BP use up to 1925.

I understand Buffalo Bore makes .38 S&W self defense rounds. You may find some ammo here..

https://www.ows-ammo.com/ammunition

[Eli]

So if I remember right the 38s&w is loaded with a .361 bullet vs .357 for the 38colt. Same casing I believe but a bullet like a 22LR that is externally same diameter as the case. I’m sure you could load from the brass but I’ve heard some 38 sc guns will chamber them and some won’t. 

[Phil Carr]

Yes the 38 SC ammunition uses a heeled bullet. Good info here.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heeled_bullet

[Edge]

Would help to know the actual pistol, is it the Colt Police Positive? In .38 it was chambered in .38 S&W and much later the 38 Special not .38 Colt SC. 

I believe the .38 SC began life as a metallic cartridge for the old Colt cap and ball conversions. It's the parent round for the later Colt Long, 38 Special and .357.

 

[Mocha1545]

Try Buffalo arms. They produce quite a few of the old hard to find calibers.

 

https://www.buffaloarms.com/

[Eli]

14 minutes ago, Mocha1545 said:

Try Buffalo arms. They produce quite a few of the old hard to find calibers.

 

https://www.buffaloarms.com/

https://www.buffaloarms.com/38-short-colt-cartridge-cases-str38sc.html
 

Nice find! 

[Willyhunts2]

7 hours ago, Edge said:

Would help to know the actual pistol, is it the Colt Police Positive? In .38 it was chambered in .38 S&W and much later the 38 Special not .38 Colt SC. 

I believe the .38 SC began life as a metallic cartridge for the old Colt cap and ball conversions. It's the parent round for the later Colt Long, 38 Special and .357.

 

 

[Willyhunts2]

I know it’s not chambered in 38 special and I did some digging around the interwebs to come up the short Colt and 38 S&W. I was leaning more towards the short Colt but it sounds like I could be wrong. Thanks for all the info guys!

[jdown]

From my experience that is a 38S&W. 

[Eli]

3 hours ago, jdown said:

From my experience that is a 38S&W. 

The story goes that Colt marked them with only 38 because they didn’t want to put “S&W” on a Colt gun. Not sure if it’s true or not but I like the story either way

[Edge]

Now date the pistol and figure out if it requires black powder. If so, you don't want to be sending jacketed rounds down the tube using modern powder.

https://www.colt.com/serial-lookup