S&W 38-1 Range Report

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338Shooter

Sharpshooter
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Finally got my baby wheelie out to the range for some life fire drills....(plinking). :rolleyes2

It shoots really well, but even with light-medium 38s it kicks like the dickens. I don't know how anyone can shoot 357s through the 340PD. They're crazy. :teach:

I did have my first reloading mistake. :nono2: Sad to say, but I loaded 50 38s with no powder and they don't make much noise. They also lock up the cylinder. :cry3: Thanks to Harry for letting me use his aluminum rod and tiny hammer to beat the round back into the case to get the gun going again. :rtfm: I figured out what happened and it won't again. I use 2 50 round trays to load 100 rounds at a time. One got powder and checked and the other got neither. The flaw with my check system is that I make sure every one of the cases on the tray have visually the same amount of powder when I drop the 50th charge in each....doesn't work when you don't pick one up to put powder in it. It's fixed now though, I check them both again before I start seating bullets.:haay:

Anywho, enough with my shame....back to the gun review. :D

It shoots very well, but (it feels like it) kicks much harder than the 642 I compared it with. The 642 has the factory rubber panels which help a lot. I think I might go sacrilege and order the slip on Hogue for the 38-1. I know, the wood stocks will just be saved for photo opportunities. No one will ever see the hogues unless they force me to get it out hastily before changing the stocks back on. :gun2:

It ran well with my plinking 38s once I culled the no powder rounds. :smash: I did run a cylinder of +p gold dots through it. Wouldn't want to make it habitual, but I don't see the gun not taking them forever. I'll load up some more to standard pressures, don't really need +p. :anyone:

Carry-up seems right on. All primer strikes were centered on the primers in SA and DA mode. The gun is definitely a shooter.

Thanks for reading about my failures and successes today, I needed to get the reload thing off my chest. I'm just glad no one and nothing was damaged during the ordeal other than my pride. I did learn a valuable lesson though and it was definitely eye opening. :bighug:


This post is dedicated to GED.

:patriot: :woohoo1: :rotflmao: :w000t: :w000t: :w000t: :w000t:

:thanku:


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Glock 'em down

Sharpshooter
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Nice review. :thumb:

I put a few rounds thru mine a coupla days ago as well. Standard pressure rounds offer plenty of thump. The +P stuff just kinda makes the little snubbie leap out of yours hands, especially if it wears smooth wooden stocks...like mine. ;)

But, since my model 38 rides EXCLUSIVELY in the pocket and NEVER on the belt, I keep the wooden Magnas on it (along with a Tyler) to keep it from sticking to the inside of my pocket.
 

338Shooter

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Nice review. :thumb:

I put a few rounds thru mine a coupla days ago as well. Standard pressure rounds offer plenty of thump. The +P stuff just kinda makes the little snubbie leap out of yours hands, especially if it wears smooth wooden stocks...like mine. ;)

But, since my model 38 rides EXCLUSIVELY in the pocket and NEVER on the belt, I keep the wooden Magnas on it (along with a Tyler) to keep it from sticking to the inside of my pocket.

Thank you!

Nice. That one looks too nice to cary.

Thank you!

Wow, that is in great condition!

And thank you!!
 

Chas

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Nice range report on a great looking little pistol.

I think you two will have a long and happy life together. I really like the exictment and eagerness some of you younger guys generate, makes me think there is a new step or two for all of us.

Ah to be in my 20's again.
 

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