Re: caliber brainstorming help

29
Why go wild cat ? Why not 38 long Colt?. The 38 special is just a lengthened long colt. The ammo is still produced (I've seen it in both Wisconsin and Texas. Except for the shorter case, use 38 special components. It would be unique as a rifle.
"Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety" Ben Franklin
Beto in wisconsin

Re: caliber brainstorming help

30
I thought the case was same as .38 Special but shorter, but I thought .38 Colt was a heeled bullet and a .38 Colt chamber (particularly the throat) would be wrong for loading it like short .38 Special and I'd need a wildcat reamer whether I used Colt brass or trimmed Special brass. Am I wrong about that?

Re: caliber brainstorming help

32
From my Lee reloading manual and other that I have read, the 38 long colt case is 1.030 vs 1.155 for the special so you can trim 38 special cases down and the other dimensions are the same. I have seen no references to heeled bullets for the long colt. The loading data I have is for 125 gr and 150 grain lead round nose. The two times I tried to buy 38 s&w I was offered 38 short colt.
"Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety" Ben Franklin
Beto in wisconsin

Re: caliber brainstorming help

36
.32-20 is sort of a similar situation to .38 Special: It could certainly be made to work, but only the lightest loads would be safe in this rifle.

I'm waiting on my friend with the lathe I'm using to return from his travels so I can start making up a barrel. .25 Hornet will be the first one, but barrel removal involves only one screw, so .38 Colt might be next.

Re: caliber brainstorming help

43
Fukshot wrote:So, I have a little rifle that needs a new barrel. It's adorable, but I don't really know what it should be.

Centerfire calibers with low pressure ranges are a must. The upper limit would be .38 special with light loads.

Here's what I have been thinking about:
.32 S&W Long (the natural choice, but I already have rifle in this caliber, so maybe something else?)
.25 Hornet (one of the short case variants loaded light, I do have some barrel material for this)
.22 CCM / .22 Maynard Extra Long (basically a centerfire .22 Magnum)

What am I not thinking of? What else would be fun?


I'd give some serious consideration to case size, so as to eliminate/minimize feeding & extraction issues. :beer2:
Merle from PA


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