Skip to main content
Help Center Community Shop

38 Spec./R&D Conv Cylinder 1851 Navy

odentheviking
Someone MUST have this information, will you help?

I am looking at a R&D Conversion Cylinder for a Colt 1851 Navy Reproduction, Black powder pistol. Thier web site says it will chamber/fire a 38 Long Colt round. But isn't this the same as a 38 Special Round? Being an open top, I can see were you would not want to fire jacketed rounds, but would lead wad cutters work?
Thanks, Paul.
0

Comments

7 comments

Date Votes
  • robert smith
    .38 special and .38 long colt are not the same round.
    0
  • taperloc
    Hello odentheviking,
    No they are not the same. The 38 Long Colt was our Official U.S. Military Cartridge (1892 - 1911). The Colt case is 1.16" long and the 38 Spl. is 1.29" long. Some military Colts will sometimes chamber the 38 Spl., but it is very dangeros. DO NOT PUT 38 Spls IN ANY GUN CHAMBERED FOR 38 Long Colt!
    0
  • v35
    The 38 Long Colt is an obsolete caliber that may be available as a specialty. It's bullet better matches the 36 Navy bore.
    If you can get the cylinder in 38 Special, and use hollow base wadcutter bullets made for target shooting, the bullets will upsize to fit the larger bore and probably be more accurate.
    0
  • Wehrmacht_45
    I went through a similar dilemma. I just ended up with a Taylors open top 1871-1872 repro in 38 special.
    0
  • beantownshootah
    I don't know what jacketed/non-jacketed has to do with this.

    To reiterate what has already been posted:

    .38 long colt is NOT the same as .38 special.

    Ballistically speaking, .38 long colt is a notoriously anemic round. The standard .38 long colt round gives ballistics roughly equivalent to a .38 special wadcutter/target round.

    In fact, it was the absolutely dreadful performance of this round "in the field" against the Moros in the Phillipine insurrection that eventually led to the adoption of the .45 ACP round and the famous 1911 automatic pistol as the standard US Armed forces service pistol.

    For your consideration, SAAMI max pressure spec for .38 special is 17,000 PSI, with the .38+P going to 20,000 PSI. In contrast, per specs, .38 long colt can only be safely loaded to 12,000 PSI.

    In short, .38 special operates safely at MUCH higher pressures than .38 long colt, and firing a .38 special in a .38 LC gun is asking for trouble.

    Now, off the record, it MIGHT be possible that your modern-construction conversion cylinder can safely handle higher pressures than the SAAMI specs, but I certainly wouldn't test it!

    If you like, you can buy loaded .38 long colt ammo here:

    http://www.tenxammo.com/Pricing.html

    The list price is $21/50 rounds, which is not too terrible for an "obsolete" caliber.

    There might be other sources as well. Brass is available if you want to reload this caliber.
    0
  • odentheviking
    Sorry for the belated reply.

    Gentlemen, again as always, THANK YOU so very much for the detailed information and informed reply. From your replies I dropped th eidea of a replacement, and picked up one of the modern made conversions.
    Much happier with it! And no running around trying to find 38 LC!!!
    Thanks again, Paul.
    0
  • 5mmgunguy
    The 38 LC brass can be made from 38 Special brass. Same diameter case and bullet, just shorter and less pressure. 38 LC is 1.035 in length, 38 Special is 1.1550 inches long...both shoot a .358 bullet according to my reference material. I don't know where taperloc is getting his info but his case length info is wrong for both cartidges.
    0

Please sign in to leave a comment.

Recent Activity