Iconoclast, please....

mazo kid

April 21, 2003 06:48

Teak, I bought a couple of older boxes of .38 Colt Auto ammo. My question is this: was there a time when the .38Auto and .38 Super used the same headstamp? One box is in pretty rough shape and only a partial box of ammo; I bought this thinking possibly to shoot the ammo. Is this ammo collectable? And more importantly, safe to shoot in my mdl. 1900 Colt? Also have picked up a few rounds of R-P nickel plated brass loaded ammo also with only .38 Colt Auto headstamp. TIA. Regards, Emery

"Well done is better than well said"
Ben Franklin

0

• 

  Iconoclast

  April 21, 2003 07:43

  Emery,
  
  Both loadings used the same headstamp for a long time and unless you are certain the ammo is original to the boxes, caution would be in order. Whenever I sell loose ammo, I specify this and recommend it only be used in weapons chambered for the Super. Near as I can tell, both types were loaded in nickel plated cases. As a collectible, unless it is something fairly exotic, such as a self-lubricating bullet (look for two horizontal slots in the jacket just above the case mouth), it has virtually no value.

  0
• 

  mazo kid

  April 21, 2003 08:48

  Thanks much for the quick response! Guess I will be pulling some of these cartridges down. Can you, or someone else, tell me what the original factory loading was for the mdl 1900s .38 Colts (not Super)?
  Emery
  
  "Well done is better than well said"
  Ben Franklin

  0
• 

  Iconoclast

  April 21, 2003 15:50

  I'd look in some of your older loading manuals, such as the Lyman metallic from circa 1950 - 1970. If you don't have these, let me know and I'll scan the pages for you.

  0
• 

  mazo kid

  April 23, 2003 08:15

  Teak, I looked in a couple of my early Ideal manuals and am still a bit confused. #38 says 125 gr. bullet and 4.0 gr. of Bullseye, #39 says 4.7 gr. of Bullseye with same bullet, both under listing of .38 Colt Auto and no mention of 38 Super. I would go with the lesser amount of powder when reloading unless you or someone else with experience tells me the extra 7/10 gr is OK. Emery
  
  "Well done is better than well said"
  Ben Franklin

  0

Please sign in to leave a comment.