[wregehr]

Hi. First post here, we'll se how it goes.

I have a Uberti .45 Colt.

It also came with a cylinder to fire .45ACP

As I was lurking in the shadows reading all sorts of posts, I was suddenly struck by the notion that other shells seem to work in here as well, like a .454.

Now, my gun has a diameter of .452 if that helps.

What cartridge combinations work with each other, such as .38SP/357Mag, etc.

 

[MS Hitman]

Warren,

The .454 Casull is made longer than the .45 Colt in order to prevent its being shot in a revolver such as your Uberti.  To do so would certainly destroy the firearm and injure yourself and others.  

Revolvers chambered for the .445 Super Mag will also shoot .44 Mag, .44 Special, .44 Russian and .44 American.  Each cartridge will also chamber those that follow it in the list.

.45 Schofields may be shot in the .45 Colt chambers, but there is no reason to do this.  

.32 H&R Mags can chamber and shoot .32 S&W Longs and .32 S&W rounds.

THe .357 Supermag or Maximum will chamber and fire the .357 Mag and .38 Special.

 

[MikeG]

Good list... I can think of a few more:

.32 ACP, while an auto pistol cartridge, has a slight rim (semi-rimmed) and I've read that this can be fired in the .32 H&R.  

In a .38 Special or .357 with chambers on the large side, I suspect that the old .38 S&W might work also.

Federal's long-dead 9mm Rimmed should work in any .38/.357 revolver as well.

In revolvers designed for .45 ACP and moon clips, the .45 Auto Rim will of course work.

 

[Mr 610]

The statement that "I suspect that the old .38 S&W might work also.",  regarding the use of .38 S&W ammo in a .38 S&W Special revolver, (as quoted from MikeG) is a definite NO-NO! The .38 S&W round uses a .360" bullet, and the case diameter is larger than the .38 Spl., and is NOT a potential substitute in a revolver chambered for the .38 Special.

The tighter chamber diameter of the .38 Special could cause dangerously high chamber pressure, and could potentially cause injury to anyone attempting this swap.

No flame intended, but I expect forum advisors to be better advised, and avoid using words such as "suspect" in the context which it was used in this thread.

 

[Jack Monteith]

Hi, Guys:
    I tried chambering a half dozen .38 S&W cartridges, both civilian and military, in my S&W Model 28.  Two won't start into the chamber, three go in part way, and one goes all the way, but it's tight.  So don't  try the .38 Smith & Wesson in a gun chambered for the .38 Smith & Wesson Special.

     Yes, the full name of the .38 Special is .38 Smith & Wesson Special.

   A .38 Long Colt chambers easily, as should the .38 Short Colt.  Don't have that one in my collection.  Both are safe to fire in a .38 Special, according to the 1998 Remington catalog.

    Some revolvers  chambered for the .38 Long Colt apparently have  their cylinders bored straight  through and will chamber a .357 Magnum.  These old guns are no where near strong enough for the Magnum's pressure, and shooting a Magnum in one is a recipe for disaster.

   Was this the Colt revolver US forces used during the Spanish-American war?  Anyone know for sure?

    If we really wanted to cut down the ammo inventory, we could use the .38 Short Colt in the .357 Maximum, .357 Magnum, .38 Special and .38 Long Colt :biggrin:

Bye
Jack

 

[mcassill]

A couple of points here.  Yes, the .38 LC was the standard service round during the Span-Am War; its anemic performance was the reason the US Army insisted on .45 caliber for its subsequent service handguns (until they forgot those lessons 80 years later and adopted the pipsqueak 9mm).  
One should endevour to keep .454 Casull rounds away from .45 Colt revolvers; the chamber dimensions are sloppy enough that many of them, including brand new Rugers, WILL chamber .454 ammo.  The Ruger would probably survive such a mishap (although you'd likely be sending off for a new cylinder), but an old Colt would become a pipe bomb.
Good shooting
Mark

 

[MikeG]

Hello Mr 610,

Thanks for your interest in the topic.  I agree with your point which is that cartridge swaps should not be attempted "just because" they might fit, but that they should only be done when it is known to be safe.

Looking at the .38 S&W vs. .38 Special / .357 Mag., it does not look like there should be any problems if the cartridge would fit.  A couple of loading manuals that I had handy (Lyman #47 and Winchester/Olin's free handout) showed the .38 S&W being loaded to 11,000-12,000 CUP, and the .38 Special in the range of 16,000-17,000 CUP.  So that doesn't look like a problem.

The .38 S&W case is about 0.380" shorter than the .38 Special, which would give the effect of a considerable freebore in the Special chamber.  This would lower pressures as well.

As far as the bullets being oversized at .360" vs. the nominal .38 Special / .357 Mag diameter of .357"/jacketed or .358" lead, this is only a difference of 0.002."  With the soft factory .38S&W bullets there should be no problems whatsoever.

In fact I actually use very hard cast bullets in my .357 which are sized to .360" so they will fit the chamber throats better (groove diameter on that gun being .359" ) .

In summary, while catridge substitutions should not be attempted at random, this one looks like it would be completely safe.

Thanks for your input and welcome to the board.

(Edited by MikeG at 11<!--emo&:0--><img src="http://beartoothbullets.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':0'><!--endemo-->2 am on Jan. 14, 2002)

 

[Combat Diver]

Wegehr,

You will also find the following 38 Super will fit inside of a 357. Since the Super is Semi-rimmed and about same pressures no problem if the enemy is at the gate. DO NOT use in 38 Special guns.

380 ACP can be fired in 9x18mm Makarov pistols but the case will bulge. Again this is for EMERGENCY field expediate use only.

AGAIN THIS IS FOR EMERGENCY INFORMATION ONLY!

 

[Gatofeo]

The 239 Gatofeo ZX-4000 Turbo Extra Super Long will fire theL
.239 Gatofeo ZX-4000 Turbo Long
.239 Gatofeo ZX-4000 Turbo Kinda Long
.239 Gatofeo ZX-4000 Turbo Not So Long.
.239 Gatofeo ZX-4000 Turbo Rather Short.
.239 Gatofeo ZX-4000 Turbo Short.
.239 Gatofeo ZX-4000 Turbo Corto
.239 Gatofeo ZX-4000 Turbo Smidgen
.239 Gatofeo ZX-4000 Turbo Dinky
.239 Gatofeo ZX-4000 Turbo Pimple
.239 Gatofeo ZX-4000
.239 Gatofeo ZX
.239 Gatofeo
.239 feo
.239 Gato
and the .239 G Shotshell (not available to residents of Maryland, New York, Illinois and Kalifornia).
It's a wonderfully versatile cartridge but cartridges are kinda hard to find ... heh heh heh ...

 

[IDShooter]

I'd kind of like to have one of those .239 Gatofeo ZX-4000 Pimples. I suppose it would be a handloading endeavor, but that would be all right. ID

 

[alyeska338]

The 239 Turbo Not So Long and Kinda Short are the ones I'm interested in.

 

[Bigfoot]

I wildcatted a .239 Gatefeo short for a rare post revolution cuban mauser midget action. Blew out the shoulder, straightened the case, corrected for the short neck opened it up to 1.98746 cc water. Had to load the powder one granule at a time but managed 7000 fps over the chrono with a 39" barrel. Never shot anything larger than a 600 lb angora goat but want to try it on African plains game in the fall.

 

[Old Jim]

Bigfoot,
Did you use the 143gr 300 Meplat gas check bullet for that goat load?

 

[Bigfoot]

Yes, excellent bullet. Had complete penetration for a quartering away shot at 683 yards. Would not have used the "Texas Heart shot" but was shooting offhand at 8900' altitiude during an unusual tropical low hurricane in the Andes. You know the kind 200 MPH winds, snow and sleet.

I am thinking off cutting the barrel to 37.398", the 39" barrel is a little unwieldy.