Isom Dart, SASS#8096

I looked in Kuhnhausan's book and he says Colt gives 1900 for all calibers , all SAA's as good for smokeless. I've got a 38-40 from 1910 about 15 yrs ago.I can relate to the "truck spring" in it. Where I worked we had a NDI (non destructive inspection) section. I took it apart except barrel, frame and hammer . Had them dye check and x-ray I before I shot it.. I used the lightest Unique load for it. Shot good. I cleaned it put it back in the safe. Acquired a pair of OMV in 38-40-/40S&W in SS , got a pair of OMV in 357, had them converted to 38-40, finally got a pair of 3rd gen. Colts in 38-40. Shot the he%& out of those Colts for about 10 yrs and not a bit of problem. I do love 38-40. B/P in everything. I thought I'd switch between the Colts and Rugers , but I got used to shooting the Colts, then the Rugers felt awkward. The 38-40/40S&W is in SS, but I don't like "shiny" guns Good shootin', Isom

Just a question,,,,,, have you had your gun checked out before you shoot it ?

You really are doing some in-depth work Jack. Must keep you busy. Isom

Doc, you beat me to it. When I started with the 44-40 in '96, I had to buy two boxes of factory ammo (Rem, or Win., don't remember which). Took me about a week to find some. Used those 100 cases for almost two years. I called everywhere looking for cases. I don't think Starline was in business then. If they were, I didn't know about them. When I did see 44-40 brass at a gunshow, I was happier than a fat rat in a cheese factory. Is the booklet going to be available for sale ?? Isom

Hey Marauder, hope you're doing better and things are going better for you. Tell Mind's Taken , I said Hi !

Try Eagle Grips, their Ultra-Ivory looks pretty good. I don't know if they have one piece grips though.

You're taking it back down to normal size/original specs, it's not being taken down smaller. If it didn't take it down "smaller" when you originally ran it through a resizer/deprime die, it shouldn't when you run it back again. My thoughts. Isom

Blackwater, howdy. If you use a crimp/rolled edge die , doesn't that make it harder to put the wads down the case ?? Don't think shooting will straighten the crimp out like plastic cases. Isom

I feel your pain with the 38-40. With 8 pistols, Colts , Rugers and one Uberti. 5 rifles 2 originals. When I started, b/p only, RCBS dies, Dillon 650. I had pistol and rifle ammo, and I kept it separate, that got old. I spoke to someone about it ,said to try Hornaday dies. Tried them ,, helped a little bit, not much. I'm not a fan of Lee dies, that's just me. Meanwhile, I bulged the barrel on my Uberti '73 rifle, shot it for a couple of month then ordered another bbl. Meanwhile another guy says ,"maybe all my cylinders aren't reamed the same. Oook,, got a finishing reamer, went through all my cylinders,,, very little there. Still had pistol/rifle ammo,, not quite as bad though. Talked to another guy, he asks how much powder are you putting in ? Ans. ,I don't know ,,,powder up to here, put bullet in ,, compress and crimp all within OAL for 38-40 I measured one and it was 32 grs. I think. Anyway, says I could be pushing the shoulder out just enough to keep everything from just sliding in. Just run them all back through a resizing/depriming die and it might work. I bought a die, took the deprime pin out , Put it in the next space after the crimp die (Dillon 650) took the cartridge that stuck up the most and turned the die down 1/4 turn and kept trying it until it just dropped in and locked it down,, pistol problem solved !! Not so rifles, still have to squeeze just a tad to get it all the way in. Barrel finally came in ,,,,,, everything took about 7-8 mos. Went to my gunsmith with stripped rifles and reamer, pulled barrels off,, both had short chambers, Ran the reamer through both old rifles and the new bbl I just got ( it was short also). I think Uberti must have been short chambering their 38-40 bbls. The rifles were bought new about 04-06. Gunsmith said I had enough bbl left behind the bulge for a carbine/short rifle. So I bought a 44-40 short rifle , swapped bbls and 2 dovetails later I've got another rifle. All that time ,,,, all I needed to do was get another die or back of the powder. Warthogs don't back off on powder Now when I load my 38-40's , they'll shoot in any and everything. Never had a problem with 44-40 or 32-20's. YMMV, Isom

Pretty much the same ; powder, op wad, fiber wad/ lubricated wad , shot, os wad, hot glue. With a lubricated wad , it keeps it kind a' clean. Never used plastic wads. Isom

Prayers are up for an ole' pard. Hope you get better soon ,,,,,,,,,, you will, with Mine's (Mind's) Taken at the helm ,, remember that? Get better pard, Isom

Bought one,, Bushmaster,, (grudgingly),, just to round out my meager military collection, around 2000 . Ran a couple of boxes through it. Cleaned it, put it up. 3-4 yrs later, got a super deal from a guy at work on an AR 10. Bushmaster. Same deal ,,couple of boxes of ammo checkout, clean, stash ,,, don't touch. Didn't have any problems with either one,,,,,, but just a couple of boxes of ammo. One day at a gun show approx. 2012-2013, someone had a lower RRA (Rock River Arms) and some parts to go with it, good price. Said to self, I'll just build one, then I'll know the actual workings of one. Bought a couple of books of the AR build-up. Went to work,,,,,,,,, I had Midway and Brownells on speed-dial. Bought what I needed, tools included. Finished it ,,, gunsmith check ,,,, range check ,,, everything's fine. Kept "all" receipts ,,, added them all up ,,, 3 times. After the third time , all I could say was "Holy S$%t ,,,, I could have bought two of them for what I spent. But, I take comfort in knowing that I'm not the only one that has done something like that. All in all ,,, I've never really cared for semi-autos , never had a problem with them ,,,,,,,,,,,, just don't really care for them. Just like one ,,, M1A/M14. I've got a good stash of ammo for all of them. Always loved cowboy guns , those are what gets my heart running. Isom

Thanks guys, Isom

The major gun companies have stick on decals. Ruger, Colt, etc, etc. Has anyone ever seen any from the Itialian replica makers? Pietta, Uberti or from any of their distributers like Cimmarom ??? Inquiring minds want to know. I've got extra space left on my safe door. Isom

I'm was kind of stuck on Graf/Goex 2f . 10ga, 12ga, 45-60, 45-70, 45-90, 38-40, 44-40, and in 32-20 3f. Tried Pyrodex and 777 at one time, didn't care for it. Clean up with Ballistol,,, lube with same and Bore-Butter. Went to the dark side about 11-12 yrs ago. Had fun right up to the medical issues.