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.38 sp OAL?


Outrider, SASS #72622

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You need to try different overall lengths to see what your rifle likes. Each rifle is different. My '73 loves an OAL of 1.52, which is what I also feed our three Marlins. That length works great in all our rifles. Yeah, I got lucky!!!

 

Laz

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Just 'cause it's .38 only doesn't necessarily indicate it wants a short round. As I mentioned, we use an oal of 1.52 in all our rifles, and one of the Marlins is a .38 only Competition Cowboy. The other two Marlins are .38/.357, as is the '73. Go figure.....

 

Laz

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I saw this supposed problem on Saturday and my conclusion is that you just need to work it a little harder. :). I would load a few dummy rounds at 1.45 and see how they run.

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According to the SAAMI Cartridge drawings, the max. OAL of a 38 Spl. is 1.550. Of course many variances of that can be used in our CAS guns.

 

RBK

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The guns are designed to run ammo that is 1.590. Most people have no problems around 1.50 +/- a few thousands. Once you start going into the low 1.4s problems can arise.

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My 66 in .38spl loves OAL 1.58", don't need to work it harder.So did my Puma 92.

 

Frenchy

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Well, now it's running everything fine, 1.52-1.45! Who knows but, whatever it was, was a huge issue at the shoot!!!

I must have gotten something stuck somewhere. Heck, Brady made that comment because I was having to work that thing like a dry pump!

It's a Codymatic and has been slick as frog snot...and it is again now too!?! :wacko:

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Well, now it's running everything fine, 1.52-1.45! Who knows but, whatever it was, was a huge issue at the shoot!!!

I must have gotten something stuck somewhere. Heck, Brady made that comment because I was having to work that thing like a dry pump!

It's a Codymatic and has been slick as frog snot...and it is again now too!?! :wacko:

Have you cleaned the mag tube and follower?

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The optimum OAL for 66 or 73 ammo is about 1/16th to 3/32nds of an inch
shorter than the OAL of the carrier.

 

This length works best because the 73, 66, and 60 does not have a mag cartridge stop. The front edge of the loading gate, there just behind the carrier, is the only stop. While the
carrier is in the up position it's the stop. The carrier has to bring a round up to chamber while preventing the next round in the mag from coming on to the carrier. If the ammo is too short the
carrier has to push the next round back into the tube as it comes up. Make your
ammo long enough so that it's a shearing action as the carrier comes up.

 

A slight feed ramp cut there on the bottom of the chamber mouth helps, too.

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