reloading manuals for standard .38 spl loads. Are you using a up to date reloading manual? If not please do so.

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Of the Troops & For the Troops

You might want to try 3.5 grains of Bullseye also. Don't use too hard of alloy as these have thin barrel forcing cones. I"ve had one crack but it was made in 1915. I always suspected it was from using a "hard cast bullet". Started using swaged jobs or wheel weights after that.

Bob

it may lead the bores, but it will be easier on these old gentlemen.

The Smith & Wesson revolvers made before 1936 would have the most concern were these my guns. Sometime in 1935 Smith & Wesson started to heat treat their cylinders. This was when they came out with the 357 magnum and probably had something to do with why they chose this time period to start doing it. Of course as always, technology evolution plays a part also. The point is, those guns prior to this time period did not have heat treated cylinders so I ere on the side of mild. The ones made afterwards should be fine with regular 38 special loads if the guns are in good repair.

and got some sound advice. Some of it came from no less than Ed Harris under a different name. I would take it, for if anybody know the facts on this matter it would be him. If you don't know who Ed is, he is a small arms mechanical engineer, who worked at Aberdeen proving ground, them was a technical writer for the American Rifleman and then spend many years heading up quality control at Ruger. He understands these things the way very few of us do.