The Frontier Sixshooter Community Message Board - My guess...

My guess... (reply)

Paul — Thu, 04 Jun 2026 13:44:40 +0000

My guess is that the step is there to keep folks from loading a full power 357 mag load in it. Trying to keep the idjits alive.

I have a BUNCH of .38 Short Colt brass…. (reply)

Bob Hatfield — Thu, 04 Jun 2026 13:15:45 +0000

Yes, I installed the Kirst cylinder in a Pietta Navy about 5 years ago. The "Everything Black Powder" guy on YouTube uses 357 brass and hollow based wadcutters in his Navy conversion with the .375-inch barrel but he must use a different brand of cylinder. My Kirst cylinder has a step in the chamber that will allow a 38 special case to fit, but not a .357 case.

I thought that my cylinder was for a conversion that was to be used with a sleeved barrel as I thought the cylinders used with the larger barrel were bored through. But my chamber mouths are still .371 or so. The step is not a normal step. It is just slight enough to prevent a .357 case from entering.

The things we tinker with to the wonder of a normal human being LOL.

I have a BUNCH of .38 Short Colt brass…. (reply)

Otony — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 17:14:21 +0000

I can see where some of those loads didn’t work out so well, because I’m assuming your Navy had the original barrel on it, which of course would be a larger bore than modern 38/357 revolvers. Those heeled bullets must have been a real pain to deal with!

In my case, the Navy was originally built as a cartridge gun by Uberti, not converted. So it has a bore sized such that I can use common 38/357 cast bullets. Your solution of using the hollow base bullets sounds great, although honestly it is a bit of a surprise that they expanded enough to work.

So much of this stuff is simply (NOT!) a matter of patience, plus educated trial and error. I guess I cheated by buying a Navy that I knew had modern bore dimensions, lol!

I have a BUNCH of .38 Short Colt brass…. (reply)

Bob Hatfield — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 11:32:30 +0000

I have a 51 conversion also and tried the 38 short brass with the 140-grain heeled bullet from Bear creek. I used the Old West heel crimping tool. Using bullseye. (cannot remember the load).

It was a disaster with smokeless. Must not have been enough backpressure from the little crimp on the heeled bullet to burn the bullseye.

They exited but went "Plop". Sounded like a silenced 9mm. With as much 3f Swiss as I could get under that bullet it had a good loud bang. It's just they splattered all over the target.

I then used hollow based wadcutters loaded with about 3/16 inch out past the end of a 38 special case with 3.5 grains of bullseye and they were very accurate and chronographed about 750fps.

I now have some 38 long colt cases I will experiment with using that heeled bullet again.

Some of us are easily amused... (reply)

Fivegunner — Sat, 30 May 2026 16:59:43 +0000

Looks like fun

Some of us are easily amused... (reply)

Slow Hand — Thu, 28 May 2026 09:12:44 +0000

Those are challenging to load, especially with my fat fingers! I have a Wells Fargo .31 revolver with a .32 S&W short conversion setup I got from Hoot years ago. I had a very limited supply of short brass but I did have a 32 mag reamer so I lengthened the chambers enough so that 32 longs would chamber. All of my 32 bullet molds are heavie but I have one with a fairly short nose so it will still chamber without searing super deep. I ended up making three dippers out of .22 long rifle cases to dip out powders because my measures didn’t want to go down that low!

I have a BUNCH of .38 Short Colt brass…. (reply)

Otony — Thu, 28 May 2026 02:44:40 +0000

….and if you compare it to 9mm brass, the length and diameter is very, very similar.

I forget which speed shooting game it is used in, but those fellows are loading the cases with 125 grain cast bullets and a powder charge that basically gives stiff 9mm velocities. They get excellent, positive extraction because the cases are so short, and plenty of power to meet their requirements.

I don’t do anything so extreme with mine. I use powder coated, cast slugs, again 125 grain, and mild charges. Mine are reserved for use in a Uberti 1851 cartridge conversion, which keeps any nuclear .38 Special rounds away from that open top design,

But I have been thinking some stiffer loads in the same brass would be perfect for use in J-frame snubbies, to insure positive extraction with the stubby ejection rod

.32 S&W Short? (reply)

Paul — Thu, 28 May 2026 01:46:20 +0000

Yes indeed. Working with original 32 S&W beats trimming down 32 S&WL brass or using 32 ACP for mock 32 short loads. Now to find time to try them out for function.

.32 S&W Short? (reply)

Otony — Wed, 27 May 2026 16:29:03 +0000

Those sure are cute.

Otony

Some of us are easily amused...

Paul — Wed, 27 May 2026 13:28:44 +0000

I'll be stateside for a few weeks. Yesterday I managed to find some time to use some brass Mic sent me. Only needed a box or so, have enough for a lifetime supply of Saturday Night Special loads... got a box worth loaded yesterday. These dinky little cases are entertaining, sort of. 75 gr RNF over a pinch of HP-38. Need to get busy and load more practical stuff.