In order to participate in the GunBroker Member forums, you must be logged in with your GunBroker.com account. Click the sign-in button at the top right of the forums page to get connected.

Colt Army Special 38 six shot revolver

fourthstoogefourthstooge Member Posts: 8 ✭✭
edited March 2002 in Ask the Experts
I have a Colt Army Special 38 and was told by the previous owner to use "38 Colt" ammo instead of "38 Special." What is the correct ammo for this revolver with a swing out cylinder? The serial number is 321XXX with the number 3 written below that. The "38 Special" rounds seem to fit fine and my friends Police Positve appears nearly identical and he uses "38 Special."Thanks. pmccormacksr@hotail.com[This message has been edited by fourthstooge (edited 03-15-2002).]
· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • fourthstoogefourthstooge Member Posts: 8 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have a Colt Army Special 38 and was told by the previous owner to use "38 Colt" ammo instead of "38 Special." What is the correct ammo for this revolver with a swing out cylinder? The serial number is 321XXX with the number 3 written below that. The "38 Special" rounds seem to fit fine and my friends Police Positve appears nearly identical and he uses "38 Special."Thanks. [This message has been edited by fourthstooge (edited 03-14-2002).]
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • S&W ManS&W Man Member Posts: 208 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I'll put this in here as well. My daad had one of these till we blew it up. The 38 Colt Army and the 38 Colt Navy were both designed for the 38 US Service Cartridge. This is the same as a 38 LONG COLT. The gun will chamber a 38 special and even a 357 magnum (cylinder won't close with the magnum though). The gun would be fine with 38 short, 38 long colt or 38 special in a light load. A full stregenth or a hot 38 special load could be real dangerous, this I know from experience. A 38 S&W will not cha,mber as it is a larger diameter case and bullet.Hope this helps.
    The second admendment GUARANTEES the other nine and the Constitution!
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Der GebirgsjagerDer Gebirgsjager Member Posts: 1,673 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    According to my references the Colt Army Special was produced only in the following calibers: .22 LR, .32-20 (.32 W.C.F.),.38 Special, .41 Colt, and a very few experimental revolvers in .25-20 W.C.F. The .38 version became so popular and was in use by so many police depts. that it was redesignated the Official Police and stamped .38 Special.Therefore, your Army Special .38 is a .38 Special. It would be foolish, however, to shoot modern high pressure loads such as +P in an older revolver. It should be perfectly safe with standard velocity factory loads. Any of the appropriate older, shorter. .38 cartridges may be used as well (such as the .38 Colt), but this ammo is usually harder to find and often more expensive than the .38 Special round as most of it is obsolete. It is correct that .38 S&W will not (should not!) chamber and is of a larger diameter.These revolvers are sometimes confused with the older New Army and New Navy models which were chambered for the .38 Short and Long Colt cartridges, but their cylinders turn in the opposite direction. As the .38 Long was the longest .38 at the time these revolvers were produced their cylinders were bored straight through without a step to limit the length of the cartridge being inserted. Later development of the Special ctg., which was longer, caused problems with these revolvers as the Special would slide right in. Many of these old revolvers were destroyed mechanically by the excessive recoil of the more powerful round, and some blew up. Even worse, a .357 Magnum, longer still, will also fit into the cylinder of the New Army/Navy revolvers and usually creates a hand grenade for the user. Nevertheless, I know two individuals who often fire their New Army models using factory .38 Special wadcutter target ammunition.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • S&W ManS&W Man Member Posts: 208 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Check on your gun's barrel and see if it has a caliber stamped on it. It should. The Army Special was made from 1908-1927. It was made in various 38 caliber configurations. The calibers match the barrel stampings as follows: 38 DA = 38 Long Colt 38 Spl or 38 S&W Special or 38 special = 38 special 38 S&W = 38 S&W These are the markings Colt used on this gun for 38 caliber. Also chjeck which way the cylinder revolver. The Army special revolves colckwise as nost Colts do, the earlier models in 38 mainly revolved counterclockwise and these were all 38 colt except for the Army model target which was 38 special as well.
    The second admendment GUARANTEES the other nine and the Constitution!
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
Sign In or Register to comment.