38 Special Winchester 158gr Lead RN

[RDub01]

Cartridge is from Ammo Manufacture:  Winchester 38 SPL 158gr Lead RN

Muzzle Velocity; Advertised:  770 fps  4" barrel vented
Actual Instrumental Velocity:  4" 698 fps
                                            5" 716 fps
Muzzle Energy; Advertised:   200 ft/lbs



Target circle 4"

Brass Make/Headstamp:   WIN 38 SPL

Bullet Make/Weight/Construction/Info:  Winchester 158gr Swaged Lead RN
Actual Weight:  Bullet #1; 157.7grs.
                       Bullet #2;  158.3grs.
                       Bullet Dia;  .3460" -  .3503"
                       Length;  .712"







Crimp diameter:   .3760"
C.O.A.L.:               1.530"
Primer:              Brass color;  WSP

Case:                 Nickel
                         Case #1;  Wt. w/primer; 67.5grs.  Length;  1.147"
                         Case #2;  Wt. w/primer; 68.2grs.  Length;  1.147"





Powder Description/Positive ID/Type/Charge Weight:
Sample #1;  3.7grs.
Sample #2;  3.4grs.
The powder doesn't look exactly like a flake or a flattened ball. 









This sample of Winchester factory ammunition is rather disappointing;
First, the bullets are grossly undersized. When the sample cases were resized and expanded on standard RCBS dies, the bullets were so undersized that they wiggled inside the case mouth.  Even when the case was sized and not expanded, the bullets still wiggled inside the case mouth.  Had to substitute a 158gr cast bullet, sized .358" in their place, and shot them off at the range.
Second, the powder charges were not very consistent..
And the bullet weights are 0.5grs apart.  That must be an excepted variable in the manufacturing process. But usually, swaged bullets are closer than that in weight. Also, the bullets were not very round. The diameters were not at all consistent.

The four inch gun didn't shoot these very well, but the 5" did a little better.