38 spl LRN in a lever action?

[Jared]

Ok, short story, LGS had a smokin deal on Federal Champion 38 special 158 great LRN. I bought 800 rounds for the revolvers and thinking I'd use some in my Uberti 73 rifle. A dude that's local to me and active in the SASS scene told me not to use those in the rifle as the round noses in the tubular mag could set off primer in front of it, and on down the line. His advice was flat points only in the Uberti.

Now, I've always heard not to use spitzer bullets in a tubular mag, but this was the first I'd heard of round noses being verboten and it being flat points only. So, I know we've got some genuine lever gun experts here, and I've presented my dilemma for you guys. Can I use this ammo in my Uberti 73 carbine, or should I just shoot it up in the revolvers and reload the cases with flat pointed bullets for my carbine?

Also, can a 38 Special really even generate enough recoil in a rifle this heavy for the bullet to pop the primer in front of it? I get it with a 30-30 in a 94, but a 38 special in a '73?

[Malamute]

First is to check and see if the length works OK in the 73 carrier system.

Remington loads RN jacketed soft point loads in the 30-30, and Hornadys 150 gr 30-30 bullet is a RN jacketed soft point. No issues so far with them. Many RN bullet molds are used in various lever actions with no caveat about the bullet nose shape being a problem. Ive shot a lot of the old factory 246 gr RN 44 spl loads in Marlin levers. The old factory 45 Colt loads used a semi-pointed RN with small flat point, havent heard of them being a problem in a lever.

http://blog.cheaperthandirt.com/wp-c...Cimmaron_1.jpg

Im skeptical that a 38 spl makes enough recoil to be a problem in a 73, even if the bullet nose was problematic, which I dont think it is.

[Greg]

It would really suck to be the guy that found out the hard way that it was good advice all along.

[Wheeler]

It would really suck to be the guy that found out the hard way that it was good advice all along.

Sort of like getting struck by lightning?

I've talked to several Cowboy Action shooters who use round nose bullets and know other Cowboy types that do the same with not a single issue. That adds up to several tens of thousands of rounds.

[Greg]

I've always found it to be awfully easy to get flat nosed bullets (casting my own helps ).

I'm pretty sure .38 spc would be the least violent recoiling rounds, but those SASS guys go out of there way to cook up mousefart loads.

[Jared]

First is to check and see if the length works OK in the 73 carrier system.

Remington loads RN jacketed soft point loads in the 30-30, and Hornadys 150 gr 30-30 bullet is a RN jacketed soft point. No issues so far with them. Many RN bullet molds are used in various lever actions with no caveat about the bullet nose shape being a problem. Ive shot a lot of the old factory 246 gr RN 44 spl loads in Marlin levers. The old factory 45 Colt loads used a semi-pointed RN with small flat point, havent heard of them being a problem in a lever.

http://blog.cheaperthandirt.com/wp-c...Cimmaron_1.jpg

Im skeptical that a 38 spl makes enough recoil to be a problem in a 73, even if the bullet nose was problematic, which I dont think it is.

Thank you, you were one of the first PF members I thought of when I posted this.

[fatdog]

Im skeptical that a 38 spl makes enough recoil to be a problem in a 73, even if the bullet nose was problematic, which I dont think it is.

this, while I load FP hardcast for the guns, I have had no issues running RNL when that was all that was on the shelf in my '66 or '73