38 Special load and holster

Welcome to the Leverguns.Com Forum. This is a high-class place so act respectable. We discuss most anything here ... politely.

Moderators: AmBraCol, Hobie

Forum rules
Welcome to the Leverguns.Com General Discussions Forum. This is a high-class place so act respectable. We discuss most anything here other than politics... politely.

Please post political post in the new Politics forum.
Post Reply
RustyJr
Levergunner 3.0
Posts: 547
Joined: Mon Aug 25, 2008 8:14 pm
Location: Plant City, FL

38 Special load and holster

Post by RustyJr »

I currently have a Smith and Wesson Model 37 in 38 Special. Am looking at carrying it on duty as a backup and at times off duty. Can anyone recommend a good ankle holster (I have been considering one made by Galco)? Also what is a good place to get standard pressure 38 Special defensive loads? The 37 is an airweight and will not handle +P loads.

Thanks,
RusytJr
Life is a storm, my young friend. You will bask in the sunlight one moment, be shattered on the rocks the next. What makes you a man is what you do when that storm comes.
User avatar
Blaine
Posting leader...
Posts: 30495
Joined: Mon Dec 17, 2007 2:22 pm
Location: Still Deciding

Re: 38 Special load and holster

Post by Blaine »

Strange...My J Frame AirWeight sez 38 special +P :?
The Rotten Fruit Always Hits The Ground First

Proud Life Member Of:
NRA
Second Amendment Foundation
Citizens Committee For The Right To Keep And Bear Arms
DAV
RustyJr
Levergunner 3.0
Posts: 547
Joined: Mon Aug 25, 2008 8:14 pm
Location: Plant City, FL

Re: 38 Special load and holster

Post by RustyJr »

The new ones are rated for +P loads, however as far as I am aware the older ones are not. This is a blued model probably manufactured in the 60s or so.


RustyJr
Life is a storm, my young friend. You will bask in the sunlight one moment, be shattered on the rocks the next. What makes you a man is what you do when that storm comes.
User avatar
Blaine
Posting leader...
Posts: 30495
Joined: Mon Dec 17, 2007 2:22 pm
Location: Still Deciding

Re: 38 Special load and holster

Post by Blaine »

:oops: :oops: Nevermind.... :oops:
The Rotten Fruit Always Hits The Ground First

Proud Life Member Of:
NRA
Second Amendment Foundation
Citizens Committee For The Right To Keep And Bear Arms
DAV
User avatar
AmBraCol
Webservant
Posts: 3651
Joined: Fri Mar 30, 2007 8:12 am
Location: The Center of God's Grace
Contact:

Re: 38 Special load and holster

Post by AmBraCol »

Don't know if there's such a thing as "a good ankle holster"... so can't speak to that.

This ammo isn't cheap, but standard pressure, low flash, designed for short barreled sixguns/fiveguns - what's not to like? Even have a choice of projectiles. If you live near a Cabelas, Bass Pro, etc you may well find it in stock there and thus save on shipping.

https://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l ... _list&c=23

A bit on the steep side, but one's not going to be running oodles of it downrange.
Paul - in Pereira


"He is the best friend of American liberty who is most sincere and active in promoting true and undefiled religion." -- John Witherspoon

http://www.paulmoreland.com
http://www.pistolpackingpreachers.us
http://www.precisionandina.com
MrMurphy
Senior Levergunner
Posts: 1947
Joined: Mon Jan 19, 2009 12:32 pm

Re: 38 Special load and holster

Post by MrMurphy »

I use a Mika vest holster. For ankle....Bootlock is only 1 i can recommend.
User avatar
Buck Elliott
Member Emeritus
Posts: 2830
Joined: Mon Sep 10, 2007 12:15 pm
Location: Halfway up Sheep Mountain -- Cody, Wyoming

Re: 38 Special load and holster

Post by Buck Elliott »

AmBraCol wrote: Sat Mar 25, 2017 10:08 pm Don't know if there's such a thing as "a good ankle holster"... so can't speak to that.
Regards

Buck

Life has a way of making the foreseeable that which never happens, and the unforeseeable, that which your life becomes...
User avatar
OldWin
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 8962
Joined: Fri Oct 09, 2009 2:38 pm

Re: 38 Special load and holster

Post by OldWin »

I've never tried an ankle holster. No help there.

If I couldn't use plus p, I'd always just carry the old 158LRN.
"Oh bother", said Pooh, as he chambered another round.
User avatar
AmBraCol
Webservant
Posts: 3651
Joined: Fri Mar 30, 2007 8:12 am
Location: The Center of God's Grace
Contact:

Re: 38 Special load and holster

Post by AmBraCol »

OldWin wrote: Sun Mar 26, 2017 4:31 am
If I couldn't use plus p, I'd always just carry the old 158LRN.
That's what I'm limited to by law down here - and it's anemic 158 gr RNL at that (last I checked, 625 fps or so from 4" barrel). For the 38 SPL you have much better choices up north. For serious work it's hard to beat Buffalo Bore ammo. I'd also take a look at the Hornady self defense type loads (Critical Defense I think it's called), their 9mm works great in a S&W Shield, although I must admit I've never used it on anything but targets at this point.
Paul - in Pereira


"He is the best friend of American liberty who is most sincere and active in promoting true and undefiled religion." -- John Witherspoon

http://www.paulmoreland.com
http://www.pistolpackingpreachers.us
http://www.precisionandina.com
stretch
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 2284
Joined: Wed Oct 03, 2007 7:15 pm

Re: 38 Special load and holster

Post by stretch »

If you're rollin' yer own, Speer makes a LSWC 158 gr.. I've loaded lots of these.
4.7 gr. of 231 gets almost 1,000 fps out of a 6" barrel according to the manual.
Accurate enough in everything I've shot it out of, too.

On one hand, the LSWC doesn't have the sharp edges of the JHP. On the other hand,
it'll probably expand a wee bit easier. The latter may be an advantage with the lower
velocity out of the 2" barrel.

An old standby for the 38 is the 148 gr. wadcutter. Reversed and loaded hot, it is said to
be a reasonable stopper.

Your mileage may vary, of course. :)

-Stretch
User avatar
Old Savage
Posting leader...
Posts: 16686
Joined: Mon Sep 03, 2007 3:43 pm
Location: Southern California

Re: 38 Special load and holster

Post by Old Savage »

I had read about this before. It explains the difference in some 37s.

In the mid-1950s, the Air Force ordered a specialized version of the Airweight for military police use. This version implemented not only an aluminum frame, but also an aluminum cylinder and barrel. Testing proved that the cylinder and barrel failed pretty quickly due to heat warping, and the model was discontinued.
In the High Desert of Southern Calif. ..."on the cutting edge of going back in time"...

Image
User avatar
Griff
Posting leader...
Posts: 20803
Joined: Sat Mar 31, 2007 4:56 pm
Location: OH MY GAWD they installed a STOP light!!!

Re: 38 Special load and holster

Post by Griff »

For ammo: http://www.hornady.com/store/38-Special ... l-Defense/.

For holster, for ankle or other, fit is just about everything. I wore/wear boots, ankle holster were never a real option for me.
Griff,
SASS/CMSA #93
NRA Patron
GUSA #93

There is a fine line between hobby & obsession!
AND... I'm over it!!
No I ain't ready, but let's do it anyway!
JohndeFresno
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 4559
Joined: Fri Sep 07, 2007 1:52 pm

Re: 38 Special load and holster

Post by JohndeFresno »

DeSantis has a great holster for around $89 that should work for you - a "J" frame ankle glove - see:
http://www.desantisholster.com/DIE-HARD-ANKLE-RIG
Image
Check with them and give them your info - a Model 37 Smith 2" revolver. The 37 is the same pistol as the 36, except it is the aluminum version, no? I believe it will fit perfectly in any holster that holds a 37, if that is correct.

Or if that doesn't fit your gun exactly, look at Galco's Ankle Glove for the Model 36. Around $126 and worth it. See:
https://www.galcogunleather.com/ankle-g ... _1019.html

I have worn various ankle holsters. Their straps, whether with or without the drop strap from the calf harness, have cut into my leg, leaving it red or even abraded after a few hours. Especially with activity. Then I went to an ankle glove, which is the more appropriate name for an ankle holster that attaches around the actual ankle.

That is - to the uninitiated - an ankle glove is a wide band that the holster is mounted on. The inside is usually fleece lined. It wraps around the ankle area snugly and comfortably, usually with a strong velcro fastener that is adjustable to a large variety of ankle sizes.

I have one for my obsolescent S&W Model 12 revolver, also an aluminum airweight, that I can wear all day with great comfort. Apparently this holster is no longer made, so I had one custom made. Incidentally, the handgun is the improvement model, for civilian consumption, of the Air Force super lightweight gun that Old Savage is talking about. I suspect that it is something of a collectible these days. It has an aluminum frame but a steel cylinder. I purchased it approximately 40 yrs ago, and carried it for a backup gun for many years. It was produced 1955-1986. Only 19 oz. (1 lb., 3 oz.) unloaded weight.

A gunsmith had to fix the cylinder once after the crane became slightly tweaked from somebody improperly snapping the cylinder shut a la Humphrey Bogart. And maybe aided by some Super Vel high velocity rounds. The gun was an early purchase and I was, at that time, unfamiliar with its limitations.

You are definitely correct that your gun and mine were not made to withstand +P pressures when they were manufactured. I only fire light practice rounds and carry Winchester standard pressure Silvertips in it now, but certain handloads or the Buffalo Bore standard pressure snubby round might be something to consider, too. See:
https://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l ... _list&c=23

For me, this little standard pressure gun (or yours) is only for arm's distance defense with the light loads.

Image

I also use a DeSantis DieHard ankle glove at times for my tiny S&W Shield 9mm. I can hardly tell I have it on until I feel the slight weight of the gun on one leg when I walk.

The only downside that I can see is that an ankle glove, without sometimes included calf strap that drops down to secure it further, sits a bit lower on your ankle and you need to make sure that your pants stay at shoe line, or else wear high top shoes to keep the holster out of sight.

I will no longer use a calf strap because, as stated, it ends up cutting into the leg after extended use. I'm fine with just the ankle glove setup.

Make sure that you adjust it on your leg in a way that the gun and holster don't stick out - "print" - when you move your leg. I looked up one of the holsters recommended above and that particular holster looked very bulky and telling, unless you are wearing something like bell bottoms.
Rusty
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 9528
Joined: Mon Sep 03, 2007 6:37 pm
Location: Central Fla

Re: 38 Special load and holster

Post by Rusty »

Thank you John, for refreshing my memory. I was thinking about the m12 but couldn't bring it out of the dark corners of my memory. As I remember the M12 was considered an air crew model that wasn't in wide distribution.
If you're gonna be stupid ya gotta be tough-
Isiah 55:8&9

It's easier to fool people than it is to convince them they have been fooled.
BobM
Levergunner 2.0
Posts: 191
Joined: Tue Dec 18, 2007 12:07 am
Location: Ohio

Re: 38 Special load and holster

Post by BobM »

The best ankle holster used was the Renegade which is now being made by The Wilderness. I currently carry Cor-Bon DPX in my 642 but a lot of switched on people seem to prefer the standard wad cutters for the low recoil and adequate penetration
User avatar
Shasta
Senior Levergunner
Posts: 1556
Joined: Thu Sep 06, 2007 10:50 pm
Location: Shasta County, the far right stronghold in California

Re: 38 Special load and holster

Post by Shasta »

I'm not an ankle holster user, but I did see an interesting ad in the April 2017 issue of American Rifleman on page 77. It is for a neoprene holster from an outfit called BUGbite that fits the lower leg. Might be worth a look?

Shasta
California Rifle & Pistol Association LIFE Member
National Rifle Association BENEFACTOR LIFE Member


http://www.hcrpclub.org/schedule.html

avatar pic is Shasta Dam, Shasta Lake, & Mt. Shasta
M. M. Wright
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 4296
Joined: Wed Sep 15, 2010 12:57 pm
Location: Vinita, I.T.

Re: 38 Special load and holster

Post by M. M. Wright »

I like using an ankle holster that has a calf garter on it. Never bothers me and I carry my Colt Cobra in it. I really like the thought of that other round. I load my own with 125 grain XTP and 2400. I practice with the Detective Special and carry the Cobra that is de-horned and has a Tyler T grip adapter on it. Starting to look a little worn but I've been carrying it for 30 years so it has a right to. Now that I'm old and fat it is more commonly carried in a pocket holster.
M. M. Wright, Sheriff, Green county Arkansas (1860)
Currently living my eternal life.
NRA Life
SASS
ITSASS
Florida_Cracker
Levergunner
Posts: 8
Joined: Mon Mar 27, 2017 11:11 am

Re: 38 Special load and holster

Post by Florida_Cracker »

Rusty - According to the Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson (pretty much the bible for history of S&W guns), the all aluminum (frame and cylinder) was a run of 3,770 guns and the highest serial number reported to the Catalog authors is 44577. After that, it was produced as alloy frame/steel cylinder like many other S&W "airweight" frames. From 1951 to 1957, they were produced as "Chiefs Special Airweight" and the numbered "Mod 37" (no dash) began in 1957. In 1969 S&W began adding a "J" prefix to the Model 37 S/N.
Florida_Cracker
Levergunner
Posts: 8
Joined: Mon Mar 27, 2017 11:11 am

Re: 38 Special load and holster

Post by Florida_Cracker »

Rusty - According to the Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson (pretty much the bible for history of S&W guns), the all aluminum (frame and cylinder) was a run of 3,770 guns and the highest serial number reported to the Catalog authors is 44577. After that, it was produced as alloy frame/steel cylinder like many other S&W "airweight" frames. From 1951 to 1957, they were produced as "Chiefs Special Airweight" and the numbered "Mod 37" (no dash) began in 1957. In 1969 S&W began adding a "J" prefix to the Model 37 S/N.
JohndeFresno
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 4559
Joined: Fri Sep 07, 2007 1:52 pm

Re: 38 Special load and holster

Post by JohndeFresno »

EDITED - It appears that the dealer and I were misled by a number stamped on the bottom of my handgun; the serial number is tiny and found on the inside of the crane!

Since this is drifting away from the intent of the thread, I am deleting my posting here - which posed a question about my individual snubbie - with a sincere "Thank You" to Florida_Cracker for his information that properly identifies and dates my handgun.

- JdeF
Last edited by JohndeFresno on Fri Mar 31, 2017 7:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
Poohgyrr
Levergunner 3.0
Posts: 565
Joined: Wed Apr 25, 2007 6:05 pm
Location: South Carolina

Re: 38 Special load and holster

Post by Poohgyrr »

Renegade has worked well for me for my S&W J frames for 20 Years. Galco and De Santis also have been doing great my J frames & Glock43.
John
Family, blue steel & wood, hot biscuits, and fresh coffee.
Luke 22:36 Romans 12:17-21 Ephesians 4:26-32
"Life brings sorrow and joy alike. It is what a man does with them - not what they do to him - that is the true test of his mettle." T. Roosevelt
Post Reply