theboyscout
Member
Has anyone ever heard of or found a 357 mag that could not or should not shoot 38+p rounds? I have always thought 357 mag could shoot, 357, 38 spl and 38+p. But I heard some guy say that +p isn't for all 357 mag.
357 mag and 38+p??
- Thread starter theboyscout
- Start date
- Status
Sistema1927
Member
You might hear "some guy" say all kinds of stuff, but it ain't necessarily true.
Don't worry about shooting all the .38 Special +P you want in any .357 revolver. However, you might want to give the cylinder a good scrub from time to time in order to remove any build up from the shorter cartridge case.
Don't worry about shooting all the .38 Special +P you want in any .357 revolver. However, you might want to give the cylinder a good scrub from time to time in order to remove any build up from the shorter cartridge case.
OP
OP
theboyscout
Member
Thank you that's what I thought
SASS#23149
Member
"You might hear "some guy" say all kinds of stuff, but it ain't necessarily true."
boy howdy, is that ever da 'trut !! Some of the things you here at the shop,and at the range are just scary.
boy howdy, is that ever da 'trut !! Some of the things you here at the shop,and at the range are just scary.
ArchAngelCD
Member.
What you heard is completely incorrect.
Current SAAMI pressure limits:
.38 Special = 17,000 PSI
.38 Special +P = 18,500 PSI or 20,000 PSI
.357 Magnum = 35,000 PSI
As you can see from those numbers a revolver chambered for the .357 Magnum and in good working order is completely safe when firing .38 Special +P ammo.
Current SAAMI pressure limits:
.38 Special = 17,000 PSI
.38 Special +P = 18,500 PSI or 20,000 PSI
.357 Magnum = 35,000 PSI
As you can see from those numbers a revolver chambered for the .357 Magnum and in good working order is completely safe when firing .38 Special +P ammo.
Schwing
Member
I sure as shooting wouldn't ever buy a .357 that couldn't handle 38+P loads 
I won't shoot 38 Special cases in my 357 Magnum guns. I've got an aversion to cleaning cylinder chambers.
I shoot only 357 Magnum cases in my 357 Magnum guns--but sometimes a 38 Special cylinder full sneaks through.
My idiosyncrasy is due to avoiding cleaning the carbon build up in a 357 Magnum chamber from firing copious amounts of 38 Special rounds in in 357 Magnum chamber.
Of course, if some guy said it on the internet, or referenced the internet, it must be true, right?.
But, in the real world, 38 Special or 38 Special +P shoot just fine and safely in a 357 Magnum gun.
At least as far as I know.
Big7
Member
Just don't shoot flush with case 38's in a 357. They will shear out the indexing lug.
I know this to be fact. I did it to one.
pharmer
Member
I heard "some guy" once say in a gunshop: "You need a .45, even a hit in the pinky will kill 'em dead from the shock!" Joe
ArchAngelCD
Member.
Alec
Member
It's worth mentioning if you handload or know someone who does, that you can't load .38 special using .357 data, even if it will only be shot in a .357 gun.
Alec
Member
Can you elaborate on this a bit more? I can't visualize how the bullet profile matters to the indexing lug.
Sistema1927
Member
You could, but you shouldn't.
USSR
Member
Tony_the_tiger
Member
- Joined
- Jan 3, 2011
- Messages
- 905
Well... With respect to the poster's personal experiences, I don't think such a scenario will be repeatable in a way that justifies a warning here.
bullseye308
Member
I would hope "some guy" meant not to shoot +P 357 in a 357 not rated for +P. The 357 by design is much more powerful and produces much more pressure than any 38, so if it can safely shoot a 357, any 38 should be safe if loaded properly.
Big7
Member
Flush wadcutters are only as long as the case. Flat point NO taper.
The cylinders have no forcing cone.
So, a bullet that is to short, without a tapered bullet sticking out puts a lateral load on the cylinder
EVERY time you fire it, because the individual cylinder being fired will shear off a piece of
the flat bullet. EVERY TIME.
Not to mention jumping the gap, which puts more load on the cylinder.
Repeated side loading puts stress on the indexing lug, via movement with the cylinder
indexed and locked.
Heck, I wouldn't shoot flush wadcutters in a .38, much less flush .38's in a .357.
This is first hand experience. Been there, done that.
And it was a Ruger, one of the strongest in the industry along with Freedom Arms.
If a Ruger can't take, nothing can. I returned it. They sent me a brand new one. No questions asked.
Hope this helps.
Alec
Member
Thank you for explaining. This makes sense, but now I don't understand how a SWC, for example, would not exert the same kind of lateral force on the cylinder, especially because the tapered nose does not come in contact with the chamber throat or the forcing cone at any point-- it still has a sharp, flat shoulder.
Tony_the_tiger
Member
- Joined
- Jan 3, 2011
- Messages
- 905
Sounds to me like that ruger might not have passed a service range rod test.
No such animal as a .357 +P.
I'm not sure why "some guy" would come up with the nonsense about no .38s in a .357, but I've heard all kinds of weird and obviously untrue comments regarding firearms and ammo.
USSR
Member
Well, that's a bunch of Hooey if I've ever heard it. The difference in jump between a .38 and .357 is negligible, and Bullseye and PPC competitors have been shooting flush wadcutters for eons without reported problems. It's a big stretch having a problem with a particular firearm and condemning a load that tens of thousands have been shooting for decades without problems.
Don
This "some guy" has given you valuable information. Specifically, he has given you the knowledge that he is an ignoramus regarding firearms and internal ballistics, and that you should disregard anything else he has to say on the general topic.
- Status
