38 Special for target shooting

[Snowboy]

Is 38 Special still a popular caliber for target shooting ?

What's your % for this caliber and % for all calibers you shoot ?

Mine is approx
38 Special: 15%
.357 Mag: 25%
9mm: 60%

Rodg

 

[Furncliff]

I started reloading last year. Turns out that .38 special is a good place to start and since I have a S&W 15 and Marlin 1894c I needed no better reason to begin with the 38. I haven't settled on a really accurate load yet, but it's been fun shooting the S&W and I've introduced my daughter to center fire rifle with .38 in the Marlin. I've had a Pachmyer grip on the Smith for a couple of years and it's made a world of difference shooting targets.

 

[woad_yurt]

I have a Model 14-4 with an 8 3/8" barrel. Out of all the firearms I have, that one is the most pleasurable to shoot when I'm going for pure accuracy. It's an amazing piece. .38 SPL is a great cartridge.

 

[FredT]

Sure the .38spl is very popular because so many were made and it is still inexpensive to shoot.

Mine is approx:

.38spl 2%
.357 3%
.32-20 5%
9mm 45%
.40sw 40%
.45acp 5%

 

[MMCSRET]

I load and shoot more 38 Special than all other calibers combined and I have all of the common ones from 32 S&W up to and including 45 Colt and 45ACP.

 

[Bearhands]

38 special= 65%
357 = 20%
9X18 = 15%

 

[Landric]

Most of the targets I shoot are IDPA targets, but I use a .38 Special (well actually a .357, but its loaded with .38 Specials) regularly. I would guess my breakdown is something like this for target shooting/IDPA

.38 Special-40%
.45ACP-40%
9x19mm-20%

 

[earplug]

Enjoy shooting 38

The fact is I get higher scores with bigger bullets at the fifty foot line. I could shoot a 8 3/8 Model 14 with a Red Dot, but I get better scores with a none pinned, internal locked, MIM constructed M 625-8 with a Red Dot sight.
And since the same reload ( 200 grain cast 200 LSWC with 3.5 grains of Bullseye with a Federal primer) works well for shooting steel competition, I don't load or practice with the 38 as much as I used to.
I have to suffer and shoot three different 625-8 in competitions and worry about having barrel pins, locks or MIM parts.
No the M-14 is not for sale, it is handy for shooting weak hand when I'm in the mood.
You don't need a 357 if you have a 45 ACP wheel gun.

 

[ChemicalArts]

For me, it looks something like this for target shooting:

38 Special: 15%
.357 Mag: 15%
.22 LR pistol: 70%

My 22 always goes to the range with me. It's practically free to shoot.

 

[easyrider604]

.357 magnum 1%
.38 spl 20%
.22LR 79%

percentages are approximations


I cast my bullets so 38 spl is only slightly more expensive than 22 LR but time can be limited.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I shoot .38 Special, .357 Magnum, 9mm, .32 Auto, .22 LR, .45 Auto and .45 Colt but I really couldn't break it down to percentages. I shoot different numbers at different times. I can say I shoot more .38 Specials and .22 LR than other calibers though.

 

[Stainz]

If you include my .38 loads in .357M cases, it's probably broken down like this lately:

.38/.357M - 39%
.44 R/S/M - 10%
.45 ACP/LC -10%
.22 LR -40%
7.62 Nagant - 1%

No bottom-feeders here - this is roundgun-only territory. Okay, my wife has, barf, a Seecamp .32 and a Walther P22... she occasionally shoots the latter. You can't tell that my last two new purchases last year were a 627 Pro and a 617, can you? The 'newness' of that 617 doesn't seem to be wearing thin anytime soon... what a fun shooter! Of course, the 627 is up there, too.

Stainz

 

[ADKWOODSMAN]

The .38 Special is a fun caliber. All my guns .358 bore guns are .357 Mag. but shoot mostly .38 special or reduced loads in .357 cases.

As a SASS and IPSC competitor my usage figures are heavily into those caliber's (my SASS guns are 800 fps with 200 or 250 loads--not cheaters)

.45 Colt 40%
.45 acp 40%
.44 Mag 900 fps 5%
38/.357 case loads 5%
.22LR 10%

 

[foghornl]

Most of my handgun shooting is .45ACP, but the .38Spl is still VERY popular.

I use .38s in my .357Mag Vaquero or Blackhawk for introducing new shooters to center-fire revolvers.

 

[Walkalong]

Lately I've been shooting a lot of .38 Spl (cause I get on a .38 kick every now and then), & downloaded .357 (cause there are lots of cool .357 revolvers), and 9MM (cause it's cheaper and I recently got a 9MM AR and it's way cool), but overall I have shot way more .45 ACP than anything else.

 

[chriske]

Of the 10 pistol/revolver cartridges I use, .38 Special is by far what I shoot most .

 

[Average Joe]

Great caliber to shoot, and reload.

 

[oneounceload]

38's and 32's are IMO, the two most accurate target calibers for pistols....both are mild, easy to load and great for accurate