Brubz
Member
Will 38 Special+P Ammo fire in a .357 Magnum?
38 Special+P Ammo
- Thread starter Brubz
- Start date
NIGHTLORD40K
Member
The only issues with firing .38spl ammunition in a .357 revolver is you may get slightly degraded accuracy thanks to the 1mm extra bullet jump to the cylinder throat and- the more .38 rounds you shoot- lead and powder residue will start to build up in the cylinder making it difficult to insert the longer 357 brass until it is cleaned out.
The same thing happens of you shoot
22 Shorts in a .22 Long Rifle chamber.
The same thing happens of you shoot
22 Shorts in a .22 Long Rifle chamber.
Not to be sounding like a broken record, but yes, no issue shooting 38 Special +P in a 357 Magnum revolver.
The build up of carbon in a 357 Magnum chamber when shooting 38 Special ammunition is a real thing, but over rated. If you shoot a few hundred 38 Special rounds at a day at the range then clean the gun afterwards, you will not have any problems.
I tend to use only 357 Mag cases in my 357 Magnum revolvers but that is primarily due to the fact that I have several 38 Special revolvers. I save the 38 Special cases for the 38 Special revolvers.
The build up of carbon in a 357 Magnum chamber when shooting 38 Special ammunition is a real thing, but over rated. If you shoot a few hundred 38 Special rounds at a day at the range then clean the gun afterwards, you will not have any problems.
I tend to use only 357 Mag cases in my 357 Magnum revolvers but that is primarily due to the fact that I have several 38 Special revolvers. I save the 38 Special cases for the 38 Special revolvers.
Old Dog
Member
Many who carry a .357 revolver concealed use .38 SPL plus P loads, as they're generally perceived to be somewhat lighter recoiling than brutal full-house magnums and anecdotally offer similar performance.
I'm not one of those people; if I pack a .357, it's with .357 Magnum 125 grain or 158 JHPs. .38 SPL rounds, even +P, is reserved for the range.
I'm not one of those people; if I pack a .357, it's with .357 Magnum 125 grain or 158 JHPs. .38 SPL rounds, even +P, is reserved for the range.
Jim Watson
Member
This seems to be a common Internet Question.
An old catalog listing for the Smith and Wesson .357 Magnum says:
"Ammunition:
.357 S&W Magnum
.38-44 S&W Special*
.38 S&W Special Hi Speed*
.38 S&W Special
.38 S&W Special Super Police**
.38 S&W Special Mid Range"
The Colt Shooting Master .357 Magnum ammo compatibility list does go all the way down to .38 Short Colt.
Is this sort of information no longer in product literature?
* .38-44 and Hi Speed were what we now call .38 Special +P+.
An old catalog listing for the Smith and Wesson .357 Magnum says:
"Ammunition:
.357 S&W Magnum
.38-44 S&W Special*
.38 S&W Special Hi Speed*
.38 S&W Special
.38 S&W Special Super Police**
.38 S&W Special Mid Range"
The Colt Shooting Master .357 Magnum ammo compatibility list does go all the way down to .38 Short Colt.
Is this sort of information no longer in product literature?
* .38-44 and Hi Speed were what we now call .38 Special +P+.
aaaaa
Member
Apart from the .357 Magnums, I wonder what of these listed could be shot out of a +P .38 Special revolver? Specifically, can the .38-44 S&W Special, 38 Short Colt, and 38 Long Colts be shot out of a 38 Special revolver?
fxvr5
Member
- Joined
- May 26, 2017
- Messages
- 3,306
Yes. The Short and Long Colts are just shorter and less powerful versions of the 38 Special.
aaaaa
Member
Nice, S&W used to make a .38-44 revolver. This article says,
Sounds like a nice gun to get ahold of, but they don't make a .38-44 anymore, which may be a good thing as they won't have the lock.
westernrover
Member
- Joined
- May 4, 2018
- Messages
- 1,613
The different designations have mostly to do with Maximum Average Pressure -- a measure of center related to the pressure level that the combusting propellant will produce in the chamber when the cartridge is fired. In a revolver cartridge like these, the MAP always occurs in the cylinder, typically after something like half an inch of bullet movement. So the barrel is mostly irrelevant to handling the pressure, but the barrel face can be affected by the increase in flame cutting that comes with using more powder (not a direct result of pressure per se, but related). The chamber strength would be the most critical aspect to handling pressure, but the frame and particularly the top-strap are also going to have to withstand the thrust. So while the chamber and cylinder strength will determine whether the gun is going to rupture catastrophically with the pressure produced, the topstrap and frame are also critical to determine how many rounds of high-pressure cartridges the revolver can withstand before it bangs itself out of time as the repeated slamming increases the endshake, wear on the hand, and frame stretch. So besides being built to withstand the pressure, a 357 Magnum is often built with more durability. It's also likely to be built with additional mass to tame the expected recoil -- for example, bull barrels and full underlugs on the barrel, neither of which affect the pressure-handling or durability.
Besides those things, the differences between the short, long, special, and magnum, and maximum are the incremental increases in case length and the consequent chamber compatibility (with the longer chambers being downward compatible, but the shorter chambers not being upward compatible), and the additional propellant holding volume which is significant when using bulkier powders typical of slower-burning and progressive powders that are coated with a lot of deterrent to keep them from burning too fast at first and reaching pressure maximum too soon. The deterrent allows more powder to be added and the additional powder and the deterrent coating itself all add bulk.
Besides those things, the differences between the short, long, special, and magnum, and maximum are the incremental increases in case length and the consequent chamber compatibility (with the longer chambers being downward compatible, but the shorter chambers not being upward compatible), and the additional propellant holding volume which is significant when using bulkier powders typical of slower-burning and progressive powders that are coated with a lot of deterrent to keep them from burning too fast at first and reaching pressure maximum too soon. The deterrent allows more powder to be added and the additional powder and the deterrent coating itself all add bulk.
GooseGestapo
Member
- Joined
- Jan 6, 2003
- Messages
- 6,164
I doubt you’ll detect ANY NOTICEABLE loss of accuracy shooting the .38’s through a .357 cylinder.
I’ve held the National Record for 2-1/2” Service Revolver class since 1998. I shot it with a S&W M686 using a Star 158gr LSWC in Starline brass over #231 for 750fps.
Anything not in the X-ring was my fault...
The fouling ring is no big deal. Cleans easily using either a .375” rifle brush or .401/10mm brush as a designated “chamber” brush. I keep it on a short cleaning rod so it’s immediately recognizable.
Routinely brushing keeps it from building up to a problem.
Kinda like brushing your teeth !!!
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I would love to get a good condition .38/44 Outdoorsman (became Model 23), and would settle for a .38/44 Heavy Duty (became Model 20).
NIGHTLORD40K
Member
It seems to effect some guns more than others. I notice no difference in my M686 and M28, but it was definetly there in my M19.
I suspect my Dan Wesson M15 had never been fed a Magnum- or had a good chamber cleaning before I aquired it. It took a bit of work before I could get it eat the longer brass.....
NIGHTLORD40K
Member
Oh ya, a .38/44 is definetly a "must buy" if I see one again.....and I can only remember seeing 2 in the flesh up to now.