.38 special

Since the OP is mentioning energy figures, I assume the intended use is CCW or defensive use? Fair enough, but the .38 Special can also shine for target and plinking purposes. Ammo has become more expensive (about 2x vs. 9x19), but it is a very easy cartridge to handload for whatever purpose strikes your fancy.

Target wadcutters are particularly fun to shoot from a .38 Special revolver, and depending of variables the same load in a carbine length barrel can sound almost like a .22 CB cap. The old H&R Topper in .357 Magnum made a pretty fair small game "rook rifle" for me with Federal target wadcutter ammo, back when I was just out of college.
Oh I’m not too interested in those loads especially for concealed carry. I was just interested in the broad range of +p power specs. If I want recoil I’ll put some buffalo bore 300s in my .45 Blackhawk. I’d use .38 for plinking or small game hunting. I have a 9mm but I am much more accurate with revolvers for some reason.
 
You want to buy a gun specifically because Underwood makes a load for it that is close to .357 in power? First, I think that's a typo, it probably meant to say 248 ft lbs, second even if it was accurate, why would you not just buy a .357? The only benefit the .38's have over the .357's is they can be made on ultralight alloy frames and that's only a thing for J frames or the LCR and you won't be getting 548 ft.lbs from a sub 2 inch barrel.

The question is what do you want in a .38 revolver?
I’m only interested in plinking and varmint shooting. I really have no interest in shooting the underwood I just thought the vast gap between 248 (it was a typo) and 548 in +p ammo was interesting and was curious what revolver chambered for .38 other than a .357 could handle that.
 
I wont shoot +P ammo in any of my .38 Specials. Just my personal choice, and not becauuse some can't handle it. I have a .38/44 Heavy duty S&W that was built by S&W specifically for hot loads, but I still wont shoot them in it.

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Please list some standard .38 special loads that give both good penetration and expansion out of 2" barrel, I would like to know.
Winchester 110-grain Silvertip and Federal 110-grain Hydra-Shok personal defense loads are not +P. Both of these loads are optimized for light alloy frame Airweight guns. They expand to .50+ cal in calibrated gelatin from a 2-inch barrel and penetrate 11-12" in bare gel.

I chronographed them at 865 fps from my S&W Model 37 with 1-7/8" barrel and 0.008" barrel-cylinder gap and 902 fps from my 2-inch Colt Agent with 0.005" barrel-cylinder gap.
 
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Once you get a 38 special you will wonder why you didn’t get one sooner it is the most forgiving cartridge there is IMHO . If you get a S&W model 10, 14 or 15 used just shoot regular 38 special loads it is all I shoot in my 14-2 if I want a hot load that is what you have 357’s for . Get a 38 special and have the most fun you’ll ever have.
 
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Personally I’d recommend a used S&W model 67. Smooth double action, candy-cane crisp single action, grips available to fit virtually any hand, heavy enough to soak up recoil but not too heavy to carry, and laser accurate. This 67-1 was a police trade-in, then did nightstand duty for my Dad until he died, and now it’s one of my favorite range guns. It’s super accurate and pretty powerful with its favorite handload, a RimRock 158 grain LSWC over 5.4 grains of Silhouette (925 fps at standard pressure).
 
I wont shoot +P ammo in any of my .38 Specials. Just my personal choice, and not becauuse some can't handle it. I have a .38/44 Heavy duty S&W that was built by S&W specifically for hot loads, but I still wont shoot them in it.

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If one of those was my girlfriend, I'd be faithful too. Nice gun!
 
If one of those was my girlfriend, I'd be faithful too. Nice gun!

I inherited my friend's guns that were his father's after my friend passed. This .38/44 was purchased new by his father, and his father ordered it with an extra barrel and cylinder as he shot competitively and thought he'd live to wear it out. Unfortunately that didn't happen. I have the extra barrel and cylinder also for this S&W.

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I also have his father's Camp Perry Remington-Rand competition 1911A1 and his 1964 Colt 1911 with Ace Conversion kit NIB.
 
I’m late to the party but I’ve never had a .38 special so gave t looked at it much but I’m thinking about getting one. I just noticed that underwood makes a round that generates 548 ft lbs energy in .38 plus p but then I notice another one listed as plus p but only 278 ft lbs of energy. I assume the underwood you would only want to use in a gun chambered in .357? That just seemed like a big difference. Most plus p looked like 300+ ft lbs.
I would just buy a 357. Shoot 38 special, plus P or 357. I shoot the 38S at the range, but load 357 for self-defense. Just an option!
 
@PavelSJ did I answer your question in my earlier post? I put that post together for you. I just didn’t have that info stashed somewhere, ready at a moments notice.
 
I’m only interested in plinking and varmint shooting. I really have no interest in shooting the underwood I just thought the vast gap between 248 (it was a typo) and 548 in +p ammo was interesting and was curious what revolver chambered for .38 other than a .357 could handle that.
I would guess a Ruger Service Six(or any Six Series) chambered in 38spl would handle that load(but only a guess) because it's identical to the 357 version except not bored as deeply. It's like a more heavily built Model 10/64. 20231215_064354 - Copy.jpg
 
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I would like a 32 if someone gets behind the 327 Federal Magnum like S&W and puts it in a 586/686 I would have one in a heartbeat.
The market has spoken and it does not care to have a .32 in a frame that can hold 7 rounds of .357. I agree with the market, I would rather have a .32 in a smaller, lighter frame because the recoil is so little that a large, heavy frame is not required.
 
The market has spoken and it does not care to have a .32 in a frame that can hold 7 rounds of .357. I agree with the market, I would rather have a .32 in a smaller, lighter frame because the recoil is so little that a large, heavy frame is not required.
I would rather have this , my friend I shoot with just got a Ruger GP100 through Lipseys in 327 Federal magnum. I much prefer S&W in revolvers but do have a Ruger Super RedHawk in 454 Casull .
This may be the route I go as I really like the 327 Federal magnum cartridge, I don’t always agree with market trends and like some of the smaller cartridges in bigger frames like the 9mm and 38 super in S&W N frames which I have. IMG_2750.png
 
Back to post #1. We are talking 38sp.
Like Buffalo Bore states that they use special powder to get the speed but not the pressure. That's good enough for me. If your only going to small game hunt and target shoot then what the specialty companies do dosent matter. Although it is good reading.
My thought is if a person wants to hot rod a 38 why not buy a .357.
Handloading standard pressure 38's and firing them is way way more satisfying than burning up a bunch of 22's.
Now days with the coated lead bullets available. A big box of 125 gr RNFP and a bottle of Titegroup plus a couple of speed loaders let the fun begin. Target practice, double action practice and speed loader practice. On and on
 
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