accident.. 38 super in a 38 special

[bradfromearth]

My first gun was a smith and wesson airweight 38. I actually bought some 38 super +p ammo and shot it. I am sure I shot at least one box of 20 rounds. It was an accident as I had no idea that this was not the ammo for the gun.

Is it possible that this permanently damaged the gun? Would it now be at a risk of a KB?

I asked a gunsmith once to inspect it and he said it was fine. I did not tell him why I was asking him. He said it was fine and since then I have put at least 300+ rounds through it since and it was my carry gun for a while.

I am asking because I am wanting to sell the gun or give it to a family memeber and I can't do it without a clear concience.

Thanks,
Brad

 

[Enachos]

Yikes! Maybe you should have told the gunsmith why you asked! lol

 

[bubba15301]

20 rounds wouldnt hurt it

 

[David E]

Some .38/.357 guns have been rechambered for that round with full moon clips. Don't worry about it.

 

[LoneCoon]

Funny, I couldn't even fit .38 Super in my .357. I wound up selling the rounds to a fellow forum member who could actually use them, and I also learned to pay attention to the boxes of ammo that I was buying.

That said, I don't think you've hurt you gun.

 

[jad0110]

Well, you wouldn't be the first one who has made this error. I haven't done it, but from what I gather it does happen. 20 rounds won't mess it up. Typical factory .38 Super, IIRC, is somewhere between .38 +P and .357 Magnum in the pressure department. So though you wouldn't want to shoot hundreds of rounds of .38 Super through it, 20 rounds shouldn't have done any harm.

 

[NG VI]

How was the accuracy?

 

[oneounceload]

Even the GM here put up BIG signs telling people that 38 Super was NOT 38 Special......they had a LOT of folks buying things without a clue as to what they were doing..............unbelievable that folks didn't read the manuals, don't pay attention and yet go and buy basically destructive devices in the form of ammunition and have NO idea what they are doing or what they need

 

[LoneCoon]

How was the accuracy?

Now there's the real question.

 

[m2steven]

Speaking of checking the ammo before you buy: Yesterday I purchased 3 boxes of Monarch 9mm pistol ammo for some shooting in my G26. I noticed on one box that the grain weight of the slug was around 95gr or so. The Monarch boxes being so busy I didn't notice that it was a box of MAKAROV ammo.

I was irritated at first since Academy doesn't take returns on ammo. Then I realized that I own a brand (nearly) new Makarov and they would be a nice change of diet from the Silver Bear/Brown Bear it's been eating.

Anyway, i was just affirming the prior mentioned practice of checking out your labels prior to jumping on something....

 

[Snowdog]

...being so busy...

SHAZAM!


Busy boxes have long been a pet peeve of mine.

 

[bradfromearth]

Thanks for the response folks!
NG VI - Accuracy appeared no different than regular 38 special practice ammo.
Oneounceload - I think all shops should have a big general warning sign about ammo. I had no clue it "said 38 on the box and dern it I had me a 38, it fit and I shot it"

It was powerball 38 super +p so it was lighter and hotter. It did not have much recoil compared to the old FBI load.

Thanks again all.

 

[almtiba]

Don't worry... I see people doing it all the time.

Regards,

Andre Tiba - Brazil

 

[MachIVshooter]

Even the GM here put up BIG signs telling people that 38 Super was NOT 38 Special

I recently picked up a box of .32 S&W for one of my old top breaks. I noticed every box of .32 S&W and .32 S&W Long was labled "NOT AUTO!" in bold Sharpie. Kinda made me chuckle.

 

[Deaf Smith]

Keep in mind the .38 Super, being shorter than the .38 Special, will have a large 'jump
to the barrel throat. And thus the pressures will be less than if it was in a simi-auto's chamber.

Now I find SOME .38 Supers do chamber in .38s, Winchesters I think have a hard time but Remington's don't (or was it the reverse...) I fired some once in a Ruger Speed Six, but considering how sturdy the Ruger was, well no biggie.

J Airweight? I'm sure it can take it for a short while as the pressures will be below .357 Magnum, but sure would not fire many.

As long as your Airweight has no cycling issues (from frame stretch) it should be fine.

Deaf

 

[ArchAngelCD]

The current SAAMI pressure limits for the .38 Special +P are 18,500 PSI. The limits for the .38 Super +P are 36,500 PSI. You are probably lucky the manufacturers are not loading anywhere near the limits. Anyway, guns are proofed at more than twice the recommended pressure limits so your revolver could probably withstand 40,000 PSI before any damage is done. I'm guessing the factory .38 Super +P ammo delivered no more than 30,000 PSI if that.

 

[harmon rabb]

lulz.

i was at a pawn shop during the ammo crisis and asked for some 9mm. the lady behind the counter handed me a box of 9x18 mak. i informed her that this was not 9mm luger. she didn't realize, and said she'd been selling it as 9mm for weeks. yikes!

 

[Floppy_D]

A 38spl bullet is usually .358", while 38 Super bullets are usually .355" or .356". Gas blow-by probably kept the pressure from getting too high. How bad was the fouling?

 

[navyretired 1]

I've never seen a 38 special that wouldn't chamber 38 super and you don't have to rechamber for full moon clips as the 38 super has a small rim and ejects just fine.
If the 38 super was going to hurt the airweight it would have blown it up, it didn't so probably no invisable flaws. As someone mentioned 38 super spec's are twice as hot as 38 special.
I wouldn't recommend a steady diet it's very dangerous even 38 super guns blow up.

 

[Jim K]

Well, I have checked this before and have several .38 Special and .357 revolvers that will NOT chamber .38 Super. I also have a few that will. The tolerances overlap, so it is a matter of chance, not design. Because of the pressure difference, I do NOT recommend firing .38 Super in old or lightweight .38 Special revolvers.

NOTE that some old revolvers chambered for the .38 S&W WILL accept and fire .38 Super and also 9mm P. That is definitely not recommended!

The same is true of .32 ACP in .32 S&W and .32 S&W Long revolvers. The old guns might not blow up immediately, but they will be battered into looseness and inoperability.

Jim