why 38 spec parent case for 357???

[Brian Williams]

Why was the 38 spec chosen for the parent cases for the 357 mag and not the 38 S&W? I would think that the 38 S&W with its larger case diameter would have been a good way of keeping hot Magnum loads out of an old 38 spec.

 

[Sean Smith]

Because they still wanted to shoot .38 Specials from the .357 Magnum, but not the other way around.

 

[Majic]

The .38sp is the more powerful of the two and they were looking to increase the power level even higher.

 

[stans]

S&W was already hotrodding the 38 Special, they called it the 38-44 Heavy Duty and it was chambered in their N-frame revolvers. Reloaders wanted even more power, so they continued the hot rod the 38 and pushed it to the breaking point. In 1935, S&W debuted a stretched 38 Special case, chambered in their N-frame and it was called the 357 Magnum. Similar story for the 44 Magnum. It came about because reloaders were pushing the 44 Special to and beyond its breaking point.