Why buy a .38special?

[The_Antibubba]

Then there is the ladies and the Girlie men who don't like .357 recoil.

Uh huh. I suppose in 1-handed shooting you can empty six shots into the 10-ring, right?

Besides, 357 Mag is for wusses. A REAL man shoots 357 Maximum.

For the record, I love my 66, but I prefer to shoot 38s. Wadcutters. Almost no recoil.

 

[Euclidean]

Because .357 out of a small revolver is no fun. If you're going to shoot .38 Special exclusively anyway, why not get a dedicated .38?

 

[TimboKhan]

I guess I can see the point in making a .38 only gun simply because there are a lot of people that only plan on shooting .38 special for whatever reason. I personally have two .357's and one .38, and while I enjoy shooting all of them, practically speaking I prefer the .357, in part because of the versatility.

 

[dbarale]

Then there is the ladies and the Girlie men who don't like .357 recoil.

When it comes to shooting .357 out of a lightweight J frame I am definitely a girlie man!

 

[SaxonPig]

Well, a quick head-count reveals that I currently have 17 .38 Specials on hand and only 12 .357 Magnums. Either I need fewer 38s or more 357s, no?

Seriously, for me I find the 38s more fun to shoot. I don't need Magnum power for plinking so I shoot a lot more 38s. They are lighter and most important they are cheaper. I have a bunch of police turn-in 38 revolvers I have bought for $60 (yup, got an old S&W Military & Police for $60) up to $200. Hard to find Magnums that cheap.

Also, you get slightly better performance from 38 ammo in a proper 38 chamber than in a Magnum. Not much difference, maybe 25 FPS loss in the longer chamber.

Now, if limited to one or two guns then a 357 makes more sense. But I am not so limited and I love my 38s.

Here's a 357 Trooper and a 38 Official Police. Why choose between them when it's more fun to own both? They ain't real pretty but I paid $210 for the 357 and $165 for the 38 (and dig those groovy custom stocks) so you don't have to be rich to afford to own both.

 

[wcwhitey]

Because my Model 15 is the most accurate gun I own. The X wring shakes nervously everytime I break it out at the range. I carry a +P 640 24/7 and have done so for 15 years now, would not trade it for the world. I have no desire to pump .357's through a similar weight gun, done it, don't want to go back there. My K frame carries well and makes a sweet trail gun, great for small to no so small game. As far as .357 goes I have nothing at all against it, it is a great cartridge. Just no debating that. When I feel the need for Magnum type power, I go straight to the .44. In fact the only .357 in my collection is a Rossi 92 Carbine. My Colt Trooper sat in the safe for years once I bought my SBH in .44 Mag. Eventually I sold the Trooper, have not been able to justify another .357 revolver. Would I like one, yes, maybe a 50th Anniversary Blackhawk, but I am afraid it will just sit as well. My 2 cents, Bill.

 

[MCgunner]

Because in guns under 20 ounces, I'm not going to shoot magnums anyway and I got my M85UL for well under 300 bucks new. And, besides, the .38 is special.

And, because, they only made the Smith and Wesson M10 in .38. Oh, sure, you could get a 13, I have a 10 and I like it.

I own three .38s and 4 .357s.....so far and not including rifles.

I've shot .454 Casull. I ain't worried about recoil, but I find .38s about as fun as shooting gets. I burn a lot of .38 in my .357s, all reloads of course. Girly men shoot factory ammo. Actually, I'm lazy and cheap. .38 takes 2.7 grains of bullseye behind a 148 grain bullet. My lead and powder lasts forever at that rate and I ain't gotta gas check the bullets after casting which is one less step in the process.

 

[Sistema1927]

Why? I have three reasons why:

1) Pencil barrel S&W 64. It, and the equivalent Model 10 are just about the best handling revolver that I have ever seen.

2) Square-butt S&W 37. You have to handle one to know why, especially with a Tyler T-Grip.

3) S&W 642. The finest pocket revolver ever made.

Each of these would be heavier and more unwieldy in .357. IMHO, they just about approach perfection just as they are. I love my 686 and my 19 and my Speed-Six, but they meet different needs.

 

[ozwyn]

there is at least one company out there doing repo's of the old colt dragoon's in .38

and that's just too pretty a weapon not to warm the heart of even the biggest .357 fanatic.

 

[GunTech]

+1 what cosmoline said.

 

[Deanimator]

1. There ISN'T any ".357 version" of a lot of guns. There's not .357 S&W Model 14. I don't use all of the potential power of the .38 Special in the gun, how would it being chambered for .357 benefit me? That NRA bullseye target is dead. I don't need to kill it.

2. There are plenty of guns that will shoot +P .38 Specials all day long. Take for instance a steel framed S&W with a model number stamped in the frame.

3. There's nothing wrong with a .357 magnum. It just isn't 100% required for all situations.

 

[the naked prophet]

http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/Humble 38 Special.htm

 

[Carl N. Brown]

I replaced a .38 derringer with a Rossi .38 snub and recently got
a 4" .357 Ruger Security Six (I had owned a 4" Six back in the 80s)

Quote:
Then there is the ladies and the Girlie men who don't like .357 recoil.

The idea of .357 in a snubby would make me scream like a little girl
no mommy no I am not ashamed to say.

I can shoot .38 Specials in my Security Six and not care if they
are standard or plus P or if the reload has a double charge of
6 grains Unique instead of the expected 3 grains Unique.

 

[Hawk]

I buy handguns, not chamberings.

A 640 and a Colt DS turned up at my dealer and were essentially "impulse" buys. They're both in .38.

Another handgun I "had to have" was a specific .45 self-loader but I never seemed to have the funds. Eventually, it's discontinued. I panic but the last one I could find was in .40S&W - a chambering I would have bet serious money I would never own only a week earlier. The thing's my EDC now.

Back in the '80s there were two types of computer users. One type was interested in the computer, the other wanted a copy of 123 and "something to run it on". I find the recent discussions on the relative merits of various chamberings interesting but I'm more likely to buy a gun I like and "a box of whatever it takes". Later, if I take a shine to it, I'll get a case (or dies) of "whatever it takes".

 

[MCgunner]

This one is about my favorite carry. It cost me much less than a titanium .357 and I wouldn't fire .357s in a 12 once gun, anyway. I carry this thing a LOT, only 17 ounces, and .38+P is enough. Follow up shots are quick, too.

The lightest .357 I have is my SP101. Much lighter and I won't shoot .357 in it, well, maybe a M60, but certainly not a titanium 12 ounce gun.

 

[Z_Infidel]

I have owned revolvers in many calibers, including a few in .357 Magnum. Now I have only two revolvers and they are both .38 Specials. One is a current production S&W Model 10, the other is a Ruger GP-100. I used to enjoy shooting .357 Magnums but got to the point that they bother my ears even with proper hearing protection. I just enjoy shooting the .38 Special, and the 158 gr LSWCHP+P load is pretty much all I use. I feel it is adequate for a defensive round, can be found at good prices, and shoots to point of aim in both of my revolvers.

I guess I've pretty much settled on .38 Spl+P for revolvers and .45ACP for pistols. If I have need of something else some day, I certainly have nothing against other chamberings.

 

[ArmedBear]

Well, what I learned in the Rifle Forum is that .357 isn't a very effective defensive round. I'm sure that a .38 is so weak that Team Tactical over there wouldn't mind taking a few in the chest.

That said, .38's can be nice, light little guns. .38 is a pleasure to shoot, not bad even in ultralights, and it's a proven defensive round, more so with modern bullets.

If I did get an alloy S&W or somesuch, I would shoot .38's in it anyway, most likely. Might as well get the cheaper gun than the .357 version.

 

[MCgunner]

Well, what I learned in the Rifle Forum is that .357 isn't a very effective defensive round. I'm sure that a .38 is so weak that Team Tactical over there wouldn't mind taking a few in the chest.

ROFL!!! Yeah, the shotgun crowd is getting more and more tacticool every day, too. Nope, can't have anything less than a 12 gauge to answer the door with at night. LOL!

 

[ArmedBear]

Another reason...

.38 Special can be shot quite well one-handed, from odd positions like lying in bed, with either hand if you're hurt, etc.

A real advantage of the handgun as a defensive weapon, even if not CCW, is its ready availability in a home or business. It takes very little space in a holster, pocket, drawer or quick-access safe, and doesn't require your whole upper body like a long gun. Practical one-handed shooting just adds to that.

And a less-practical reason...

These don't come in .357 Magnum.

 

[Rex B]

A small-frame .38 spl hurts my hand.
I'd hate to shoot a .357 in the same frame.

 

[Texas Colt]

Even though I own several 357s, there is just something useful about a basic small-framed 38 Special.

My wife can't get her hands around the frame of my Colt Trooper MKV or King Cobra, but she can handle a Police Positive beautifully. She can control it and shoot it accurately. It also gives her a sense of comfort when it's loaded with snake shot and she's out walking on her parent's land... And there's something totally sexy about seeing the butt of that Colt 38 sticking out of her hip pocket !

For me, I love the fact that my alloy-framed Colt Cobra is almost weightless in an ankle rig or for front pocket carry.

Besides, having another caliber is always a good excuse to collect more guns... I just bought this 1977 vintage Colt Police Positive today.

 

[Majic]

Why buy a .38 spl? For the same reason I would buy a .44 spl. I have no plans of shooting the magnum round in that handgun. You don't have to understand why someone els is doing something. Just be pleased with what you are doing. If you choose to buy the magnums and shoot both cartridges then fine. Just remember others have that same oportunity to make their own choices whether you agree with it or not.

 

[ozwyn]

Bear - your picture summarized my argument nicely, thanks.

 

[JNewell]

3) S&W 642. The finest pocket revolver ever made.

Took the words right out of my mouth.

 

[Stoney]

.38 specials can be some of the best looking revolvers ever made. Loaded with a hollow point, a very good SD platform. I carry a couple of different types of .38 specials with complete confidence.