.357 revolvers can shoot .38

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4armed Architect wrote:

bugly wrote:

not just revolvers, my .357 winchester lever action rifle shoots .38 spl and +p, no problems. Lots cheaper when shooting those wiley targets.

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+1       Love my little 34" long(16" barrel) Winchester 94AE .357mag. lever rifle.  And, a .357 out of a rifle has more force than out of a revolver(unless the revolver has a 16" barrel).    Even a .38 spl. out of this rifle is more powerful.  

Random thoughts:
I seem to recall reading somewhere that a 2" barrel .357 mag. revolver is not able to fully utilize the explosive gases from the magnum charges.   Perhaps someone can verify.   If that's true, if you need a snubby, might as well get the .38spl.   If you want a .357 mag., you probably should get one with a 3" or longer barrel.   Someone with a better understanding of the ballistics involved might be able to shed more(& better) light on this.

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While it may not be using all the available power (and due to the mentioned flamethrower-like activity it probably isn't), getting most of the oomph out of a .357 slug is quite possibly still more power than a .38sp.

To the OP: if you're looking for reccomendations, I would tell you to look into a Ruger GP100.

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Speer makes Gold Dot ammo specifically designed for short barrel guns. It is top rated and is what I carry in my 2in revolver.

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Still trying to find a place in my area that can do a decent job on "black chrome", that would serve two purposes, black, for the sheer beauty and concealment, and chrome for the rust resistance. I've seen several tool manufacturers using this finish on "limited edition" tools, and it looks sweeeeeeeeeet!

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poothrowingape wrote:

wow i had no idea. i always thought stainless had a higher probability to rust beause it didnt have the black or blued paint/finish on it. well i suppose they call it stainless for a reason.

Edit: what about nickel platted?

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Any steel is a composition of iron, carbon and other metals (nickel, chrome, cobalt, molibden, etc.). The only thing that really rusts is iron. Rusting is an oxidation process of iron, i.e. a chemical reaction which makes iron combine with oxygen creating ferrum oxide (Fe2O3) which corrupts steel structure.


Carbon steel mostly contains carbon and iron and therefore is very prone to rust, but it's quite a bit cheaper.

Stainless steel (there are numerous types of stainless steels which vary in composition) containslarge amounts of nickel, crome and other metals which don't react with oxygen under normal condition and don't rust. The amount of iron is much lower than in carbon steel and therefore it rusts much slower. Since there is still some iron always present in stainless steel, it will eventually rust if not maintained properly, especially under aggreavating conditions such as moisture or high temperature or acid atmosphere.

Standard manufacturing process for all carbon steel parts is to paint (or finish) them to prevent rusting. Stainless steel is normally left bare. I personally think that quality finish on carbon steel is just as good as stainless steel under normal conditions, but i may be wrong. In high temperature corrosive environments, finish won't save you so you have to go to stainless and eventually to high alloys.

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FogRider wrote:

4armed Architect wrote:

bugly wrote:

not just revolvers, my .357 winchester lever action rifle shoots .38 spl and +p, no problems. Lots cheaper when shooting those wiley targets.

Click to expand...

+1 Love my little 34" long(16" barrel) Winchester 94AE .357mag. lever rifle. And, a .357 out of a rifle has more force than out of a revolver(unless the revolver has a 16" barrel). Even a .38 spl. out of this rifle is more powerful.

Random thoughts:
I seem to recall reading somewhere that a 2" barrel .357 mag. revolver is not able to fully utilize the explosive gases from the magnum charges. Perhaps someone can verify. If that's true, if you need a snubby, might as well get the .38spl. If you want a .357 mag., you probably should get one with a 3" or longer barrel. Someone with a better understanding of the ballistics involved might be able to shed more(& better) light on this.

Click to expand...

While it may not be using all the available power (and due to the mentioned flamethrower-like activity it probably isn't), getting most of the oomph out of a .357 slug is quite possibly still more power than a .38sp.

To the OP: if you're looking for reccomendations, I would tell you to look into a Ruger GP100.

Click to expand...

I wish GP100 with 4" barrel had fixed sights. I hate the ajustible ones on carry gun, but the 3" version looks freaking ugly... Which GP100 would you recommend?

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Chaingun81 wrote:

FogRider wrote:

4armed Architect wrote:

bugly wrote:

not just revolvers, my .357 winchester lever action rifle shoots .38 spl and +p, no problems. Lots cheaper when shooting those wiley targets.

Click to expand...

+1       Love my little 34" long(16" barrel) Winchester 94AE .357mag. lever rifle.  And, a .357 out of a rifle has more force than out of a revolver(unless the revolver has a 16" barrel).    Even a .38 spl. out of this rifle is more powerful.  

Random thoughts:
I seem to recall reading somewhere that a 2" barrel .357 mag. revolver is not able to fully utilize the explosive gases from the magnum charges.   Perhaps someone can verify.   If that's true, if you need a snubby, might as well get the .38spl.   If you want a .357 mag., you probably should get one with a 3" or longer barrel.   Someone with a better understanding of the ballistics involved might be able to shed more(& better) light on this.

Click to expand...

While it may not be using all the available power (and due to the mentioned flamethrower-like activity it probably isn't), getting most of the oomph out of a .357 slug is quite possibly still more power than a .38sp.

To the OP: if you're looking for reccomendations, I would tell you to look into a Ruger GP100.

Click to expand...

I wish GP100 with 4" barrel had fixed sights. I hate the ajustible ones on carry gun, but the 3" version looks freaking ugly... Which GP100 would you recommend?

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I carry the 4" model.

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In case you weren't aware of it, the 44 magnum can also chamber the 44 special and the 44 Russian.

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jeeper1 wrote:

In case you weren't aware of it, the 44 magnum can also chamber the 44 special and the 44 Russian.

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lol ya but unless im defending myself against bears then id rather carry a smaller(yet still powerful) round that is a lot cheaper forOC orCCW self defense.

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I just picked up a Ruger SP101 3'' brl. This will be my next carry peice. GP100 is just too damn big for me. They are nice guns though.

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I've got a S&W 19-3 (blue .357)w/ a 4" barrel and love it. It's a littlesmaller and lighter than my S&W 629 (SS .44 mag) and if you do your own reloading, you can load them as hot or lightas you like. Personally, I can carry both of them and actually would rather carry the 629. It fits my hand better,the extra weight helps with recoil,and intimadation factor helps.

As for color, I have come to like the SS better than the blue. My 19-3 (DOB was in 1974) is starting toshow it's age with some minorpitting.The blueing process is actually a form of oxidation that is to help protect the metal. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bluing_(steel)) I would have to think twice about nickel plating on a gun. I've see too many of them with the nickelplating peeling off.

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poothrowingape wrote:

jeeper1 wrote:

In case you weren't aware of it, the 44 magnum can also chamber the 44 special and the 44 Russian.

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lol ya but unless im defending myself against bears then id rather carry a smaller(yet still powerful) round that is a lot cheaper forOC orCCW self defense.

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When I take Maggie out to the range, I usually do maybe 24 rounds of Magnum before I switch to Special. Although I can control .44 Mag rounds with one hand I still prefer to use two and I wouldn't one-hand it with my weak (left) hand. Specials however I can fire off onehanded with either hand so if I carry Maggie around I usually load her with Specials tipped with SWCs. Oh, and rusting: RemOilWipes are what I give all my little pals a good rubdown with about twice a month even if they haven't been fired.

.38 Special is IMHO a more than adequate general-purpose self protection round. And I always say the key to self defense is to avoid situations where it might be necessary, if reasonably possible (ie, don't stay locked up in the house all the time but don't go truckin' through the projects if you have no business there):?

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5 rounds of .357 is alot of firepower from a 2" snubnose, whether or not the shorter barrel can take full advantage of the round's power. Bottom line is that the .357 is more powerful than the .38 in a smaller gun. I would rather carry 5 of the the .357 instead of the .38, but it's all about personal preference. The only question is whether the person can control the recoil, but with a non-scandium gun it is managable.

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smithman wrote:

5 rounds of .357 is alot of firepower from a 2" snubnose, whether or not the shorter barrel can take full advantage of the round's power. Bottom line is that the .357 is more powerful than the .38 in a smaller gun. I would rather carry 5 of the the .357 instead of the .38, but it's all about personal preference. The only question is whether the person can control the recoil, but with a non-scandium gun it is managable.

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That's a bit of an understatement, IMHO. Shooting my Smitty mod. 60 with full-house .357 mag "personal protection" loads is quite simply painful. I personally prefer a 38 sp +P for personal defense--in fact they feel quite reasonable in the snubby.

Firing "standard" .357 mags out of the same snubby, btw, is "hot" but not painful. If you can find a hollow-point loading of standard velocity .357--I'd run with that. I just haven't run across any around here lately....but they're not that much faster than a "Hot" .38+P Self defense round....

That being said, for what it's worth, if buying a new gun, I'd buy the .357 mag, rather than the .38. Course, the reason I'd do that is cuz I have .357's already--and I have a ton of handloaded .38 sp. loads in .357 brass that I wouldn't be able to use!! :banghead:

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Usually, .38 cal weapons are chambered so they will NOT be able to fit any other cartridges than .38 cal; they are actually .357" to .358" in diameter and have a shorter cartridge length than the .357 mag. As we all know .357 cal is the same as the name implies. You can shoot .38 spl rounds in your .357 mag all day long and it will like you for it. The .357 is built with a more sturdy frame and forcing cone for the extra pressure from the .357 mag cartridge. If you always shoot .357 mag rounds in your .357 mag, it will wear out sooner than it would if you practice with .38 spl rounds and shoot .357's once in a while, your weapon will last longer (or at least have less wear on some parts).

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I've always had a few .357 Magnums hanging around the house...at least since 1968. It is a nice cartridge...I carry a S&W 686 (7 shot).

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I had a friend that was an FFL. He decided to "throw in the towel" and sell off his stock of weapons for what HE PAID FOR THEM! I got a NEW, in the box, S&W Mod 19 with a 4" barrel for $170 back in 1988. I gave it to my dad for his birthday.

A few years later, I got a Chicom (Norinco) SKS for $80 (with bayonette attached).

Those were the days...

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.38 special is a perfectly adequate defense load. I see no need for .357 Mag . The name of the game is STOP THE THREAT, And .38 Special can do it for the average LAC just as well as any other chambering.

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Of course it is! When I gave the .357 to my dad, he loaded it with .38 spc HP's. Being a retired Marine, I'm quite sure he would have no problem placing those where necessary if necessary.

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I'm wondering if you got a DE Mark XIX, could you should .38spl with the .357 bolt/barrel/mag combo. Can anyone shed some light on this?

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You can shoot ANY .38 Spl in anything chambered for .357 mag. They are the same cailber. The .38 is just a little bit shorter than the .357...