Disadvantage of .38 in a .357
- Thread starter 2WheelsGood
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When shooting the lighter model "J frame like guns" with full power .357 mag loads.
It will not be an enjoyable experience when you have bantam like grips on the gun.
It's all about the grips. Either a houge mono grip or a Pacy. grip will go a long in settleing the hash of a viscious little tike, like a j framed .357 with full house loads.
It will not be an enjoyable experience when you have bantam like grips on the gun.
It's all about the grips. Either a houge mono grip or a Pacy. grip will go a long in settleing the hash of a viscious little tike, like a j framed .357 with full house loads.
oldbear
Member
So true. I've been doing the same for 40 years W/O any problems. I always finish my range trip with .357 Magnum ammo, and Clean, Clean, and Clean my revolvers within 90 minuets of shooting them. That way I don't get a carbon build up in the chambers.
Hondo 60
Member
Shot 5 rounds of 357 (factory) outta my SP101 yesterday.
That was PLENTY for me. (I must be gettin soft)
Also shot 100 rds of .38 sp.
Ya, it needed a good cleaning, but I do that anyway.
So I took an extra 10 seconds to scrub each of the chambers.
That was PLENTY for me. (I must be gettin soft)
Also shot 100 rds of .38 sp.
Ya, it needed a good cleaning, but I do that anyway.
So I took an extra 10 seconds to scrub each of the chambers.
motorcycle-charlie
Member
i never saw a disadvantage. i think it is a very versatile chambering. .357 mag for knockin stuff down and .38 for lighter plinkin or .38+p for carryin. it all depends on what you want to shoot that day. it also gives a wide range of ammo selection.
KJS
Member
...there is no reason to avoid shooting .38's in a .357 unless you have extra cash in your pocket when you buy ammo and you need to lighten your wallet by buying more expensive .357 rounds.
It's not as if .38 ammo is cheap. Both .38 & .357 are plenty costly.
Last year I bought 1,500 rounds of .357 online at a price that's only about 4 cents a round more than it would have cost for WWB .38s at Walmart (assuming Walmart actually had any in stock). For that extra 13% or so in price, I got about 3 times the muzzle energy, providing a serious kick instead of a powder puff load.
You have a fully valid point about using .38s in tiny revolvers, where .357 would be a brutal endurance contest.
In my case that's not much of an issue. My Ruger GP100 is just under a foot long and weighs just under 3 pounds. It's built like a tank and was truly made to fire .357 Magnum with the weight needed to soak up recoil and make such shooting fun.
If one really wants to save money they should fire .22s, which is why I bought a .22 pistol last year. Really fun and at 3 cents a round I feel no inhibition about firing as fast as they can!
It's not as if .38 ammo is cheap. Both .38 & .357 are plenty costly.
Last year I bought 1,500 rounds of .357 online at a price that's only about 4 cents a round more than it would have cost for WWB .38s at Walmart (assuming Walmart actually had any in stock). For that extra 13% or so in price, I got about 3 times the muzzle energy, providing a serious kick instead of a powder puff load.
You have a fully valid point about using .38s in tiny revolvers, where .357 would be a brutal endurance contest.
In my case that's not much of an issue. My Ruger GP100 is just under a foot long and weighs just under 3 pounds. It's built like a tank and was truly made to fire .357 Magnum with the weight needed to soak up recoil and make such shooting fun.
If one really wants to save money they should fire .22s, which is why I bought a .22 pistol last year. Really fun and at 3 cents a round I feel no inhibition about firing as fast as they can!
Stainz
Member
As to currently available SP101's, the KSP-821X is a 2.25" fixed sight 5-shot .38 Special; the KSP-321X is the same thing in .357 Magnum - both were $607 MSRP on pg 69 of their 2010 catalog. It is my understanding that the requirement by some security guard companies is .38 Special only. The 4" 10, 64, & 67 are still available from S&W in .38 Special mid-frame size, too - same rationale - security guard use. Heck, when S&W only makes Star Trek 'phasers', they'll probably still make the Model 10.
Stainz
PS I bought .357M's - like my 627's - because on one makes an eight-shooter .38! I reload - and shoot lots of .357M's - at .38 Special levels.
Stainz
PS I bought .357M's - like my 627's - because on one makes an eight-shooter .38! I reload - and shoot lots of .357M's - at .38 Special levels.
2WheelsGood
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A few have mentioned this. This sounds like the most plausible answer to my original question. It never occurred to me, but it makes a lot of sense.
dogngun
Member
Back when police were still using revolvers,
some departments had regs prohibiting .357 magnums-Ruger made some of the Police Service Six series in .38 Spl for duty use, and I am sure others did and still do for this reason...as the man said earlier, it is about sales...
I also really agree about shooting any "airweight" .357 magnum...I did it once, and am not anxious to do it again. I don't even like lightweight .38Spl revolvers-for me they are hard to shoot well ,especially for a followup shot.
My old hands can't take that kind of punishment any more...
My regular carry revolver is a Rossi 462 6 shot stainless that weighs 26 oz.
Very comfortable and accurate.
mark
some departments had regs prohibiting .357 magnums-Ruger made some of the Police Service Six series in .38 Spl for duty use, and I am sure others did and still do for this reason...as the man said earlier, it is about sales...
I also really agree about shooting any "airweight" .357 magnum...I did it once, and am not anxious to do it again. I don't even like lightweight .38Spl revolvers-for me they are hard to shoot well ,especially for a followup shot.
My old hands can't take that kind of punishment any more...
My regular carry revolver is a Rossi 462 6 shot stainless that weighs 26 oz.
Very comfortable and accurate.
mark
Dr-Science
Member
From my knowledge, a "crud ring" builds when firing (shorter) 38 rounds through a 357. Just requires a little cleaning before trying to push 357s through it.
NJ Shooter
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I'll second .357 cases loaded to .38 special, the carbon ring that builds up is one p.i.t.a.
Takes as long to remove as I spent shooting at the range.
MIL-DOT
member
So, roughly how many rounds of .38 does it take before the build-up becomes an issue with .357's ?
I'm planning on taking my GP100 out today,but I don't think I've ever run a single .357 through it
.
But it hasn't had but maybe three boxes of .38's run through it. It's been cleaned, but I don't think i paid any extra attention to the chambers.
Am I cool to go bust a box of .357's , or should I give the cylinders a good scrubbing first ?
(sorry for the stupid question)
I'm planning on taking my GP100 out today,but I don't think I've ever run a single .357 through it
.But it hasn't had but maybe three boxes of .38's run through it. It's been cleaned, but I don't think i paid any extra attention to the chambers.
Am I cool to go bust a box of .357's , or should I give the cylinders a good scrubbing first ?
(sorry for the stupid question)
2WheelsGood
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Depends largely on how dirty your ammo is. Try it at home before you leave. Try loading the gun with .357, and if they won't insert all the way into the cylinder, clean it until they do. As long as they go all the way into the cylinder, you're good to go.
MIL-DOT
member
Ah, that makes sense. Thanks,guys. 
DrLaw
Member
None whatsoever
For many years I have had revolvers, since that was all I was allowed to carry as an officer.
For just as many years I have shot .38 Special out of .357's with no observable problems. I used my L-frame for years in competition using .38's and it is just as accurate now as it was then, even after pushing some .357's through it as well.
As another person said, you need to keep the cylinder clean, but you have to clean any guns if you want to keep them running year after year after year.
No, go on an shoot .38's in a .357. It is fun, not as much recoil, and easier on the wallet (especially if you reload). Everything shooting should be about.
Oh, and if you don't reload now, get one of the Lee Loaders, the manual ones that have everything in a little box, and start having fun learning how to reload. When you then get into it big time, then get a press and sell the loader. That's the way I started, 30 years ago.
The Doc is out now.
For many years I have had revolvers, since that was all I was allowed to carry as an officer.
For just as many years I have shot .38 Special out of .357's with no observable problems. I used my L-frame for years in competition using .38's and it is just as accurate now as it was then, even after pushing some .357's through it as well.
As another person said, you need to keep the cylinder clean, but you have to clean any guns if you want to keep them running year after year after year.
No, go on an shoot .38's in a .357. It is fun, not as much recoil, and easier on the wallet (especially if you reload). Everything shooting should be about.
Oh, and if you don't reload now, get one of the Lee Loaders, the manual ones that have everything in a little box, and start having fun learning how to reload. When you then get into it big time, then get a press and sell the loader. That's the way I started, 30 years ago.
The Doc is out now.
shootingthebreeze
Member
No there is no disadvantage; I have fired .38 at the range through my Rossi stainless steel snub for years to include .357 loads as well. Never had any problems. What is nice is having the choice of firing either .38 or .357 in one handgun.
NMGonzo
Member
.380 by the bedside, 357 for ambling outside the household.
Flint Ridge
Member
Cleaning the .38 rings in teh .357's I simple take a .40 cal brush an old cleaning rod, soak the cylinders. Then place the rod in a cordless drill, swing open cylinder and gently place in chamber of one away from frame, hold cylinder as if reloading (2 fingers through frame) hold firmly, spool up the speed on the cordless, and move in and out a little. Repeat with each cylinder keeping it away from the frame. I've done this a lot and it just takes a couple of minutes and is highly effective.
HelterSkelter
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i carry a .357. i shoot .38s for target practice because they are cheaper, but they are not the greatest defensive round. i have seen and heard of too many people walking away from a .38 special hit. if i'm going to be defending my life i don't want there to be any chance someone is not going down on the first hit. the mythical blinding flash and deafening blast i have not yet witnessed and i have shot my snubnoses with hot and heavy loads without protecion at night to see what it was like. it was no more deafening or blinding than .38s to me.
buy a .357 and you can use the .38s for practice and the .357s for carry. the .357 kick isn't as bad as most people tell you. i am 5'9" and 145lbs and i can handle hot and heavy .357s all day. just shoot them a while and you get used to it like any round. if you keep in mind it's not a 9mm so there's gonna be a little kick you will be fine and have no complaints.
buy a .357 and you can use the .38s for practice and the .357s for carry. the .357 kick isn't as bad as most people tell you. i am 5'9" and 145lbs and i can handle hot and heavy .357s all day. just shoot them a while and you get used to it like any round. if you keep in mind it's not a 9mm so there's gonna be a little kick you will be fine and have no complaints.
easyrider604
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IMO, no disadvantage shooting 38s vs. 357.
You should clean your revolver, once in a while anyways, so just brush all thechambers. If ever the chambers erodes preventing the ejection of .357 brass, I will just reload .38 spl brass to close to .357 velocities/pressure.
After all the first .357 magnum was developed using .38 spl brass. So erosion is no biggie for me.
You should clean your revolver, once in a while anyways, so just brush all thechambers. If ever the chambers erodes preventing the ejection of .357 brass, I will just reload .38 spl brass to close to .357 velocities/pressure.
After all the first .357 magnum was developed using .38 spl brass. So erosion is no biggie for me.
BigN
Member
Seems to me that when you buy a 357 opposed to just a 38, you get two guns for the price of one. That in itself is reason enough for me. If you don't want to shoot 38's out of it, then don't, but my point is, if you want to, you can...
ill always buy the .357 over the .38spl just because the .357 holds its value better around here and can be sold quicker if you eer happen to need cash bad. (having said that id need cash REALLY bad to get rid of one)
the biggest disadvantage that i can see is that whenever i want to shoot my .357 i have to ask where it is cause my wife shoots the heck out of it with .38s in it. she likes shooting 357s out my dads 6" barrel blackhawk but hates them out of my 3" barrel 65
the biggest disadvantage that i can see is that whenever i want to shoot my .357 i have to ask where it is cause my wife shoots the heck out of it with .38s in it. she likes shooting 357s out my dads 6" barrel blackhawk but hates them out of my 3" barrel 65
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