.357Mag vs .38Special, what's the power difference?

T

twoblink

New member
I had a quick question. What's the biggest difference between the .357Mag vs. the .38 special?

Or more precisely, will I lose that much stopping power going from a .357Mag to a .38 Special?

Looking at a wheel gun, and although the .38Special is smaller and lighter, as a home defense gun, am I losing all that much? Or should I go with the .357Mag?

Albert
 
I have 2 S7W J-frames: a .38 model 342ti and a .357 model 60. I'm not sure exactly how you want me to quantify the power difference. What I can say is that the .357 definately kicks more, and that I'd prefer to be shot with neither. Keep in mind that strong .38 loads will approach the power of downloaded .357's (the .357 essentially a "long" .38).

If you're looking at an all steel gun, I'd go with the .357 (I like the model 60, but the SP101 is nice too although bigger and heavier). It's only slightly more weight, and the added power and strength is nice. However, if you're looking at an alloy or titanium gun, the reduced power of the .38 isn't much to pay for the reduced weight.

The long and short of it is: carry as much power as you can. I'd rather have a .25 in my pocket than a .50 in a safe when I need it. If you don't mind the extra heft of the .357, get one. If you don't think you'll carry it because of the weight, get one of the alloy or titanium .38's.
 
I'll add a few cents here...

For concealed carry, a lightweight .38 (like the S&W model 642) is nice. Easy to carry -- slips in a pocket. On the downside, it's not much fun to shoot with 158 gr .38 +P. And even with light loads, it is not what I'd want to take for a day of plinking at the range.

A 3" model 60 is heavier and longer. Fine for a holster, but won't fit in a pocket. It has real sights, so it's a decent plinker. Fine with .38 loads. Not much fun with hot .357 loads. Might be a reasonable compromise to act as both a house gun and carry gun. Same can be said for a 3" sp101.

A 4" model 66 is too big for easy concealed carry. Great as a plinker and a house gun. A pussycat with .38 loads. I still don't enjoy it with .357 loads.

My way of compromising was to get one of each :)

Jared
 
For a home defense (non-carry) gun, weight's not that big an issue. A 4" barrel is handy in either chambering. Note that if you buy a .357 you can shoot .38s in it but not the other way round.

If you consult the Marshall & Sanow stopping power index, a .38 Special with +P ammo has a best-case 78% probability of one-shot stops. A .357 mag has over 90%.

The Fackler data says expansion of JHPs is about equal but the .38 only penetrates about 10 inches while the .357 goes in 18 - 19 inches.

You could look at footpounds of energy for like weights of bullet. I don't have that data in front of me but if memory serves, the .38 has about 200 - 230 fpe at the mussle and the .357 has about 370 - 425.

Of course, your mileage may vary; if you're a Deadeye Dick, a .38 in your hands is more effective than a .44 mag in the hands of a lousy shot. Lots of people have stopped bad guys with a .38. My advice, though is to buy a .357, and if the recoil/muzzle blast of a full power load bothers you, shoot .38s in it. If nothing else, the .357 should have better resale value if you ever decide to sell.
 
Many of you (TFL in general) seem to love the 357 for home defense, but do not like the fact that a slug can go through the person into sometthing and someone else. Muzzle flash is bad and the noise excessive. Should he buy the 357 and load 38's for home and 357 for carry?
 
I like and carry J frame .38 spec, have for nearly 35 years. My primary carry is now 2.5" 686 in .357mag. If intruder comin through my house wearin Navy pea coat or similar, I want to be able to stop him without needing the head shot. Cor-Bon flash is kind to night vision, noise is a price to pay but damage will be done in a home shoot regardless of caliber.

Overpenetration will be the result of a miss with any handgun using defensive loads. Just don't shoot till you are shure of the situation and the target.

Some tailor their carry rounds to match the weather and the likely clothing a perp would wear. When on the left coast my carry rounds WILL penetrate my car door from the inside AND stop the carjacker if necessary. That is not overpenetration, it is adequate penetration. Yes, .357 with old fashioned hot loads is rather loud when fired from within the vehicle with the windows closed. But that is a small price to pay considering the alternatives.

I am old and small but double taps from the 686 snubbie still hit bout two inches apart at 7 yds. Dont target shoot any more so that is close enough for me.

sam
 
If you're interested in raw stopping power, clearly the .357 in defensive loadings will be significantly better than the .38Sp. OTOH, you can probably survive just fine in virtually all defensive encounters with a .38Sp. IMO, for a house gun, I'd go for the .357. Since you can shoot .38Sp in the gun, you have your choice, and size isn't a significant issue for a house gun. Another benefit is that the heavier .357 will make shooting .38Sp like plinking with a .22.
 
A real .357 is very good at dropping bears while a .38 would tend to piss them off. about 500+ fps diff. with the same weight bullet. Many .357s now are not made to handle .357 loads though. If its not on a 44/45 frame its not a real .357. :)just a +P in a mag case.
 
Where can I find the Marshall and Sanow index??

I was looking at the Taurus 617, 7 shot .357Mag. I guess if it's not too big, then I can get that, and shoot .38SP out of it if the .357Mag is a bit heavy...

I would probably shoot a few at the range in .38Sp, but load it with .357Mags at home.

Thanks,
Albert
 
Hube and Twoblink,

I have three .357/.38 Special revolvers, two stainless "N" Frame S&W 627s (five-inch barrel with full underlug) and a stainless Ruger KGP-141 (the four-inch barrel , full underlug, GP-100). They are all excellent sidearms -- very accurate, unbelievable reliable and durable, with outstanding design and manufacturing quality.

They (currently the Ruger) are my daily self-defense weapons. I would -- and do -- trust my life and my family's to them; there can be no higher praise, particularly when I also own Sigs, Glocks, Kimbers, and Colts, which I could use as my primary defensive handgun just by removing them from the safe.

Here's why I trust them:
> I (a non-LEO) believe it is most unlikely that I will ever be involved in a grave, immediate defensive scenario that will demand more than six rounds.
> While the reliability of my autoloaders (Sigs and Glocks, for example) is superb, I believe there is even a smaller chance of a failure-to-fire, a jam, or any other mechanical problem with a high-quality, well-maintained revolver.
> I routinely achieve tight groups a 50+ feet with these revolvers.

During the summer, I carry 158 grain, .357 magnum HydraShoks; in the winter, I change this to 125 gain, .357 magnum Cor-Bon loads. I do this to ensure expansion and penetration with through seasonal clothing.

I feel VERY well protected by these handgun/ammo combinations: They are proven, immediate "stoppers", even through home or automotive "barriers".

Certainly, muzzle flash, noise, and over-penetration are issues. However, I will never fire in defense unless this situation is exceptionally dire and urgent. Under those circumstances, I must address "first things first"; preservation of my life and my family's is vastly more important than any other concerns.

The .357 magnum provides this type of superior self-protection. Simply stated the .38 Special, and most other handguns, cannot.



[This message has been edited by RWK (edited August 11, 2000).]
 
PreserveFreedom got it right... BOOM vs. pop

If you want to know the difference, stand in the next lane while somebody shoots a .38 special snubby. Listen to them shoot 6 rounds.

Stand in the same spot while somebody shoots a .357magnum with a 2 1/2" barrel. FEEL the difference...

The .357 will look like the freakin' Space Shuttle taking off on a mission--flames and pressure and vibration everywhere. By comparison, the .38 will just seem like another pistol.

The topic question was "what's the power difference?" The power difference is like lighting a room with a 70 watt bulb vs. a Tungsten spot light.

Whether or not you need that much power in your hand depends on whether or not you can put the .38 where it needs to go when it needs to get there. If you can, fine. If not, the .357 is going to do damage wherever it hits...

------------------
Take the long way home...
 
A related question: how much power in terms of energy or stopping power does +P ammo add? And what exactly is +P ammo? A faster burning powder? More powder?
 
I guess you all have confirmed what I was thinking, and that is get a .357Mag. I can shoot .38Specials at the range, and then shoot .357Mags as defensive.

I am not too sure about the +P question, but I assume there is some sort of standard in terms of propellents in terms of ft-lbs of torque produced per ounce of a given propellent. I'm sure it's some ratio like that.

Seems like the .357Mags got some serious track record as far as "man stoppage".

I live in an apartment (VERY thinly walled) of course, the protection of myself and my family comes first, but I do want to keep that fact in mind. I have a .22 and I'm not too scared to use that, but a .357Mag WILL go through a few walls.

Has anyway tried the BeeSafe Ammo from Corbon? That stuff is expensive!!! But I assume that the prefrag will turn your pistol into a mini shotgun...

Shoot safe, going to the range today!! Yeah!
 
+P is a relative pressure designation. It has no direct bearing on projectile performance. IE; 158gr slug in front of a hot charge of Bullseye may be a high pressure load (+P) while the same velocity may be obtained at much lower pressure with Unique. One is a +P load and the other is moderate yet the velocity and muzzle energy may be the same.

Suggest that if you are going to carry .357mag, practice some of the time with a load that gives the same recoil. That way you don't get suprised when you launch a laws rocket in the heat of battle.

Like Gremlin said above, full house out of a 2.5" .357mag is a roaring smoking flaming recoiling wonder. Good bowling pin killer is 180gr at bout 1300fps, ruins the pin and gets everybody's attention. Even the 10mm shooters will notice.

Sam
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top