.38 special popularity

Z

ZVP

New member
Todays trend towards "carry" guns has brought both the .380 and .38 Special into a new spotlight!
The .30 has it's following mainly becuse of the trim, slender semi-autos that shoot it but it falls behind in basic bullet weight.
Generally speaking the .38 Special launches a basic 158 gr RNlead bullet with 148 gr full wadcutters and some 30-ish weight FMJloads. This places it way ahead of the 380, .38 S&W and .38 Long Colt.
Most lightweight frame revolvers today are even +P rated! A huge advance.
The basic .38 Special loading fired from either a Snubbie or a 4" makes for an ideal self defense gun. The small dimensions of the "J" Frame S&W's make them ideal carry guns and a "K" or "L" framed revolver makes a dandy service revolver or HD, and trailmate. The meduim framed guns of many makes have hung on Police and Security belts for decades!
Why? Because the .38 Special simply works! It has proven it's worth inshootouts and given yeomans service with it's fight stopping capibilities.
For years I desired a Model 36 and somehow the money always got spent on something else and I ended up carrying a lesser caliber for self/Home Defense A deal came up about a year ago and the stars were in the right orbits and I bought it! I haven't looked back since and now have 4 guns in the caliber!
Reloading-wise the cartrige is economical as it uses the Small Pistol Primers and case volume needed is nearly minimal to maintain basic SAMMI Standards. Bullet-wise the reloader has a good variety of designs to choose from and the basic LRN and LSWC are accurate and lethal. Jacketed RN and JHP's in different weights allow the handloader to taylor custom ammo of his choice.
Factory .38 Special loads are quite varied and those owners of adjustable sight revolvers have a lot to play with.
All my .38 SSpecials are Fixed Sight guns and I have found favor with the Remington LRN 158 gr load and with handloads, a 158gr LSWC does the trick.
For a cartige dating back to the beginning of the last century, I cannot find fault with the .38 Special, and with the literal flood of renewed and new models from different manufacturers, it appears I am not alone!
ZVP
ZVP
 
This places it way ahead of the 380
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I wouldn't say way ahead. Considering most people using the .38 special are firing them from a 1 7/8" barrel, you are certainly not gaining the full potential of the round. As far as 158gr .38 specials, they just don't reach high enough speeds out of a snub to reliably expand compared to 125gr offerings when using HP ammunition, especially when fired out of a 1 7/8" barrel.

I have come to the conclusion that the gap between the performance of the .38 special out of a snub and a .380 pocket pistol is small enough where the extra capacity, smaller size, and faster reloads with a .380 outweighs the slight advantage of the .38 special.

Considering small .38 snubs hold 5 rounds, and the average .380 pocket pistol carries 6+1 for a total of 7, the .380 has a round capacity 40% greater than the .38 snub. When you are talking about limited capacity pistols, that's a pretty big difference.

Now I think both are great choices. My EDC for around 3 years was a .38 special J frame, but lately I have switched over to the .380 mainly due to the smaller size and larger capacity.
 
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The old 158 LRN is one of the least efficient/effective bullets in the caliber, not to be recommended for defensive use, if you were considering them.
Would not go with the 148 wadcutters for that type of use, either.
Denis
 
I believe the 3" barrel is where you get the most out of the +P rated .38 spl ammo as the felt recoil will be reduced. The longer barrel also gives you an increased sight length. It's still easily concealable IWB although not for pocket carry. I'd like to own a .38 with a 3" barrel for summer carry and will when funds permit.
 
the 38 special truly is leaps and bounds ahead of the .380. the most easily found ammunition at the moment at wally mart in either caliber is hydrashok. Not exactly the most up todate bullet. but ive seen that when the 38 special versions open, they still have that important thing called penetration.
 



These are a couple of bullets I cast for my Colt Cobra 2", the hollow point was shot into gallon jugs of water with the Colt. I also like the wadcutter for SD.
 
I shoot the Speer 135-gr. Gold Dot +P HP out of my S&W 042.

When shot into water at about 15 feet I found that bullets were expanding to almost .50 caliber and penetration was on the order of 16 or more inches.
 
.38 Special is like a Ford Taurus or other boring, yet very functional and pragmatic car. It's not sexy, nor will your friends be wowed by it. They're probably spanking it to the latest wiz-bang cartridge to come out (357 Sig, 5.7x28mm, 45GAP or whatever). But you're going to be just fine armed with a .38.
 
Maybe it's just me...

... but I must be too old to grasp the allure of the new, Johnny-come-lately boutique calibers. Seems to me they're mostly marketing gimmicks. They don't do a single thing better than the established calibers like 38spl, 9mm or 45acp that I can see.

Same can be said for the nutty proliferation of rifle calibers.

Oh, yeah. While I'm at it, "Hey you kids! Get off my lawn!" ;)
 
Most know Elmer Keith for the .44magnum.
He shot the .38 extensively also.
I believe what he said, and my own experience
reflects it.
 
I wouldn't say way ahead. Considering most people using the .38 special are firing them from a 1 7/8" barrel, you are certainly not gaining the full potential of the round.
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You're not going to be getting the full potential from a .380 fired from the short barrels of guns like a Ruger LCP, Kel-Tec P3AT, Taurus TCP, or Sig P238 either. Most advertised .380 velocities are from 3.75-4" barrels but the subcompact .380's which seem to be so popular these days almost all use barrels under 3".

As far as 158gr .38 specials, they just don't reach high enough speeds out of a snub to reliably expand compared to 125gr offerings when using HP ammunition, especially when fired out of a 1 7/8" barrel.
Click to expand...

It depends on what type of bullet you're using. Something with a soft all-lead bullet like Remington's 158gr LSWCHP +P expands quite well even at the reduced velocities obtained from a snub.

On the other hand, due to it's light weight, even premium JHP loadings in .380 such as Winchester Ranger and PDX1, Speer Gold Dot, or Hornady Critical Defense often have trouble penetrating to 12" or more in ballistic gel. On the other hand, going with a heavier bullet like Remington's 102gr Golden Saber usually gives good penetration but unreliable expansion. It is because of this that many knowledgeable people recommend FMJ ammunition in .380 so that at least penetration is guaranteed.
 
I've always been a fan of the .38 Special, been shooting them for a long time and have no reservations about their capability.
 
It's darn popular were I'm at. S/E mich! I can barely find it on the shelves anywhere but .357, 9mm,380,40 etc up the whazoi
 
Thanks for all the posts guys!
There's a good deal of ideas to ponder in this thread mainly penetration. There is no doubt that a relatively heavy bullet moving at medium speed , will outpenetrate lighter JHPammo fired from a short barreled Semi-Auto. Even a 1 7/8" J frame shooting a 158 gr bullet has more penetration potential thanthe aforementioned light bullet short barrel .380.
I am sold on the heavier bullet theroy.
My favorite .38 revolver is a HB Model 10 but it is rather a large gun and normally requires an outside the pants belt holster. It's 4" barrel DOES make use of the additional barrel length to burn the powder and get the velocities up though!Fired from this venerable 4", todays High Preformance.38 Special ammo actually gets up to speeds where reliable expansion can be counted upon.
The trouble is most of us don't or can't always carry a 4" belt holster and opt for a "J" Frame. I am guilty as anyone else and carry a Model 36 Chiefs Special stoked with Speers XTP bulleted .38 Special ammo. With it, recoil is low as is Muzzle Flash and the high preformance Speer bullet is designed to preform from short barrels.
Noone can discount the advantage of the Semi-Auto .380's 6+1 capacity over a "J" frame's 5 shots that's for sure! Ya never know when those extra shots might be needed!
I'm still going to stick with my .38 Specials though, I just feel more comfortable with their bullet weights and penetration.
BPDave
 
I'd also suggest that part of the popularity is that it can be chambered in .357s.

A .357 snub can be a bear to shoot so the .38 becomes a cheaper, easier option at the range. That fact alone certainly helps the .38s popularity.

Besides that, it is simply a proven cartridge that works.
 
Something that has always been in the back of my mind with pocket carry is the lint and other crud getting into the gun, couple that with some 380s not being the most reliable feeding firearm. I feel more secure with a 38spl snubby.
 
One of the reasons it is popular with me is that with my cast bullets and hand loads, it is so much fun to plink, plink, plink (I have steel bowling pin targets at my home range), with. 125 grain cast, 3.0 Bullseye, fun inexpensive, unpretentious.
 
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