.38 Super in a .38 spl.

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The first time I ran Super .38 through a M36..

... was in the late 1970s or early 1980s, as I recall. It was much like running +p ammo.

I didn't do it constantly, as I felt the increased pressure would accelerate wear on the revolver - the cylinder play, mostly. However, much to the disappointment of several local experts, the revolver never did blow up.

As mentioned, some Super .38 will chamber in some .38 Special revolvers and some will not.

For the record, Smith & Wesson - and I'm sure all the other makers - regard this as improper and probably voids the warranty. No doubt the idea gives some manufacturing administrators the vapours.

I've never tried it, but I really don't think it would demolish a S&W K frame chambered in .38 S&W. (I've got an old, sawn off Victory model I may use in experiment.)

Still, it's been done for quite some time. By the way, I didn't get the idea on my own; some older and more experienced shooters told me about it.

Still, I suggest everyone follow the dictates of their own best judgement in the matter.
 
I know you can do it in a 38/44 but why waste a perfectly good 38 Super in a 38 Special.

If I did not own a 38 Super, my first thought would be how stupid could I be to have 38 Super ammo and not gun for it, and my second thought would be go buy a 38 Super Baer! (Which I did, 3 times now...)

Remember decent 38 Super ammo is 130 grns at 1300 fps. That is a big step up from a 38 Special (158 grns at 900 fps) but in the ballpark of a 38/44 (158 @ 1100 fps).
 
This is why I shoot at a private range, and even then I prefer to go there on days where I know it will be empty. it's sad, but too many people shooting at a range are ignorant fools. I like to shoot alone. don't wanna be around some idiot with a gun.
 
...ignorant fools...
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Ignorance is educable (and we all start there, don't we?)

Fools...? Well, those are the ignorant ones who refuse education.
(And yes we've all met them.)

But in general I find the former more than the latter, and in general
they welcome the gentle counsel of experience... especially that which
allows them to look smarter afterwards.

As an RSO I've seem more than my share of people & guns. Most all are
good people. (Though I'll admit that men trying to teach their women
to shoot get's to be sensitive when the guys are high in testosterone and
low on knowledge. Then it's all about attitude, particularly in how one approaches it.)
 
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Don't they still put that leeetle warning on ammo about "use only in firearms in good condition, originally chambered for this cartridge"?

Seems like they used to...

and no, Stupid/willful ignorance cannot be fixed by anyone except the person doing it.

and yes, I am also of the opinion that stupid should hurt...
 
I am also of the opinion that stupid should hurt
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Unfortunately, it's not guaranteed it will be the stupid who gets hurt.
Call me paranoid, but I check out the other folks at the range before even unpacking gear.
If there's anything objectionable going on, I wait them out, until they leave.
One of the unintended consequences of the current ammo shortages and high prices is that most folks don't stay long.
 
Unfortunately, it's not guaranteed it will be the stupid who gets hurt.
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fully agree. Prudence is not paranoia.

But stupid should hurt. I stand by the principle, even though the real world allows for something quite different a lot of the time.
 
You can probably chamber a .410 Weatherby magnun in a cheep .410 single barrel shotgun, doesn't mean you should do it. Whats the issue with shooting the proper ammo in a gun?
 
My reload manual show the case diameter of a 38 super is .005" larger than a 38 Spl. (.384 vs .379) So some guns it might fit, some it might not. The Bullet diameter is actually smaller in the super by .002", (.356 vs .358), which might make it slide down the barrel easier causing less pressure.

The case pressure for the super can be about 36,000. In some .357Mag rounds it can be about 43,000. So in theory a 357mag revolver should be able to take the pressures of a 38 super if you can make it fit. In a 38Spl revolver, one would expect serious problems.
 
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Ignorance is educable (and we all start there, don't we?)

Fools...? Well, those are the ignorant ones who refuse education.
(And yes we've all met them.)

But in general I find the former more than the latter, and in general
they welcome the gentle counsel of experience... especially that which
allows them to look smarter afterwards.

As an RSO I've seem more than my share of people & guns. Most all are
good people. (Though I'll admit that men trying to teach their women
to shoot get's to be sensitive when the guys are high in testosterone and
low on knowledge. Then it's all about attitude, particularly in how one approaches it.)
Click to expand...

The ranges near me have no range officers. And what I have seen would scare you. Last time I went when there were people there, there was an older guy, looked like a Vietnam vet, wearing fatigues and shouting Asain ethnic slurs at the targets he was shooting. Another day there were two guys who walked up. One was the "teacher" who was showing his "student" how to load his Glock. He turned the gun in his hand and I was staring down the barrel. Then there are the out of stater's (I used to be one) who are busting caps gangsta style. And can't forget the family of four where the two kids, aged 8-12 years, who began fighting over who gets to shoot the .45 as the father tries to figure out how to load his pistol grip shotgun and the mother texted on her iPhone.

And it's not only them. The residents aren't much better. Guys who have a family tree that looks like a telephone pole. Been around guns their whole lives but obviously were taught by people who knew no better than they did.

Nah. better to leave and come back when they aren't there. Just go to youtube and see the videos that are posted. half those idiots shouldn't have a gun.
 
Homerboy said:
The ranges near me have no range officers. And what I have seen would scare you. Last time I went when there were people there, there was an older guy, looked like a Vietnam vet, wearing fatigues and shouting Asain ethnic slurs at the targets he was shooting. Another day there were two guys who walked up. One was the "teacher" who was showing his "student" how to load his Glock. He turned the gun in his hand and I was staring down the barrel. Then there are the out of stater's (I used to be one) who are busting caps gangsta style. And can't forget the family of four where the two kids, aged 8-12 years, who began fighting over who gets to shoot the .45 as the father tries to figure out how to load his pistol grip shotgun and the mother texted on her iPhone.

And it's not only them. The residents aren't much better. Guys who have a family tree that looks like a telephone pole. Been around guns their whole lives but obviously were taught by people who knew no better than they did.

Nah. better to leave and come back when they aren't there. Just go to youtube and see the videos that are posted. half those idiots shouldn't have a gun.
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I pull RSO duty at the range I work at and let me tell you... we pressured the owner in to purchasing vests for the RSO due to constant muzzle sweeps by people taking their Charlies Angels pose pictures. Had a broad try to do a selfie and almost put a round through the lane partition.
 
.38 special's maximum pressure, as per SAAMI, is 17,000 PSI.
.38 Spl +P, 18,500 PSI.
357 Magmun, 35,000 PSI.
38 Super, 36,500 PSI.
You do the math.
 
It seems to me that .38 Super in .38 spl/.357 mag should carry the same warning about firing .32 auto in .327 Fed Mag. Although both are semi-rimmed and will fit, fire, and mostly extract in the respective guns, it just doesn't seem like a good idea.

willr
 
Actually, the .327 Federal Magnum is rated at a lot higher pressure than the .32 ACP. The danger would be in firing .32 ACP (20,500 psi) in an old revolver chambered for .32 S&W (14,000 psi).

Jim
 
If he'd had a Ruger the barrel would have been able to point him to the owners manual which could have warned him about that.
 
so methinks his 38 special might not have been a 38 special. 38 super chamber pressure is well into "proof load" for 38 special.
 
Most proof loads run about 150% of MAP; .38 Super MAP is 200% of .38 Special.

But most modern guns will not only take proof pressures (after all, the idea is to test guns, not blow them all up) but, fortunately for many reloaders, a lot more.

Jim
 
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