No 38s in 357s!

D

Dave T

New member
Before I start this, I know you CAN shoot 38 Sspecials in 357 Magnums. I also know that the vast majority of people who own 357 revolvers do just that. If you want to, like to or intend to - more power to you.

My point is, I don't like to shoot 38s in 357s. If nothing else the onerous cleaning of the chambers is a real pain, particularly if your 38 had lead bullets. Maybe this is from my days in the police academy when we trained with 38 wadcutters. My department allowed 357 magnums but provided 38 for training purposes. Those soft WCs really fouled the chambers.

For a number of years now, I only shoot Magnum cases in revolvers marked for the 357 Magnum cartridge. I have a Model 10 that is a delight to shoot, even with +P 38s and the chambers are cut to just the right depth.

Anyone else out there prefer shooting the "correct" ammunition out of these two popular 36 caliber revolvers?
 
Personal prefference,
I shoot 90 % lead 38's out of mine, just clean it real well, I've never had a problem with either long term buildup or accuracy.
 
When I first got my Python 15 years ago, a guy at the range said I shouldn't shoot .38s in the gun.

I didn't listen to him.

If I screw something up with my Python by using .38s, I'll only have myself to blame, but I don't think there'll be any problem. There hasn't been so far. It still chambers .357s.
DAL
 
I have been reloading almost as long as I have been shooting, and I load 357 cases to 38 spl data when I want reduced loads, for all the same reasons you listed. I have found that if you don't clean the gun REAL good after firing 38's through the 357 cylinder, the 357 cases will often stick, sometimes not extract, and occasionally not fully seat into the chamber. I rekon that could be a serious issue with a LEO that trains with 38 wadcutters and carries 357's.

Russ
 
I have owned 4 .357 revolvers in my arsenal. As long as you clean the chambers thoroughly, which is extremely easy BTW, there is absolutely no reason why you can't mix 38s and .357s. For example, Pythons are ESPECIALLY good for shooting 38s, and they LOVE wadcutters. I can't imagine a more accurate target revolver on the market, with the possible exception of a S&W blue K frame 6-inch chambered specifically for 38s.

justinr1
 
IF....
After shooting short cases AND while still at the range....
You chamber FIRED long cases, before reloading with mags....
Later clean up is a cinch, and no danger of overpressure with full load mags.

Works, and if you don't clean it the rest of the way, no biggie.

But...
If you regularly shoot short cases and carry magnums...
And don't clean the chambers at all...
Can get quite high pressure when firing mags due to inability/room to uncrimp and release the bullet.

.38...special, mag
.44...Russian, special, mag

Sam
 
I have shot 38 spcls in my 357s for years. It is an extra effort really get the crud out from the shorter 38 round, but it has to be done. Because I shoot a lot of 38spcl I started just shooting my 38 spcl chambered guns. Mod 15 in stead of Mod 19 and such. I love my Mod 19, 2 & 1/2 inch, but don't shoot it as much anymore. I just put up with the extra effort in cleaning it when I do.
 
I shoot .38 Specials in my .357 approximately 99.95% of the time!

I use .38 Special +P's for defense.

I've only used .357's on mountain hikes, camping, fishing in remote areas, and to see where they hit.
 
My grandfather always said not to shoot .22 shorts in a .22 LR chamber. The black powder in his younger days would eventually erode the front of the chamber, making it difficult, if not impossible, to chamber the .22 LR. We were also admonished not to dry fire, or "snap" a "real gun."

Unfortunately, that seems to have carried over to today's .38/.357 issue.

My .357s, three different guns over the years, have all fired 99 percent lead bullet .38 specials. I clean my guns after shooting, and I've never had any problems whatsoever in shooting full power .357 magnums.

No mechanical device will function perfectly if it isn't properly maimtained. Clean and lubricate your gun after you shoot it, and you can intermix .38s and .357 magnums 'til the cows come home and you'll never have a problem.
 
I'm selling my 357 magnum to get a 38. 357 magnum ammo is too expensive. Bad idea to practice with 38 & load 357 magnum for defense. I would only load a 357 magnum with 38 +P loads. So why not just get a 38 w/ barrel rated for +P? In addition to the rings in the cylinder. A 357 magnun is much heavier than a 38. Why carry a heavy 357 magnum loaded w/ 38 +P when I can carry a lighter 38 loaded w/ 38 +P.
 
The stories about older guns being ruined by shooting shorts in a long rifle gun are true. The steel used for chambers/barrels isnt even close to what we have today for guns and thats the main reason for the deterioration.
The same is true to a MUCH lesser extent today. The cylinders designed for 357 mags will be fine for a long time shooting 38's thru them if you clean you gun very well after each shooting.

Personally, I dont shoot 38's in my magnum snubbies. I just like 357's.
Shoot well
 
Mostly nonsense. I have fired thousands of rounds of wadcutters through my .357 revolvers and never experienced any problem loading .357 in them, even if I did let cleaning go for a while. When I do clean, I simply chuck a cleaning brush in the drill press and run the cylinder up on it.

Plus, a well polished chamber will not trap lead in the first place.

Jim
 
Jim- I think you may excessively polish the chambers putting that much power behind the brush.

Shooting .38s in a Magnum will not harm the gun. Good cleaning solves the build-up problem. However, other than plinking I suggest not doing it because accuracy and velocity drops off when shorter rounds are fired. For plinking no matter. For serious target or defense work I recommend 38s in a 38 for best performance.
 
.38 Special's?

Over the course of many years, I too have fired thousands
of hard cast .38 Special LSWC in all of my .357 magnums
without nary a problem. Currently, I use the 6" barrel Smith
& Wesson 686-5 to test my handloads; cleaning the bore
and each chamber really good, after I finish.

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member
 
I'll carry probably 3x .357s (for defense) & 3x .38 HBWCs in all my .357s - one of those dial-it-in for whatever you'll want type loadings.

I shoot probablly 95% .38 HBWCs in my .357s = target, practice, small game & general "fun stuff."

I've never paid any attention whatsoever regards extra cleaning after shooting .38s going to .357 mags - never.

Pythons or S&W 19/66s, doesn't/hasn't mattered ever. Sometimes it's a tad harder to chamber a .357 case after a prolonged .38 Special session, but I've just crammed/stuffed in the longer case & popped 'em off.

Far as "extra cleaning," Piffft! There's an amount of crud you have to jam out after any firing of your shooter. I just swab it all out - no matter .38 or .357 - seems the same & no diference between the two.
 
Agree with Dave T. The electric drill idea is interesting but my case worker won't let me near any power tools or pointy things.;)
 
agree w/Dave T...

although not because I'm worried about fouling. I have several revolvers and only shoot about 50 rounds a year thru each. I practice with exactly the same ammo I load them with for self-defense/hunting/etc. This way I'm used to the way the ammo shoots and my accuracy is maintained from one gun to the other.
While occassionally I may shoot 200 rounds thru one a year, the added expense isn't enough for me to justify going to .38's and having to readjust the way I shoot.
 
I love shooting my .357. The .38 just doesn't give me that thrill. I have a S&W 686 that I bought in 1986 and it is a tack driver with .357 rounds. Most of my guns are semi-auto but my .357 is the most fun to shoot. Been looking at the Ruger GP 100 series and think I need another soon.
 
>>Plus, a well polished chamber will not trap lead in the first place.

Exactly. This is a non-issue as far as I'm concerned.

justinr1
 
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