Probably a terrible idea, but I am curious... mixing .38/.357

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Never would I mix my loads for every day street carry. The exception to that would be when I am carrying in the woods. I keep a round of snake shot for the first cylinder due to cotton mounts around the creeks, rivers, and ponds. I also keep a few extra snake shot rounds in an ammo wallet incase there are others. The other threats are usualy hogs, or dogs. I keep the other 5 cylinders loaded with standard rounds for the hogs. I have a can of pepper spray for the dogs.

I know a couple of retired LEO's that say back in the day they were given .38 Special for the range. .357 Mag for the streets. If they shot up the .357 Mag on the range they had to buy more for carry. They were required by the department to carry the .357 Mag ammo. This was in the very early 1980's.
 
Don't carry for defense

but do have a .357 I practice with .38 cause they're cheaper. Also easier when introducing new shooters.
I do recall the reasoning raised above for "candy caning" a shotgun load for self defense. Presented in an article by a store owner who'd been involved in a robbery. You don't get much chance to aim your first shot so 9 pellets gives you greater odds of a hit than one projectile when you just have time to point and shoot. After that the encounter often moves to cover so you get to aim and the added penetration allows shooting through walls and such.
Wish I could find the story. He ended up paralyzing the crook who then tried to sue him.
 
9 pellets gives you greater odds of a hit than one projectile when you just have time to point and shoot
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At typical SD distances, shotgun pellets just don't open up all that much - even with short, unchoked barrels.
 
It's a bad idea. Differing amounts of recoil is going to make for some awkward follow up shots, probably worse accuracy and speed than if you just loaded .357 mag even if it's a little "much" for the shooter.

I've thought about having magazines with alternating HP and FMJ rounds, loaded with the same weight to the same velocity. To potentially have a more versatile HD weapon but it's often a bad idea to mix any kind of ammo, unless you absolutely need to.
 
This thought has also crossed my mind at some point. Along with the problems listed above, there is also no solid way of knowing which of the six bullets are which if alternated, especially if you were in a hurry or stressful situation. A wheel full of .38 for the first 5 rounds and having a .357 as the last and sixth shot sounds kind of enticing, but there really is no practical reason for this. Even if practiced in this particular sequence, a set-up like this would likely have a hard time earning any merit.
 
A wheel full of .38 for the first 5 rounds and having a .357 as the last and sixth shot sounds kind of enticing, but there really is no practical reason for this. Even if practiced in this particular sequence, a set-up like this would likely have a hard time earning any merit.
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I can just see a prosecutor or plaintiff attorney laying their ears back on this - can you say "coup de grace" round? They sure can.
 
I can just see a prosecutor or plaintiff attorney laying their ears back on this - can you say "coup de grace" round? They sure can.
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They could make this argument.

But the shooter's defense could easily make the argument that the .357 round was merely used to indicate that the defendant had just shot his last round, and that it was time to reload (a louder report and a harsher recoil = that was the sixth round).
 
This sort of fascination with mixing loads is common, but it's a bad idea. Think about what the requirements of your situation are, find a load that best meets them and then stick to it. The last thing you need in a tense situation is a gun that reacts differently every time you pull the trigger.
 
But the shooter's defense could easily make the argument that the .357 round was merely used to indicate that the defendant had just shot his last round, and that it was time to reload (a louder report and a harsher recoil = that was the sixth round).
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It also indicates to the target that you can't shoot worth a darn and you are out so time to shoot at you. :D Kind of like the Garand ping stories.

Natman has it correct.
 
But the shooter's defense could easily make the argument that the .357 round was merely used to indicate that the defendant had just shot his last round, and that it was time to reload (a louder report and a harsher recoil = that was the sixth round).
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That's pretty tenuous, to say the least. And why put yourself into the position of having to explain all of this in the first place?
 
I think it is safe to say that the question asked in the OP was answered by the consensus that it isn't wisest to carry mixed loads in your carry gun...

Brent
 
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