why did police depts require .38 Special over .357

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Doug.38PR

Moderator
Why did certain police departments require .38 ammo over .357. Most have told me due to overpenetration? (Some have told me that is just bunk that old police instructors used to spout) :confused:

Personally, I'd prefer .38 because .357 is so LOUD :eek: I can empty 3 boxes of .38s at the range easy. But a half a box of .357s wear me out from just the muzzel flash (and my M28 is a 6 inch barrel) not to mention the noise (and I'm wearing ear protection) Recoil also would be a problem. Why wouldn't .38 or .38+P be sufficient? I'd hate to go into a house and fire off a .357 at a criminal. Screetching pain for my eardrums. :eek:
 
Control, too.

Back when I was a humble but lovable Border 'Troll, we could carry a 'concealed weapon' of our own purchase. However, if the revolver (all there was in those days) was a .357 Magnum, we were required to carry .38 Special ammunition in it. The staff officer at HQ who wrote that particular bit of sillyness was a man who didn't like guns, couldn't shoot well and didn't believe anyone could properly control a 2.5" barrelled Model 19 with magnum loads. No matter how you qualified.

From the same genius who banned speedloaders and required snap-off loops for spare ammunition.
 
Fear of change, ignorance and cost factors had a lot to do with it. Then the average officer had problems qualifying with magnums. Qualification shoots were routinuely done with wadcutters. My first department allowed us to carry .357s, but the personnel manual told us we would be disciplined or terminated if we used anything better than +P .38s. Some departments insisted on staying with those godawful, bottom heavy factory grips that once came on Smith and Wessons. One's hand would ride completely up the topstrap around round three or four with .357s.

I suspect the reason why departments finally embraced autoloaders is that qualification scores with the 9mm were usually higher. The cost of 9mm ammo dropped as it became more plentiful.
 
Here in the Cincy area, I remember a lot of uproar from ignorant rabble rousers---ahem, I meant to type in "concerned citizens"--about the pigs--sorry, that's what they said--using those no good, minority-killing magnums in their guns.

I realize that may sound inflammatory, but this rhetoric wasn't coming from me, just relating the biased stories the media carried at that time.
 
based on my 0 LEO experiance and just guessing, i would say it was so they could control the weapon better for follow up shots. keep in mind, there are many people who become LEO's, but have little to no interest in firearms, for various reasons. for example, i am in the U.S. military, yet have NEVER fired or even carried a gun (in the commision of my duty or as training) in 4+ years. I do it of my own interest and enjoyment (read: obsession :)).
 
same here....

most military folks are only required to qualify once a year...heck I was in a TDA unit that wasnt even authorized weapons and you had to beg borrow and steal a slot with a unit to keep your qualifications current. I shot a lot on my own and had the chance to shoot on a military team and get to use some nifty weapons and free military ammo. But most of it was done on my own time and money.

shooting isnt cheap.....
 
.38+P vs. .357 magnum

The "real" reason lies behind the depth of penetration of the .357 magnum over the .38+P...LEO's follow the gov't testing of the bullets looking for a magic depth of 12 inches in the 8 test conducted by the FBI. .357 over penetrates frequently, causing a fear of collateral damage. Most state laws cause a LEO to be responsible for EVERY bullet fired, even those that may pass through a bad guy.
 
...for all the reasons above, and this simple reason: scores were universally better with the +P .38s than the .357 magnums. Sounds like a silly trade off if the magnums were still qualifying, but then again, there might be something to making the officer shoot better. [shrug] Life is imperfect. :)
 
I once expressed a view to a salesman who was selling Glock 9mm Pistols to the Aust Federal Police that the AFP would have been better served by switching from a .38 special to a stainless steel .357 magnum. He agreed with me.

He expressed the view that one reason why the AFP would never do so however was concern about the .357's Magnum name conjuring up images of Dirty Harry in the eyes of the ignorant.
 
Archie

Just wondering something. How long ago were you with the Border Patrol? Reason I'm asking is that maybe you knew a friend of mine who was a real legend with the BP, Jack Fields? This was maybe in the late 50's early 60's. He passed away several years ago. :(
 
For the same reason it was well into the 90's before the NYPD was able to carry hollowpoints. It took many years of internal struggle untill the PD would allow officers to carry flat point SWC lead loads. Infact I have an older remington catalogue that list the 158 SWC as the NYPD Load. People who often make it their business to be indignant about that which they know nothing about.
 
I was lucky

The department I worked for as a reserve for 20+ years originally carried S&W or Colt 357 mag 4 or 6 inch revolvers with 125 gr hollow point rounds. About 10 years after I hired on we went to H&K P7 M13 pistols in 9mm. Several years later we went to Glock 45 cal. Our chief wanted the bad guy out of commission asap and cared more about his officers than bad press about using the 357 mag. We qualified every month with 38 cal ammo (budget restrictions) and at least once a year with 357 mag. That was usually a night shoot.
 
Most cops just couldn't hit very well with a .357 Magnum. Too much recoil and muzzle blast. .38s were a better choice.

For the same reason, the "average" cop or shooter should probably use a 9mm or .40 cal auto loader. .45 is a good round with a proven record, but it takes some degree of regular practice to develop and maintain proficiency.

And in the late 1970s there was a lot of concern about over-penetration and the "magnum" designation did scare some people.
 
. . . . and, when for many decades, the "FBI load" was .38 Special +P 158 grain LSWCHPs, the rationale that the Bureau uses them was always available.
 
Border Patrol

Buck Newsom worked out of the Marfa, TX Border Patrol Office and visited my folks at the Ranch regularly, he was a good Officer and when we had wets he nabbed them. We always invited him in for coffee or breakfast and after long minutes of pleasantries he asked, "Got any wets"? We never lied to him nor him to us......A fine man and Officer.
 
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