Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns 38 S&W

Steelheads post with his 38 S&W got me thinking. I have one of those Ruger Flattop conversion 357/9mm stainless with a 4 5/8" brl. I love the 38 special and thought about rechambering the 9mm cylinder in 38 special but maybe the 38 S&W just for kicks? Though I don't want to get on another potato-chip habit and load 2000 rounds at a time of another cartridge. Who likes this cartridge?

To each their own, but I'd never rechamber a useful 9mm cylinder to a lesser cartridge. I wouldn't rechamber it to 38 Spec. either though.

Don't forget a true 38 S&W has .361 bore diameter, of course you can just load them with .358 bullets.

That said, I'd see no reason in doing what you're thinking about when you can just shoot 38 Special ammo and do the SAME thing.


The beauty, to me, of the 38 S&W in the gun I have is how petite the gun is.

Although Buffalo Bore loads a decent round for it, there is pretty much no reason to tear up a perfectly good firearm for this cartridge.

When you can find factory ammo on the shelf, which will be almost never, it will be in a very anemic LRN at around 700fps IIRC, loaded mild on account of all the antique revolvers out there, some top break.

Interestingly, early to mid 20th Century, this round developed a following as an effective man stopper. This was with a 200 grain LRN loaded to about 700fps or less, the feeling was the long bullet tumbled on impact.

So much so the Brits actually dropped the legendary .455 Webley in favor of the .380 Revolver cartridge, essentially a .38 S&W with a 200 grain LRN at about 650fps. They felt this round was as effective as the 255 grain (??) .455 Webley round.

Immediately prior to WWII the Germans objected on the grounds of the Geneva Convention and the 200 gr LRN bullet was dropped in favor of a 180 grain FMJ load, again at around 650fps.

The 180 grain FMJ, 650fps incarnation of the .380 Revolver/.38 S&W proved to be ineffective in combat. So much so I knew an elderly gentleman who had seen combat with the Brits in Korea, according to him they used to load the standard 9mm FMJ service round in their .380 revolvers even though the cases wouldn't eject after firing and had to be knocked out one at a time. The Brit .380 was that bad.

Birdwatcher

Yes it is. My Grandfather gave my Grandmother a 38 S&W Saftey Hammerless for her wedding present. She slept with it under her pillow for almost 70 years, and she was a very good shot with it too.

Yea. I think I'll stick with the original plan and just rechamber to 38 spl.

Why?

I like the 38 special and it fits me as a trainer, plinker, SD, and hunting round. I've always wanted a 38 S&W but I am not sure the ruger would be the right gun for it.

The only reason I can see to do that would be to eliminate bullet jump in the chamber, and that is a moot point as the nose of the .38 bullet would be in the throat before the heel leaves the case when fired in a .357 chamber. The small gain provided by a .38 in its own chamber vs. being fired in a .357 chamber isn't worth the expense, IMO. Save the money and put it toward a new gun, or take your lady out for a night on the town instead.

Besides, I've seen more than one revolver screwed up because a gunsmith didn't index perfectly when re-chambering a cylinder. Very darned few have the skills to do it properly.

Fine, but you have a 357 cylinder, so the question still remains, WHY?

This. Leave it 9mm. Get yourself a lightly used I-Frame S&W "Regulation Police" .38 S&W revolver. There are lots out there, and they're priced right because few people want one in that caliber. Buffalo Bore even makes a hot load for it, which equates roughly to .38 Special, if you want something to carry in it (but not for a steady diet).

I personally don't want anything smaller than the 38 Spl

Mostly because I would shoot a lot of 38s in it if I had it. I have 9mm but don't load for it because I spend my time loading other cartridges. I just don't see myself shooting the 9mm cylinder much. Good question though and I wouldn't have posted if I wasnt think'n out loud about it!

You don't have to rechamber your 9mm cylinder.

I'm guessing that you just don't understand, YOU CAN SHOOT .38 Specials IN YOUR .357 cylinder. You just have to clean it now and then.

That was a huge selling point for .357s in the first place, you can shoot a lot of .38s in it for fun, and switch to the .357 loads for work.

What Steelhead was saying, is that you need to read your owner's manual several times and let that sink into your head.

Don't bother messing with the 9mm cylinder, it's a waste of time and money.

No, I do understand, but you are right I should keep the 9mm cylinder and not use it at all, just look at it.

It's like buying 2 right shoes.

Sort of.