Can you use 38 caliber bullets in a 357 Magnum?

Of course, recoil is also nearly double as well. But here's the deal: Because the two rounds are loaded with bullets that are the same diameters, but the 357 Magnum merely has a longer case and more powder, the 38 Special cartridge can be safely fired in guns marked 357 Magnum, but not vice-versa.

What ammo can be used in a 357 Magnum?

357 Magnum can safely and readily shoot the following rounds: . 38 Short Colt, . 38 Long Colt, . 38 Special, .

What guns can shoot 38 special ammo?

These 5 . 38 Caliber Guns Are Something Special

  • Key Point: The . 38 Special pops up again and again.
  • Ruger SP101.
  • Colt Cobra.
  • Smith & Wesson Model 10.
  • Smith & Wesson Model 442.
  • Smith & Wesson 686.

Can a 357 shoot 38 shells?

No; . 357 Magnum was specifically designed so it cannot be fired from handguns chambered in . 38 Special, but you can shoot . 38 Special in a gun chambered in .

Is there a difference between 38 and 38 Special?

The main difference between 38 and 38 special is that 38 is a caliber, i.e. the internal diameter of a gun barrel, and is usually used to refer to all cartridge variants that can be used in it, while 38 Special is a special cartridge variant of 38 caliber bullet.

15 related questions found

What kind of bullets does a 38 revolver use?

38 Special fires a . 357-caliber bullet and is loaded to an industry-standard maximum average pressure (MAP) of 17,000 psi. Loads designated as +P are available at 20,000 psi, but not all . 38 Special revolvers are strong enough for a steady diet of +P ammo.

How many bullets are in a 357 Magnum revolver?

357 Magnum has a magazine capacity of nine rounds. It has also become popular as a "dual use" cartridge in short, light rifles like the American Old West lever-actions. In a rifle, the bullet will exit the barrel at about 1,800 feet per second (550 m/s), making it far more versatile than the .

What's the difference between a 38 Special and a 357 Magnum?

Modern 357 Magnum ammo is designed to fire a 158-grain bullet at a muzzle velocity of 1,235 FPS and a target thumping 535 ft-lbs of muzzle energy. Compare that to the 38 Special, which fires the same bullet weight at 755 FPS and has a muzzle energy of 200 ft-lbs, which is less than a 45 ACP.

Is a 357 more powerful than a 9mm?

The 357 Magnum round loaded with a 125-grain projectile reaches almost 1,500 feet per second and strikes targets with 585 foot-pounds of energy. Needless to say, ballistically, it outperforms the 9mm. The 357 Magnum also has no problems reaching the FBI standards and even exceeding them.

What is a 357 Magnum good for?

The . 357 Magnum is renowned as an accurate cartridge. So much so it is popular with silhouette shooters who reach out to 100 yards, or more, to knock down small steel targets. It is more than accurate enough for close-quarters battle and hunting at reasonable ranges.

What is the heaviest bullet for 357 Magnum?

357 Magnum. A standard 158-gr. (left) with Oregon Trail's 180, NEI's 200 and Lyman's 210.

What kind of bullets go in a revolver?

. 38 Special is revolver-specific. It is probably the most popular revolver cartridge in production and you can easily find this caliber in most parts of the world.

Can you use 9mm bullets in a 38?

Accuracy wont be olympic level, but it works just fine. When loading 38 Special bullets (. 357 diameter) in a 9mm you just have to back off a few tenths of powder and they shoot just fine.

Is a 38 more powerful than a 9mm?

Standard pressure . 38 Special only produces 264 foot-pounds of force (147-grain bullet at 900 feet per second out of a 4-inch barrel), while standard pressure 9mm can produce 365 foot-pounds of force (124-grain bullet at 1,150 feet per second). This is 38.25% more energy at the muzzle in favor of the 9mm.

What is the best 38 caliber handgun?

38 Special Pistol. 7 Best . 38 Special Revolvers For CCW [2022]

  • Model 638 Smith and Wesson 38 Special Revolver. ...
  • Charter Arms Undercover 38 Special Gun. ...
  • Smith and Wesson Model 10: The First 38 Special Revolver. ...
  • LCR Ruger 38 Special Revolver. ...
  • S&W M&P Bodyguard 38 Special Revolver With Laser.

Why do they call it a 38 Special?

38 Special by lenthening its case, the . 38 Special is derived from the . 38 Long Colt which is itself derived from the . 38 Short Colt.

Whats the best revolver round?

Top 10 Self-Defense Handgun Loads

  • 1) . 327 Federal Magnum: 115-grain Speer Gold Dot. 115-grain Speer Gold Dot. Richard Mann. ...
  • 4) . 357 Magnum: 125-grain Sig Sauer Elite V-Crown. 125-grain Sig Sauer Elite V-Crown Richard Mann. ...
  • 7) . 40 S&W: Hornady 165-grain Critical Defense. Hornady 165-grain Critical Defense Richard Mann.

How much does a 357 drop at 100 yards?

The . 357 Sig lost 20% of its velocity — something like 2-300 feet per second between the muzzle and 100 yards.

What is the most powerful 357 Magnum load?

The 357 Magnum is available with bullets weighing between 110 grains and 180 grains. The full house 125 GRN JHP is regarded as the best carry round in that caliber for self defense.

How far will a 357 bullet travel?

357 MAG 6,600 Ft. . 40 S&W 6,600 Ft.

Will 357 stop a bear?

357 Magnum or other similar-caliber load, a well-placed shot with a good bullet will certainly kill a bear, but it's not recommended.

What is the effective range of a .357 Magnum revolver?

At rifle velocities the cartridge performs very well out to 75 yards, its performance becomes more modest between 75 and 125 yards. Like the . 44 Magnum, the . 357 can be sighted to shoot comfortably out to 125 yards.

Is a 357 Magnum more powerful than a 38 Special?

Today, Winchester's 357 Magnum Silvertip round launches a 145-grain bullet at 1290 FPS with 536 ft. -lbs. of energy. That's more than double the muzzle energy of the 38 Special.

Is a 357 Magnum worth it?

Time and data have also unquestionably revealed that when compared to these auto-pistol cartridges, the . 357 Magnum does a better job at stopping bad guys. Depending on which study you give credence to, its considered to be somewhere between 5 percent and 15 percent more effective.

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