Quote:
Originally Posted by auburn2
While you can get a .357 in a subcompact revolver that caliber is not any more effective than a .38 special in a very short barrell, and with tremendous recoil and flash to boot.
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I'm not sure the data supports that, but also you didn't give a specific measurement on "very short barrel." Even with +P the .357 comes out on top from a 2.5" snub, with standard .38 the difference is even more dramatic.
From a snub nose web site, the following velocities were published for a 2.5 inch snub nose. These are not muzzle velocities, but taken ten feet away.
Ammunition Average Velocity (ft/sec):
Federal .38 Special 129-grain Hydrashok +P: 846 ft/sec
Winchester .38 Special 158-grain LSWCHP +P: 858 ft/sec
Remington .357 Magnum 125-grain SJHP: 1243 ft/sec (1,450 ft/sec published by Remington and in an independent article, no doubt measured from a longer barrel).
Article conclusion: While neither [ammo] is at its best in the snub, the magnum is the more potent of the two.