Here is my dilemma:

I want to get a revolver for concealed carry and I am torn between a .38 Special vs. a 9mm Luger model. The reason I am even considering a 9mm Luger revolver is I already have a Lee turret press with a 9mm die set for my S & W 5904 semi-auto and my Hi Point PCC carbine. By getting a 9mm revolver, I get the benefit of reloading the same caliber ammo for all of my existing guns. Plus 9mm is less expensive than .38 Special.

On the other hand, I don't want a "one trick pony" approach by letting uniformity of calibers be my sole guiding principle. I want to increase my enjoyment of the hobby by diversifying into other calibers. I think I will enjoy shooting more if I can use .38 or .357 shells for variety instead of limiting myself to an all-9mm arsenal.

If I stay with 9mm, I would have to go with the Taurus 905 because the equivalent S & W 940 is twice as expensive and no longer in production. But I want to stay with S & W so the 642 airweight or 342 PD are attractive to me.

Question: does the higher cost of .38 ammo offset the higher cost of the 9mm revolver from S & W?

Thanks for any feedback.

You pretty much answered your own question.

Try to find a 9mm S&W Don't forget you need to use moon clips.

The 38 spl revolvers are all over the place. If it's a SD gun then you ammo cost is not big issue especially if you reload. If reloading both 9mm and 38 Spl the difference in cost is nill.

The 38 snubs are so popular for a reason.

As to the 9mm Taurus, well that's for another forum.

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Still Running Against the Wind

If you shoot a lot, the cost of ammo ALWAYS exceeds the cost of the gun. If you are talking reloading cost, they both reload for the same price, the 9mm being maybe 1/2c cheaper per round. I have 25 diff calibers. As a reloader, I have never let the cost of a caliber make the decision on whether I buy it. Casting my own bullets, 45acp is the same cost as 9mm to reload. Once you are setup to reload, another caliber is only a die set away.

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NRA Cert. Inst. IDPA CSO

Also think about if you want 5 shots or 10-14 !

There is more than just cost of ammo that goes into a SD weapon.

Both have very good SD ammo that works and is street proven.

I'd eat the cost and go 38 or even 357

This is based upon the strengths and weaknesses of autos and revolvers.
autos have capacity and easy reloads at the expense of power and accuracy.
revolvers have power potential as well as accuracy advantages at the expense of capacity and ease of reload.
Moon clips help some with the reload, but given stress, I still call it "six for sure"

Now since you have six rounds you can absolutely count on, the 38 can be loaded with anything from 110 grain on up to 180 grain bullets with the heavy options offering more momentum and penetration than the 9MM can hold.

furthermore, if you opt instead, for a 357, you gain access to energy to dwarf the 9MM while retaining the ability to fire 38's as many do.

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it just needs more voltage

No man (or woman) should be denied the pleasure of reloading for the .38 Special.

Bullets in a 70+ grain weight range, a seemingly endless variety in bullet profiles, dozens of powders and hundreds if not thousands of loads make feeding the .38 a science unto itself.

Poetic enuff for ya'?

Uh oh.
Blujax01 is going poetic :-)


Sorta peaceful, what we do....

#28

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Reg. Magnum wants/Rossi wallet

My advice would be to stick with .38 for a revolver. There will be a lot more variety in brands, and models. Since you reload, cost of ammo is negligible. I have both 9 and 38. I also have a Lee classic turret. It cost very little to get a set of dies, and another turret plate. Now caliber change takes only seconds. I find that 38 is a great caliber to reload. It tends to be more forgiving than 9mm. No feed issues, and leading has never been an issue for me, unlike 9mm.

The only down side is 38 brass is harder to come by. I can scoop up pretty much all the 9 I want in typical trip to the range. 38 mostly all gets put in the brass bucket. I won't scavenge there. Still, I am slowly building up a good number of 38 cases.

Honestly, I don't know why whatever small cost difference exists between the 2 calibers even enters into the decision.

Is the 38sp the right carry weapon for you? Is a 380Auto the right one? A 9mm? That's where the decision should be focused.

You are buying a firearm to use in the defense of your life and the lives of others and you are going to let the cost of a box of ammunition sway your decision?

You can convert your turret press to 38 Special for under $50.

Add that $50 to the cost of your 342, 442 or 642 and you are probably still cheaper than a clean used 940.

The reason for EDC is to stop a determined attacker. In general, the more energy, the better the stopping power.

With that in mind, .38 Special delivers about 200 ft-lbs muzzle energy, compared to an average of 400 ft-lb for 9mm NATO. Of course, if you can chamber a .357 Magnum, you can easily achieve 500-600 ft-lb, and .38 +P falls somewhere in between.

Consider that a .38 Special results in painful recoil in a light (<20 oz) revolver, and a lightweight .357 Magnum isn't any fun at all. If you go that route, I suggest you forgo temptation to get a pocket-sized J-frame and look to a 2-5/8" or 3" 686, which lets you handle magnum loads all day long. A short 686 with a round or boot grip is easily concealable, and gives you up to 7 rounds.

On the other hand, even a small semi-automatic pistol handles 9mm to .45 ACP with relative ease. The action of the slide spreads the recoil out over 0.1 second or more, compared to the jolt you get from a revolver. A Springfield XDs is available in 9mm or .45 ACP, and fits in a pocket.

I'll point out that you are mistaken in assuming that 38 spl. costs more to reload than 9mm. The fact is that they cost for loading either caliber are so close that it's not worth considering. Primers cost the same because both caliber use the same primer. Bullets are also basically the same in price, however since January it's been a LOT easier to find 38 spl. bullets. Brass is also similar in cost once you factor in the longer life you'll see in the 38 spl. casings due to the lower operating pressure. About the only difference is that you use a few tenths of a grain more with the with the 38 spl due to the larger case volume. However we are talking about a difference that is in small fractions of a penny.

I'd get a small .357 and load low-end .357 for carry. You can top both 9mm and .38 loads with that. if you use it at the range load it like a .38. The 9mm has to suffer some due to the cylinder gap.

You will delight in the versatility of the .38/.357 and maybe one day even get a gun that is made more for the range.

I prefer loading for the 38 Special because the longer cases are easier to handle.

+1 ^^^^

For me, the 38/357 are less critical to reload than 9mm.

38/357 are straight wall & 9mm is tapered.

38/357 use a roll crimp while a 9mm get a taper crimp.

38/357 have plenty of capacity while 9mm are short cases that always seem like you have to watch very closely you don't seat the bullet too deeply & compress the powder unduly.

You already have 9mms, get something different, it's too boring having only one caliber to shoot.

38/357 is American heritage, 9mm is European

Get a 357 revolver & handload it to the power you like using the heaviest bullets you like.

I'm going to go against the grain here and say it does make since for you to go with a 9mm revolver since you are already invested in the chambering. Now, I am a 38 fan and not much of a 9mm fan myself. But you like the 9 and it will outperform 38 Special. I would strongly recommend S&W or Ruger over Taurus, even if you have to buy used. Generally 9mm revolvers are all steel because of high operating pressure, so it will not be as light as say a 642.

If you want to diversify, go bigger like 44 or 45. Just not enough difference between 38/357 and 9mm in short revolvers to invest in another caliber in your case IMO. Then again, I have both but I won my nine.