Hello all:

Just brought home my "new" 38 special M and P "hand eject" 4" barrel. I am going to clean it up a bit and use is as my beater.

And I was wondering, why the long term love affair with the 38 revolvers?

Be interested to get your responses.

Thanks ahead of time.

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"That is all!"

Good accuracy and mild recoil, once in a while you need a break from "ka-boom".

On a recent range trip, my pre-10 punched a ragged hole at 7 yards, nothing outside the 9 ring at 15, and put 'em all in the black at 25. There are maybe two other guns in my collection that will do that in my hands (not incidentally one of the others is my 4 inch model 19). That's why I like it.

Easy to reload, big variety of bullets and powder. Wide range of power and performance. A 100 year old classic cartridge. Everyone needs a .38!

It's a round that's reliably accurate, controllable, and can be loaded to meet any need -- from range toy plinking to bullseye accuracy to serious self-defense.

Its fun to shoot and revolvers are cool.

I cannot see any 38 M&P

The .38 is special to me. The first pistol my Dad gave me was a M15-3. The first cartridge I learned to reload was the .38.

The Smith & Wesson K-Frame revolver is enough to kindle a love affair. A perfect size for all uses.

The cartridge is more effective than is generally realized. I've used the .38 Special in the field against critters and varmints since I was a teen. It never fails to give the desired results on all, up to and including our small Texas whitetail. All it takes is proper application of the bullet and isn't that what it's all about with any cartridge? Good hits are golden and bad hits are ... just that, bad hits.

I know if I feel I need something with more "starch in it" than the .38 Special then I'll reach right past the .357 Magnum revolvers for something in the .44 or .45 caliber range.

People need to get to know the .38 Special in something other than tiny 2-inch snubs. The full-sized belt revolver is actually the .38 Special's home.

As others have said, it's fun to shoot, ideal for a first centerfire for a young shooter, wide variety of guns so chambered, brass is cheap, easy to reload, widely versatile - how many more would you like ?

Larry

the very first Handgun I ever owned was S&W Model 36 chambered in .38 special that started my love affair with the .38 special.

Off the top of my head I count 14 revolvers in 38 Special hanging around the ranch.

Oh hell, I forgot the 38/44 Heavy Duty. Make that 15.

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No life story has happy end.

I own several S&W K and J frames in 38 Special. They are fun to shoot, very accurate, and love cast bullets. They are very easy to train a new shooter on. I carry a J frame almost daily. Very confident a 158 +P LHP will stop a threat to me.

They are the best of both worlds. Target and just plain enjoyment shooting with mild or moderate loads.

And serious self defense capability with a good hollow point in the 1000-1100 fps range. And still easy to shoot.

I have an assortment of .38 specials in J and K frames, and all of them see range time.

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Take your time..quickly.

17 of my S&W's are in 38 Special. These span the time frame from 1901 until the 1980's. I guess it's because it's a do everything caliber. I know of deer sized game taken with a 38 and of course many humans over the years by military and police as well as self defense. The 38 is a round you can depend on.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

In my opinion the 38 special wad cutter in a K frame Smith is the quickest way to experience a gun being an extension of one's own body while shooting. Not to mention if you cast and reload you can almost shoot for nothing. $


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Everyone should shoot a S&W revolver in 38 Spl once in their life. The 38 spl is a very accurate, low recoil and fun to shoot. Caution! Once you shoot one>several will have to go home with you. My model 28-2 rides in my truck, in a holster that is riveted to the dash. I don't take it in the shower, but it's always handy. DW

Remember the old 1950s Broadway song from South Pacific called "There is Nothing Like a Dame"? Well, there's nothing like a .38, either! Easy to shoot, accurate, non-punishing, deadly (notwithstanding the naysayers, you do NOT want to be shot with one), and this is ever so true: Funny thing, I probably own around 20 S&W .38s and .357s - I treat them all like .38s for the most part. Nothing shoots sweeter than a .357 Magnum loaded with .38 Specials. They're a joy!

***GRJ***

Everything you need, nothing that you don't. Just enough.

"Just enough" is a principle given very little credence in our quest for bigger, badder, better.

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"Sacramento" Bruce Conklin

"Be interested to get your responses."

Didn't happen without pic's!!

This photo's been on before. All .38 Special guns. Since the photo was taken a couple more .38 Specials, an N-Frame Heavy Duty and another J-Frame have been added to the menagerie of .38 Special revolvers kept around here.

No .38 Special revolvers were harmed in assembly and creation of this photo.

.38s suck.
I wouldn't own one.
Of course, I'm full of BS.
I might own more than one, though.

They are very fun and accurate.
It got a bad reputation as a fight stopper, largely due to piss-poor ammo.

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What would Jim Cirillo do?

They work. It's that simple. With good ammo they are effective for self-defense in four-inch or two-inch revolvers. I don't feel at all inadequately armed with a pocket-carried J-frame. They are accurate, extremely reliable, easy to carry, and pleasant to shoot. Almost anyone can shoot them reasonably well in a four-inch or longer gun.

The fact that they've been around as long as they have must surely mean they're useful, falling as they do between "mouse guns" and Magnums.

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Oh well, what the hell.

It's a toss up which I'd rather shoot, .22 or .38.
My first center fire revolver was this one- a gift from a mentor when I was 16.
I agree with all said above but bottom line is its a great cartridge to shoot, most of the guns I like are chambered for it and a 2" J frame fits good in my pocket.

Regards,
turnerriver

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turnerriver

At one time, .22 revolvers and pistols were the cheapest to shoot. No more. I can reload .38 Special more cheaply than I can buy .22 ammunition (not placing any value on my time).

For 99+% of the situations you will ever need a handgun for, there is some .38 Special loading that will adequately fulfill that need.

Smooth. Clean mechanism. Reliable. Accurate. Proven for generations.
A steel body .38 can be handled by most anyone even those with some physical challenges.

Count me in as another .38 Spl'er, originating from my Dad.

I've shot more .38 Spl than all other centerfire combined, rifle & pistol, everything.

Not long ago I introduced a friend of mine to one of those police trade-in 64's that I had a few extra of.
The next year he sold his .44 Spl. (which wasn't a S&W though ...) so he could focus on .38's.

I have a couple 64's 4" and few model 10 3 " and oh yeah a 64 3" to go along with my rossi 92 lever gun in .38 they are by far my best shooter and the rifle pistol combo is great.

The first gun I ever bought for HD was a 10-5 Blue with four inch barrel. Must have been about 1983. About a year later our home was burglarized in broad daylight and they stole my Model 10 and my bride's little Beretta. I replaced mine with another 10-5 four inch. This one was an unfired Nickel that was shipped around 1979. I put one box of shells through it and it sat in my night stand for the next (almost) 30 years.
The day after Christmas I bought a beautiful 10-5 Blue snub that I planned to use for my CCW when I get my CHL. My wife, somewhat reluctantly, agreed to take her CHL class also. She chose the four incher over the snub for her proficency test. She like the square butt better and said the longer barrel help her shoot better. She shot 226/250 and had not shot that gun in 30 years since I first got it.

She now has a Model 37 Nickel that will be her carry. I like it so much I might get my own M37 in Blue and sell the Blue M10 snubby.

Somewhere, I have a shoebox full of .38 brass.
I need to find it, now that I reload .38.

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What would Jim Cirillo do?

I'm having some cheap 158 gn LSWC delivered for some 38spl fun.

Though I think I'll wait till it warms up a mite.

I use Blazer LRN in the old, possibly pre-heated cylinder, Hand Ejector.

My buddy reloads and I get a box of 50 for $6 from him. Semi wadcutters, powderpuff loads so my bride is comfortable doing target practice. I don't figure I can beat $6 bucks a box.

Swe-e-et.


Everybody needs that buddy.

S&W K frame .38 special revolvers are my first choice.....

quality, accuracy, dependability....

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There's nowt so queer as folk

It's strictly at his cost. He has the equipment and does a ton of reloading but everything else is .45 and rifle stuff. He has many guns but the only .38 in his house is his wife's Model 12. He was going to be reloading for her and offered to do some for me. He has supplies for a couple thousand rounds or more.

No charge for his labor and he loves doing it.

I'll keep factory loads for SD but you can't beat 12 cents a shot for target practice.

Probably not unless you cast your own bullets and use pickup brass. Even if you do, your cost for components is likely to be 7-10 cents per round at current prices. Fortunately, I have a large inventory of primers and powder I bought back when there was some sanity in pricing, and I also have a two lifetimes supply of .38 Special brass.

I am wondering just how much is a lifetime supply of brass? The reason I asked is, I have been buying 38 spcl brass whenever I can in order to have a lifetime supply. I just am not sure I will know when to stop...

Okay, if you say so, but that photo still makes me cringe!

For many years my favorite cartridge was the .357 Magnum. Now, as I get a little older, I don't find it quite as much fun as the good old .38 Special. Especially when you have a tack driver. My K38 and my Colt Officers Model Match will outshoot anything my friends bring to the range!

Even over 100 years later, it can still do the job it was intended for!

Excellent photo, BTW.

First handgun ever fired was Dads service mod 14 38spl. Will always be my first choice. Have put thousands upon thousands downrange.

I have two 10-8s and a 686-1. I'll reload and shoot wadcutters to +Ps. With that versatility there isn't much that a .38 can't do. I can start a new shooter or have an effective defense round. The versatility is tremendous.

The Deer Hunter meets Jenga?

Love my 1916 4th mod even if the 6" brl, circa '46, didn't come w/it originally from the factory. Nickel frame & cylinder have the yellow hue whilst the brl is noticeably shinier. That is a possible thirty year spread more or less . Hmr/trg still retain case colours.

Even though someone took a cold chisel and made three marks, behind the crane bottom of frame window, then nickel-plated it locks up tighter than a drum.

Of course if not for that, along w/mismatched brl, I probably wouldn't be enjoying the #[14?] Jay Scott faux ivory stocks or a fine pistolla that's merely eight years shy of the Cubs last World Series Championship.

...or two, or three, or four....