The general wisdom goes that you should really train and be become proficent with one gun. For me that gun would be the Performance Center Model 67-5 (“Carry Comp”) but that gun is hard to find.

The reason I want a .38 that isn't a snub nose is it's more fun to shoot and if it's fun to shoot it's likely to get shot more.

"Well why don't you just get a 357 and shoot 38's through it? Isn't that what the majority of 357 owners do?"

No to that.

No because you have to deal with a carbon ring build up that's difficult to clean.
No because I want to carry .38 +P not 357.
No because I want a gun designed to shoot in the caliber I shoot the most.

There…I'm glad I got that off my chest.

the 38 and 357 use the same bullet, same caliber, in most cases the 357 will be a stronger gun,(will hold up better with Plus P ammo.
The carbon ring will come out easily with a brass brush and a solvent.

Now if I were you and I was stuck on the 38 only thing I look for a Mdl 15.

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Thank you
Penmon AKA Jim

38 specials won't hurt a 357 cylinder. I shoot 38 short colts(even smaller than specials) and haven't had a problem switching to magnums or specials after. I do clean the cylinders every time tho.

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Not what you want to hear but I shoot my older 357's every weekend with my 38spl handloads and have NOT yet cleaned the chambers after 1000's of rounds per gun and I do check from time to time if 357's will drop in and they do without hesitation. Having said that if you are stuck on 38 only a nice Model 10 or 15 would do you fine.

Add me to the list of guys that in 30 years of a .357 Magnum and tens of thousands of .38's... has never once in his life been slowed by or even aware of these phantom "carbon rings."

Much ado about zilch.

I generally like my revolvers to be multi-purpose (increases the fun). So, .38spl/.357mag (686+), .44spl./.44mag (629-6).

Can't get bored with "two" guns in one.

#MeToo (shoot specials in magnum.)

Ha!

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A lot of things are hard to find....but not impossible.

The time you spent complaining about why you couldn't get what you wanted could have been spent in a positive fashion....doing a search and putting out feelers to find that perfect gun .
Searching will get you results complaining does little good.
Start the hunt...it's out there and you can find it !

I've been shooting 38 specials in 357 magnum revolvers for 50+ years...the carbon ring build up is a non problem if you simply clean the gun. My 51 year old chambers are clean and shiney with not a trace of any build up. A Ruger Blackhawk , 51 years old with 98% 38's fired through , and I shoot it a lot.... so don't give me that ring around the chamber BS , it's a non issue with regular cleaning.
Gary

Why? He has a 67... it's a SS 15....

I think he said he wanted a 67-5 carry comp.

Why not post a WTB?

Why would you not want to clean your gun more often ?

I don't wash my car often.My wife takes care of my clothes;she washes them everytime I've worn them for she knows that if I'd be in charge of the cleaning,well......!So it goes with my .357s(and all my handguns)I don't clean them often.And I've never experienced that big bugaboo of the carbon ring from the .38 fired in a .357 chamber.
This being said,I like you coming out with your ''affair'' with the .38Spl for,as much as I like the .357 Mag,I must say that the .38 is a wonderful ctg and doesn't get enough credit for what it can do.
So OP don't feel alone with you hanging around with the .38;we now are two!

I also have shot many thousands of 38 specials in my 357's and have never had a chambering problem with the 357's.

I dont mind my J frames shooting only 38 but completely welcome the versatility of 357 in the larger frames

When I am done shooting at the range the only thing I do is spray a little Break Free CLP on the gun and wipe it down.My handloads are either powder coated or plated projectiles so that equates to no lead plume.My barrels have not seen a brush either and look clean as new.If and when it looks like it needs a little cleaning I certainly will do it.These guns shoot inch to inch and a half groups double action every weekend and perform flawless.

I guess I'm alone with the OP. I have a Model 67, shoot light target and defense loads, and I love it. If, God forbid, I have to shoot an intruder in my bedroom, I'll feel confident with six hollow points, instead of losing my hearing with .357's. Besides, I prefer a k-frame over an L. Just my preferences but, hey, Baskin Robbins and Ben and Jerry's have dozens of flavors. So does S&W!

Chuck

My 686 has had many more thousands of 38's through it than .357's. Been shooting it since 1984. You do need to clean it thoroughly and often.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

I guess I just don't understand the issue. I've never heard anyone complain that their 357 can also shoot 38s, so I don't really get the opposite either. If you dont want to shoot 357s out of it you never have to. But the ability is still there, and that helps resale value as well. And as far as the carbon rings, regular cleaning makes it a non-issue, but again if you don't plan on shooting magnums out of it I don't see it as an issue either way. Idk, just seems like ordering a steak and complaining about it coming with a free lobster tail.