Originally Posted by IAM Rand

So, while I was sitting on my throne reading the latest edition of my Shooting Illustrated I started pondering the 38 special. There is a review of the new Taurus Defender 856. You can put a red dot on it. Nothing that I was that wowed by. In looking at it, it appears to be a very sturdy 38 revolver. It is listed as a +p. That is what got me thinking.

With the better metallurgy in pistols today, why can't you do the Elmer Keith and load the 38 to 357 velocities I understand that you will want to keep these loads away from the older models but, in something like this Defender, I would imagine that you should be able to shoot some hot stuff out of it. Even if you didn't in a 38 Special revolver, why can't you reload some really hot rounds and use them in a 357.

All of this leads to the ultimate debate, why not just buy a 357 and then you can go either. Well, that is for another thread. If someone is willing to buy a good quality 38 Special, why can't you load it hot?

Just something I was pondering on my throne.