...when shooting .38 special cartridges.

Here's the thing. I have a lot of .38 special ammo on hand because I use it a lot for teaching, and for a relaxing day of target shooting. Up to this point, I have always owned .357 magnum handguns so that I could shoot both .38 and .357 mag with the same revolvers. My 4" bbl. GP-100 is a very accurate gun, but it is the only launching pad I have for accurate target shooting with the .38 specials. My snubbies in .38 spec. are not for the longer range target shooting.

So, I am thinking about adding a 6" bbl. .357 or .38 special S&W to the family. The question is, are the revolvers that are chambered for the .38 special cartridge inherently more accurate with that cartridge than a revolver chambered for the .357 magnum? Does the extra distance that the .38 has to travel in the .357 mag chamber before hitting the forcing cone make a difference as far as accuracy goes?

If a revolver chambered for the .357 magnum is just as accurate as one chambered specifically for the .38 special, with the .38 special cartridge, I may just get another 686 with a 6" bbl. If this is not the case, then what model .38 special should I be looking at for super accuracy?

Model 27? Don't any of y'all have a heart attack, but I am not a big fan of the K-frame.

Thanks,
WG840

__________________
Freedom above all else.

Model 27 is an N frame
Claymore33

You cannot go wrong with a K38 or a Model 14. Both 38 sp

__________________
Pete
I ain't no fortunate son

Accuracy is in the gun, not the caliber.

My 19-2 shoots .38 spc better than my 14-3. There is no meaning beyond that.

__________________
I've still got it made.

My 6 inch model 28 is as accurate as my model 14 using .38 spl wadcutters. Any of them can consistently hold the X ring at 25 meters.

__________________
Expect the unexpected

Are the cylinders of most .38 revolvers an 1/8 inch shorter than the cylinders of .357 revolvers? ( within the same manufacturer) I replaced the cylinder in my 642-1 with a titanium cylinder capable of chambering .357. And no, I won't ever shoot .357 in it. My point....unless the revolver you're looking at has a cylinder an 1/8 inch shorter then the bullet from the .38 cartridge still has to travel further before reaching the forcing cone.

I've never gone around with calipers measuring cylinders on .38 revolvers.

__________________
VCDL, GOA, NRA

Well, there's also this:

__________________
Jack
SWCA #2475, SWHF #318