.357 rounds in a .38??

[Pants]

OK, probably the craziest question...but I was told that cylinders on modern S&W .38's are made to accommodate .357 rounds. Not that I would ever do something like this, but is it true; has anyone done this? There does seem to be almost a little more than extra quarter of an inch in my 642-2.

 

[CCWKY]

.357 Magnum Rounds should be to long for any modern .38 Special cylinder. Never attempt to fire .357 rounds in a .38 special regardless if they fit or not. You can safely fire .38 Special in .357 Magnum firearms.

 

[silentflyer]

NO The lawyers would have a field day if something bad happened. I think I have read somewhere some old .38's would chamber a .357, but no one in their right mind would try to shoot it.
That being said I remember some guys having a gun smith ream a model 67 .38 special so a .357 would fit like a model 66, never had one done myself but I know it has been done. Not something I would care to try.

 

[old bear]

&W .38's are made to accommodate .357 rounds.

No. Even if they were DON'T TRY IT, please.

 

[Onequickwrench]

As an addendum to the OP.
Could a 357 cylinder be fitted to a model 64 or 686?
From what I've seen on gunpartscorp it appears that a model 64 38 barrel carries the same part number as a model 65 357 barrel.

 

[Ben_hutcherson]

I can confirm that my 638, bought new by me in 2010, will NOT chamber a 357. The case rim stands proud of the back of the cylinder(exactly as would be expected), and prevents the cylinder from closing.

 

[Jlduke]

If you try it, post pictures

 

[Imaposer]

Well, that is the only reason the .357 case was lengthened. To prevent it being chambered in .38 revolvers. That isn't to say that there aren't some revolvers out there that aren't chambered correctly, but I know that none of mine will chamber .357 rounds.

On older revolvers, even if it could be done, or if the cylinder was rebored to accept the longer cartridge, it wouldn't be advisable due to differences in the heat treatment, and possibly the alloys used in the frames. I have heard though, that newer S&W revolvers receive the same treatment regardless of the chambering due to production efficiency. IF this is true, then I guess it wouldn't hurt anything since the only real difference would be the chambers and the markings on the gun, but I'd still have to ask, WHY? If I want a .357 I buy one chambered for .357. That pretty much removes all doubt about safely firing it with .357

 

[ozo]

"OK, probably the craziest question..."---

No, but still crazy.

 

[bgrafsr]

As an addendum to the OP.
Could a 357 cylinder be fitted to a model 64 or 686?
From what I've seen on gunpartscorp it appears that a model 64 38 barrel carries the same part number as a model 65 357 barrel.

The .357 cylinder is too long to fit in a Model 64. A Model 686 is .357 Magnum already. Any .38 Special barrel can be used to shoot .357 Magnum since both rounds use the same bullets, but a .38 Special cylinder should not be used to shoot .357 Magnum, even if the magnum round would chamber in it.

The only exception I can see to this is with the .38 Special Heavy Duty or Outdoorsman, which are both made on the N frame, and should be able to take the pressure of the .357 Magnum round. This has been done, but I would not advise doing so, especially for collector value.

 

[FloridaFlier]

If you try it, post pictures

Before and after pictures, please. And include your hands as well as the gun.

There is no imaginable good reason to try this.

 

[DonD]

There ARE reasons, plenty of good ones, why the gun is marked ".38 Special." Don

 

[olskool]

If you try it, post pictures

yes please do, if you are able.

 

[Jlduke]

Before and after pictures, please. And include your hands as well as the gun.

There is no imaginable good reason to try this.

No imaginable reason? What better reason could there be than my amusement?

 

[Steely Dan]

Famous last words............"hey, watch this.........."

 

[Pants]

.357 Magnum Rounds should be to long for any modern .38 Special cylinder. Never attempt to fire .357 rounds in a .38 special regardless if they fit or not. You can safely fire .38 Special in .357 Magnum firearms.

Right, I always knew that. That's why when someone mentioned that to me about the new Smiths, I kind of shook my head. They said that if the cylinder closes, you can shoot .357. I was like, no way!

 

[Pants]

No. Even if they were DON'T TRY IT, please.

Ha, I would never. I'm crazy - but not stupid!

 

[cddanjr]

I have a model 66 .357magnum 4" stainless steel revolver. I shoot .38
+p in it. ONCE IN A while ill shoot some .357 rounds in it. Just too nasty a kick to really be any fun or useful for home defense. It is fun though, but NEVER go bigger a load in a gun than what it says on the barrel! PLEASE!

 

[Onequickwrench]

Cylinders are the same length on my two guns

The .357 cylinder is too long to fit in a Model 64. A Model 686 is .357 Magnum already. Any .38 Special barrel can be used to shoot .357 Magnum since both rounds use the same bullets, but a .38 Special cylinder should not be used to shoot .357 Magnum, even if the magnum round would chamber in it.

The only exception I can see to this is with the .38 Special Heavy Duty or Outdoorsman, which are both made on the N frame, and should be able to take the pressure of the .357 Magnum round. This has been done, but I would not advise doing so, especially for collector value.

I pulled two out of the safe last night and measured the overall length of the cylinders - they are the same 1.596"

Two guns that were measured - model 64-8 38 special and a pre lock 649 in 357.

I'm not gonna swap cylinders because one is a k-frame and the other is a j-frame, but for the purposes of the question asked I wanted to know if a 357 cylinder would fit in a 38 frame

 

[Hemi Dude]

I recently had a new 642 that a 357 round would fit into. Should not have but it did. I returned to S & W and they changed the cylinder. Now just 38 fit.