.38 Special or .357 for EDC

[Sgt. Buzzard]

Avoid YouTube; your own work will provide you with far more vital information.

Oh yeah, YouTube can be loaded with bad information. Plus real informative revolver shooters are kind of dieing off. It's an old man's game. Anyway I have two short 357's, a 1.78" and a 3". I tend to shoot .38 cal.148 & 150 gr. Hardcast wadcutters nickel plated brass and hot in both. Sometimes loading Hornady FTX .38's in speed strips for easy reloading. Hot wads were the thing 50 years ago. Works for me.

I've shot 357's way in the past. OK, big bang. I'll stick with what I can shoot rapidly and groups well. Went many years with a Airweight now mostly carry an Air Lite. No way am I popping off magnums in a 11.7 Oz. gun.

 

[BAM-BAM]

Subject is now on page 5 so, short and sweet; 125gr hollow point, or the old FBI SWCHP .38 sp in urban settings and 158 gr Soft points out in Penn's Woods!

 

[Riposte1]

Oh yeah, YouTube can be loaded with bad information. Plus real informative revolver shooters are kind of dieing off. It's an old man's game. Anyway I have two short 357's, a 1.78" and a 3". I tend to shoot .38 cal.148 & 150 gr. Hardcast wadcutters nickel plated brass and hot in both. Sometimes loading Hornady FTX .38's in speed strips for easy reloading. Hot wads were the thing 50 years ago. Works for me.

I've shot 357's way in the past. OK, big bang. I'll stick with what I can shoot rapidly and groups well. Went many years with a Airweight now mostly carry an Air Lite. No way am I popping off magnums in a 11.7 Oz. gun.

My friend Chuck Haggard says "A .357 is just a .38 spl with a flash-bang attached" - I can't improve on that

Although, I don't much by into the theory that you can even establish a useable methodology for keeps records of "street results" I have floated the idea that the muzzle blast of a .357 at short range might be one of the reason is "works" so often in many collections of "war stories" - I called it the "acoustic theory of stopping power" - completely tongue in cheek

Riposte

 

[Sgt. Buzzard]

While you're at it float the idea that .22 Magnum has the same street effect. A buddy shoots his 351 near me and I definitely move away. It doesn't seem to bother me shooting with my own 351C.

Gotta admit that flash bang line is correct.

 

[BAM-BAM]

.22 mag is a great utility round...in a rifle....... pistol it's just a .22lr flashbang!

 

[oneeyedpete]

My friend Chuck Haggard says "A .357 is just a .38 spl with a flash-bang attached" - I can't improve on that

Although, I don't much by into the theory that you can even establish a useable methodology for keeps records of "street results" I have floated the idea that the muzzle blast of a .357 at short range might be one of the reason is "works" so often in many collections of "war stories" - I called it the "acoustic theory of stopping power" - completely tongue in cheek

Riposte

In general, I agree, but imagine lighting one of those rounds off inside your house at 2 in the morning. Thats why I also prefer to pick powders with low flash like WST for my wadcutters.

 

[KenTheHunter]

I am going to disagree with most of the replies on this thread, along with the general prevailing opinion these days. I carry 357 magnums in my K6s. They are Speer Gold Dot short barrel, which I have always considered them to be " sort of " 357 minus p . However I practice pretty often and understand they might not be quite as quick to get back on target.

Like you, I don't go full bore with full house.357's. In my 3"65, I use 158 SWCHP by Buffalo Bore and in my " Model 10's, I'll use either 125 JHP Buffalo Bore (non + P), or 135 JHP + P Gold Dot in 38. Easier to get back on target faster

 

[Riposte1]

Like you, I don't go full bore with full house.357's. In my 3"65, I use 158 SWCHP by Buffalo Bore and in my " Model 10's, I'll use either 125 JHP Buffalo Bore (non + P), or 135 JHP + P Gold Dot in 38. Easier to get back on target faster

I typically carry the BB Outdoorsman load (+P 158 LSWCHP) when I carry a .357 gun - I don't mind the various .357 "medium" loads but I don't like 125 gr. expanding bullets for fear of them not going deep enough, I do think the XTP isn't bad but I'd rather have more weght.

In my airweight guns I carry the standard pressure BB either the 158 hollow point or the full wadcutter...both get around 850 in a 3", and over 800 in a 2".

Riposte

 

[The Last Standing Knight]

One thing to consider is versatility of the .357. A 357 will handle 38 Special whereas the 38 is pretty much 38. With a snubnosed magnum I can carry everything from 38 Short Colt, 38 Long Colt, 38 Special, 38 SPL+P and +P+, shotshells and 357 magnum all in one handgun.
There are always tradeoffs, but having a sidearm that can fire that many rounds is a boon in my book. But like everyone else has said...it is ALWAYS about shot placement.