Why use a flame thrower to start a fire when a single match will do the job? I read a lot of posts that put down the 38 Special. IMHO a 2" magnum handgun for self defence is OVERKILL squared.
Back to the OP's original question. I've argued for years, based on data on real world shoots that the .38 Special fired from a 4" revolver is a bit more effective than a .380 ACP. However in a 2" barrel, a .380 ACP in a 3.5" barrel has a slight edge.
So the question comes down to how comfortable you'd be carrying a .380 ACP? I'm more comfortable carrying a 7 or 8 round .380 ACP as a back up than I am a 5 round 1 7/8" Model 36 or a 6 round 2" Model 10.
However, my primary carry will be a 6 or 7 shot K or L frame 2 1/2" or 3" revolver with a 125 gr .357 Mag hollow point, or a 10 to 15 round 9mm with 115 gr Hollow points.
The data is clear that the .357 Magnum is better than the the .38 Special. We can argue about how much better the .357 Mag is and argue about how much ground the .38+P gains over the standard pressure .38 Special, but the fact remains that the .357 Magnum is incontrovertibly "better".
In addition, once you get to the .357 Magnum level of performance, the data also shows that nothing larger performs any better in the real world shoots.
So...
1) I agree with the OP to a point that a 2" magnum handgun LARGER than a .357 Magnum is overkill.
2) But I disagree with the OP that the .357 is overkill, or that a 2" .38 Special, even with +P loads, is a better choice than a 2 1/2" or 3" .357 Magnum.
But that's just me, because I shoot 2 1/2" and 3" .357 K and L frame revolvers really well. I will add the caveat that shot placement is key in a self defense shoot and that the best choice for concealed carry will be a handgun that you shoot really well. If that means a 1 7/8" Model 36, or a 2.125" Model 60 with standard pressure .38s then so be it.
I'll also add that a lot of people make poor choices in the form of a J Magnum frame .357 like a Model 60 or Model 640 with .357 Magnum loads - when they don't shoot that revolver with those loads very well,or often enough to master that combination or stay current with it.
These are almost always the same shooters who do not believe in using sights in a self defense shoot and/or who don't think snub nose revolvers are capable of any kind of decent accuracy. Consequently, they just point it in the general direction of the threat and start jerking the trigger.
That'll work fine in the 90% or so of defensive handgun uses cases where just pulling a gun is sufficient without firing it.
However it won't be sufficient in the 50% or so cases where the gun is fired, the assailant is hit, and then stops just because he's been stopped (a psychological stop). Why won't it be sufficient? Because you need to hit the assailant first. In this case, the OP is 100% correct that a .38 Special would be just as effective. In fact a hit with a .38 is way more effective than a miss with a .357 Magnum.
