Is there a more practical & versatile cartridge than the .38/.357?

M3Stuart

M3Stuart

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Hi Everybody.

Note: I'm begging you, please do not turn this into a 'caliber war'!

I've been rationalizing calibers again and, while I don't think there is one 'perfect' caliber, I'm wondering if there is a more practical and versatile cartridge than the .38/.357 combo.

I should point out that I reload and can make .38 rounds for about 13 cents with coated LSWC's. Not much more expensive than (cheap) .22.

Just seems to fit the bill for all the target shooting and plinking. Can even load up some XTP full-house .357's if I want to hunt with using a lever gun. I can also load whatever I want in between for SD, etc.

So, here's the question; is there a more practical, versatile, all-purpose caliber, or caliber combo, than .38/.357?
 
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Is there a more practical & versatile cartridge than the .38/.357?

It may not be the best round for a purpose, but I agree. It can be used for almost all applications. ESP if you load your own.

And, bring in a rifle in .357, you can do it all.

'Cept maybe a bear. And I'm not openin' that can o worms. :)
 
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.44 Special/Magnum comes close, albeit at increased cost.

When I had the time and money to shoot, I shot a LOT of .38 Special. I've got over 5,000 .38 Special cases.

The thing I like about .44 Special/Magnum is that while it can be loaded down to .38 Special wadcutter levels, it can be loaded to levels that make me FAR more comfortable in stopping large game than I'd EVER be with a .38/.357.

That having been said, I own multiple guns in BOTH calibers.
 
So, here's the question; is there a more practical, versatile, all-purpose caliber, or caliber combo, than .38/.357?
Click to expand...

That versatility is in large part the basis for the reasoning I employed when I purchased my 686+ this past December.

The other part of the equation, (aside from recreational use), was that I wanted a handgun for home / self defense that I felt confident my wife could use in an emergency without having to deal with the potential issues that can result from lack of familiarity and training with semi-automatics, rifles and shotguns.

'Point and click' is about as simple as it gets without the fear of causing a failure to feed or fire due to 'limping' or any of a number of other reasons.

Like my 12ga Remington 870, the .357 / .38 combo results in an excellent multipurpose firearm.
 
I think it probably comes down to where you live. I'd say the 38/357
might be the most practical here in IN because we don't run into
Grizzles very often while out in the Deer woods. But if I lived out west
or or in Alaska I would probably say the 44spl/44mag or bigger would
be the best.
 
I'd go with the .44mag/spl if availability wasn't a factor and I have a bunch of .44spl loads and brass.

I can't imagine carrying all of it but odds are better that I could find some .38 or .357 if I was separated from my stash.
 
M3Stuart said:
Hi Everybody.





So, here's the question; is there a more practical, versatile, all-purpose caliber, or caliber combo, than .38/.357?
Click to expand...

NO!!! I own more .357s than any other caliber and I have always thought a .357 would kill anything I would ever encounter that walked, flew or crawled on its belly. Larry
 
cmort666 makes a good argument for the .44, if your a reloader.
Until I become a reloader, the .38/.357 combo is readily available in a huge range of types/weights/power-levels. My lever action makes all of them easy to shoot.
 
I lean more toward the .44 Special as being an all purpose handgun round. However, due to ammo availability, I have to give the nod to the .357. In fact, I own more .357 revolvers than any other caliber simply due to its great versatility. It truly is the Jack of all trades. ;)
 
I own a lot of different calibers and platforms to shoot them, but it just seems the ones I keep coming back to the most are the 38/357's.

391111521.jpg
 
At least for caliber versatility in a single weapon, nothing beats a Model 1911. For mine, I have it set up to use .22 LR, 9mm, .38 Super, 9x23 Winchester, .400 Cor-Bon, and .45 ACP on the same frame. And it's possible to add a few other rounds to the list. If the day ever comes when we are limited to owning only one gun, I'm ready.
 
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I live in a lower-Midwest metro area of 1.3 million people, and can no longer hunt. I'm quite happy with .38 Special--don't even need the .357 Magnum option to feel adequately armed.

The range of loadings in .38/.357 is so extensive that for a city-dweller it can offer anything that might be needed.
 
I'm also of the opinion that the 38spl/357mag combo is king.

But as others have said, for those who can roll their own, the 44spl/44mag combo is a very close second.

For those who don't reload the 38/357 is the definite winner due to both availability and affordability.
 
Even though you didn't explicitly state it, obviously you are talking about handgun calibers. For those, enough has been said.

But for a truly "most versatile" cartridge, I would nominate the 12 gauge, 2-3/4" / 3". Bird shot, Buck Shot, and Slugs will cover a wide range of home defense, hunting, and even survival use. Certainly better for bear than any handgun you can mention. If I could only have one gun, it would be a 12 gauge shotgun.
 
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