STOP Shooting 38's in your 357's!!

[POPPER]

Most all the 38 versus 357 r'nds are valid and good points. However years back there was a problem with LEOs' practicing with 38s' and carrying 357 loads.They weren't used to shooting the magnums and were not near as proficient shooting these rounds. If you shoot magnums all the time and carry them as well for CC I feel you have a definite edge there I think. Like I said yesterday I keep a 66 loaded with FBI loads for my wife. Nothing wrong with those mind you but I'll keep shooting 357 r'nds as long as I am going to carry them everyday . At such time as I can't handle them anymore I will switch off to the FBI L'ds if need be. I'm just trying to say in a long winded way that I feel you need to practice and carry the same configuration. I don't care if it is a 22 if it suits you. It's all about being like second nature to you heaven forbid if the time ever comes for you to get serious. Good Night Fellows. Enjoyed the visit. Popper

 

[JoeM19]

Model 19 / 2.5"

relax. been doing this for almost 50yrs. now. it's called firearm maintenance.

Same here since 1974. I learned from my 'ole Dad early on and at PISC it was drilled in to you that you ALWAYS clean your weapon after use. Shot mostly .38's in my 19 since 1974, and qualified w/ it in LEOSA last month.

My qualifier when checking my weapon, said, "Sure is a clean weapon." That's 39 years, and probably barely a box of .357. - 'ole joe.

 

[forestswin]

......Now that I post a thread saying the same thing in a light hearted rant brought about out of frustration, I'm getting the feeling that everyone here has reversed their opinion on the matter. .......

Tapped
I've noticed the same thing happen over and over again. Start another post in a couple of months from the other approach - and see what happens. I posted on this subject last year and I think the advice was to just use 357 cases. Different members, a little bit different question - and different opinions. This is still a good thread. Rant on.

I swore of off 38's in a 357 last year. But maybe I'll try them again - just curious. I still have my expanded 357 case, choreboy and oversized brush ready to put in the drill and Isso polish, and cylinder soaking tin .....nah maybe not. The M67 will be here next week.

 

[G.T. Smith]

clean it often

I've been firing both .38s and .357s in my .357 revolvers for years with no problems. A good cleaning after the range takes the ring right out.

I agree with this. My 65 is stainless steel of course, but I always clean it after I shoot it. I shot a box of .38+P's through it and the crud ring came right off. It was clean and lubed before I shot it, probably helped. And then again, stainless may be more resistant to the crud, but I don't know that for sure. I'll bet that if you clean the cylinder every time you use .38's, you won't have a problem.
Peace,
Gordon

 

[Coastie762]

Most folks both now and back when your 28-2 was made are not reloaders. As such, they they typically buy factory ammunition for their guns.

Then, as now, .38 Specials were cheaper than .357 Magnums and probably more widely available. For the average volume shooter it was more pleasant to shoot a box of .38s than full house magnums. As non-reloaders these folks did not have the ability to load, or purchase .357s loaded to "mid-range" or target levels. The magnum loads would be saved for "special' occasions.

Regarding cleaning, as the previous posts attest, some guns get cleaned religiously, some not so often.

I've been loading for 33 years now. When I started out reloading for handguns, I owned two .357 Mags. I loaded both using mostly .357 cases at varying power levels, because I was able to. Had I not already been a handloader when I started my handgunning journey, I would have also probably shot a lot more .38 Specials than .357s.

 

[bigedp51]

And they lived happily ever after.

 

[wyatte]

38's it is for me, particularly in my j-frames. In fact, I just consider my j-frames (model 60-9 and model 60-10) to be 38's on steroids. I realize these little fellers are fully capable of firing 357's in them, but why? I have a GP100 for that. The 38 Special is a great old round, and partnered up with the j-frame it turns out to be a a very nice combination. Of course I don't fault those who want to shoot 357's in any gun, and I also realize many don't have a myriad of guns to choose from, but this is what I do. Works for me. wyatte

 

[papajohn428]

This whole thread is just bizarre beyond belief. Take a 357 case, flare it until it just fits in the chamber, and shove it in. VOILA! Crud ring is gone.

If that doesn't work, soak the cylinder in solvent overnight, then try it again.

It ain't brain surgery.

 

[andyo5]

Two words:
chamber brush

 

[rwsmith]

Something nobody has brought up.....

I don't have to dip so far in my precious gunpowder reserve if I use lighter loads. When I was mostly doing the 2.8 grains of Bullseye thing a pound of powder would last a LONG time. Using heavier loads I need to start buying powder in 4 lb jugs and there ain't none around to buy!

 

[LostintheOzone]

Man... I seem to have touched a sore spot. Anyway, I do like that I 'can' shoot specials in my magnum, and I do understand that the ring can be cleaned out. But, seeing as 357 cases can easily be loaded to 38 specs, and seeing as this is the reloading section, I just don't see the point in shooting 38's in a 357. Why make cleaning harder than it needs to be?

A lot more people shoot 38 than 357 so there's plenty of cheap range brass around for 38, not so much for 357. I also have a 38 and I just don't want to keep 2 sizes of brass around. Also I don't want to buy another die so I won't have to keep adjusting one to load both. I don't have any problems cleaning it either so I just don't see the point in not shooting 38's in my 357.

 

[Calliope]

Had the gun been cleaned appropriately, it wouldn't have occurred, but it wasn't.

So, shooting .38's wasn't the problem. Poor maintenance was.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Wow, 4 pages all saying the same thing... Gota love it!

 

[blujax01]

Versatility, my friend, versatility. I can use the same gun woods walking with .38 Special "bunny poppers," as I use for concealed or open carry with .357 Magnum defensive loads. I can also train others using one gun starting with mouse-fart loads and going up in power to thunderboomers in stages.

On the other hand, my wife likes her four inch S&W Model 681 but not the recoil of magnums. Since we don't use reloads for defensive purposes, her .357 Magnum revolver is loaded with .38 Special +P ammo. Why we didn't buy a .38 Special L-frame should be readily apparent to someone who has priced them.

Finally, those of us who occasionally suffer from bouts of arthritis/bursitis sometimes need to load down our defensive guns to get through those bouts without changing guns.

So, there you have it. Someone answered your questions.

ECS

Thank you. This explains a lot.

 

[viceunit]

I have a model 19-2 I bought from the widow of a fellow officer. He was on the department pistol team and I am guessing that the 19 never had a .357 round fired out of it. He also carried it as his duty weapon and .38 special was the issued round.

When I got it .357 rounds were difficult to seat and the empties could not be ejected without extreme difficulty. His widow gave me a Lewis Lead Remover kit and I used that on all charge holes. Still no luck. I chucked a stainless chamber brush in a cordless drill and passed it through each chamber until the ring was no longer visible. Now .357 drop right in and eject cleanly. It took about 20 minutes of work to undo 20-25 years worth of .38 special carbon ring. And, I still shoot .38's in it and give it a good cleaning afterward.

 

[Dave from Pa]

Interesting post,never thought much about it since there are more important things to worry about in life.

 

[Moonman]

Tony,

How's RETIREMENT fitting in your schedule?

Different Huh!

 

[old&slow]

Most all the 38 versus 357 r'nds are valid and good points. However years back there was a problem with LEOs' practicing with 38s' and carrying 357 loads.They weren't used to shooting the magnums and were not near as proficient shooting these rounds. If you shoot magnums all the time and carry them as well for CC I feel you have a definite edge there I think. Like I said yesterday I keep a 66 loaded with FBI loads for my wife. Nothing wrong with those mind you but I'll keep shooting 357 r'nds as long as I am going to carry them everyday . It's all about being like second nature to you heaven forbid if the time ever comes for you to get serious. Good Night Fellows. Enjoyed the visit. Popper

Popper , I actually agree with you. If you are going to carry it ,, know how it feels and how to us it. And if you only shoot 50 or 100 rounds a year use what you carry.

But after a shooting demo a guy asked Jerry Miculek, ' let's see you do that with a 500 S&W '. Mr. Miculek said something to the affect of ' I shoot 100,000 rounds a year , it is way to much wear and tear to do that with magnums'.
Later on he did do a demo with some full blown 357's out of a 3" K frame. And he could..

I don't shoot a 100,000 rds. a year. But during the summer, every weekend , depending on the match I shoot probably 100 to 200 rounds thru a handgun. Mostly 9mm ,, sometimes 45's or maybe some 40's. most loaded for what kind of match I'm shooting, punching holes in paper ,, knocking down steel ,, USPSA, etc.

Since I sometimes carry a J frame m60 .357 I practice with it.
And a couple times a year I'll run a couple cylinder full of .357's thru it so I don't forget the feel. But to practice I usually run thru a 100 or so .357 cases loaded to 38 +P. A lot less wear and tear on my favorite little J frame.

So Popper Yes I agree with what you are saying,,, But don't always do it..

 

[mikld]

Why? If you gotta ask, then don't do it! I had 10 times as much .38 Special brass than .357 brass when I first got my .357. Even though I'm not recoil shy, after 50-100 rounds of Magnum loads in my 4" .357, I'm getting tired and may develop a flinch. Lots of reloaders around here count costs and my .38s don't cost as much to reload. Some of my .38 loads have proven to be super accurate in my .357. Many of the loads I shoot in my .357 as loaded for my .38s and are accurate and fun so it's a dual load (just because it says "Magnum" on rhe barrel, doesn't mean ya gotta shoot magnum loads only). There is no damage done to my .357 when shooting .38 loads and normal cleaning is sufficient to keep the dreaded "carbon ring" away...

There's six reasons I can and do shoot .38 brass loads in my .357 Magnum.

 

[gwpercle]

You get a free Smith & Wesson and now you're complaining about it?

Don't look a gift horse in the mouth.

If you don't want it, I will gladly take it off your hands, and never say one word except thanks.