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

[tappedandtagged]

Seriously, its not worth the crud ring that makes the 357 cases stick should you or the next owner decide to go back to shooting what the gun was meant for! PLEASE just down load some 357 cases and leave the 38 cases to the 38's. Please!

Why the rant some of you may wonder? (Especially after I've been away from this site so long). Well, this past Saturday my great uncle had me come over and passed down a S&W Mdl 28-2 Highway Patrolman with a 4" barrel. My uncle has been a life long collector, but only shot a few of his favorite revolvers (with his favorite being a Mdl 29 with a 5" barrel, which even after being over 80 years old, he refuses to load with 44 specials).

This particular revolver which he gave me has seen use evidenced by the bluing wear on the extractor rod and the cylinder turn ring, but my Uncle hadn't shot it since he acquired it a couple decades back. He said he simply bought it so no one else could have it.

With this new to me Highway Patrolman in hand, I go out to the shooting range (aka my dad's), with 50 rounds of .357 loaded with 12 grains of AA #9 and a 158 grain SWC. Well, I still have 44 rounds of that load left. After a full cylinder (which shot beautifully with the most gratifying ring on the metal target, just a tad high) I found that the spent cases were almost stuck in place! Four cases came out with moderate persuasion, but two were firmly held in place and had to be tapped out.

12 grains of AA #9 is not what I would consider a hot round by any definition so I wasn't worried about the rounds being too hot. I brought it home, shown a light in the cylinder and saw the most disgusting carbon ring in every cylinder. Two were particularly bad. Seems that whoever owned this revolver before my Uncle shot 38's exclusively in it. The revolver has been well cared for, but even a good cleaning won't take out that crud ring! 2 hours of cleaning I think I have the ring out. I spent about 10 minutes with all 6 chambers pushing in an over flared 357 case in and out several times. Some had to be tapped in with a brass hammer and tapped out with a brass rod due to the crud in it.

Now I have 44 rounds to test in it to see if the dreaded ring is gone. Please, in the event I end up with one of your 357's, don't shoot 38's in it. I believe that Horace Smith and Daniel Wesson would agree with me on this one.

 

[2hawk]

This thread could also be called "learn how to clean your guns!" (Not directed at you OP)
You could use the chore boy method and have that carbon out of there in short order. I like a Kroil soak overnight before hand, seems to heip emulsify the carbon.
HTH

 

[coorslight]

I mostly shoot .38 special in all my 357 revolvers never had an issue with it when switching to .357's. Hoppes #9 is a wonderful thing.

 

[Florida J Frame]

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.

 

[weatherby]

Please, in the event I end up with one of your 357's, don't shoot 38's in it. I believe that Horace Smith and Daniel Wesson would agree with me on this one.

I don't agree nor do I think they would have.

 

[ACP230]

Most of my .357 Magnums get fired with .38 Special reloads in .38 cases
most of the time.

No problems with Rugers or Smith & Wessons and I've been shooting the Ruger since 1979 and Smiths just a bit less time.

Like several folks above here said, cleaning is the key.
I've also read that chambering a fired .357 case can scrape out some
crud. Not made a point of doing that, although it has happened sometimes, because I haven't had a problem.

 

[Steve in Vermont]

I mostly shoot .38 special in all my 357 revolvers never had an issue with it when switching to .357's. Hoppes #9 is a wonderful thing.

My M 28 dates to the mid 60's and has had tens of thousands of rounds down the barrel, 95% of which were .38s (mainly WC). Always a complete cleaning with Hoppes, especially the cylinders, after shooting and never a problem. I believe the secret is to ALWAYS do this, to not let the "ring" form in the first place.

 

[perrazi]

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

 

[*chris*]

I shoot a mix of 38 specials and 357 mags in my revolvers. In the off chance that the 38 Specials sticky I clean with solvent and a brass brush and if that doesn't clean the ring I use a stainless steel tornado brush which seems to make quick work of the ring. The chore boy is another good option.

I wouldn't use it on the bore, personally.

Hoppe's Tornado Style Bore Brush 9mm 35 Cal 8 x 32 Thread SS

Chris

 

[POPPER]

I d sure don't want to ruffle anybodies feathers but I've brought this question up in the past. I'm not a collector by any stretch of the imagination but I am fortunate to own a 2.5" 66 K frame a 4" 686 L and two 28-2 Highway patrolman models a 4" and 6". All these are shot regularly and are all 357 Cal. I myself have never fired any 38s' out of these. One exception being the 66 my wife took from me for the living room which I reluctantly loaded with 38+P to make it more manageable for her in our old age. As for me at age 74 I still crank the 357s' If and when I can't do this anymore I'll give them up and buy a couple 38s' or 44 spls'. In closing my long winded post as I've asked in the past why would someone purchase a 357 to shoot 38s' out of it. I just don't get it. Sorry. If your bent on doing this and you reload just use 357 brass and castr--- the load. Popper

 

[bmcgilvray]

I just like to keep the two rounds and the revolvers chambered for them separate. I only use .357 Magnum cases in my .357 Magnum revolvers. Not because I'm concerned about any ramifications. I clean after each use anyway.

 

[Florida J Frame]

A .45 cal brass brush and Hoppe's makes it a non issue.

 

[Texas40]

Done it for years. Mon issue as long as you clean the gun after each use. I use 38 for range and load 357 in it other wise. I do put some 357 thru it at the range as well.

 

[POPPER]

Do Not and I repeat DO NOT use these loads without checking them out. I usually don't make a habit of telling what I use or shoot. YOU DO YOUR OWN HOMEWORK! This just so happens to be my loads. There are many good powders on the market these days but I'm an old stubborn old man so bear in mind these loads I use are with 2400 powder and 158 gr swc and magnum primers ( Oh Heaven Forbid Magnum Primers) If it was good enough for Skeeter it is good enough for me. A 12.5 gr will do a respectable job I suppose but for me I ended up with a 13.5 gr load for messing around and a 14.5 gr for car door shootin' if need be.

 

[GPJohn]

Inspecting the gun and cylinders before heading to the range might have alleviated most of your frustrations.

 

[John P.]

A .40 cal brush and Ballistol works for me. I baby my old K frame magnums, and they usually only see .38 Special loads with lead bullets.

 

[growr]

A little routine cleaning before going to the range would have made this a non-issue....just like shooting .38's in a .357 is a non-issue.

Randy

 

[*chris*]

I As for me at age 74 I still crank the 357s' If and when I can't do this anymore I'll give them up and buy a couple 38s' or 44 spls'. In closing my long winded post as I've asked in the past why would someone purchase a 357 to shoot 38s' out of it. I

Congrats for shooting for so long!

Why do I shoot 38 specials out of my 357 magnum guns? First, my range will not allow magnum calibers on most of the steel, it damages it and others on the range don't know I am shooting bunny fart 357 loads. Second, it is great for training. When I bring a new shooter to the range, they start with a 617, work up to the 686 with a 38 special load than finally a full house magnum if I don't see them developing any flinch. The beauty of the 357 caliber is you can load it mild to wild. Why not load 38 special loads in 357? Well, the case is way too long as it is for modern propellants and the 1/10" longer case makes positional sensitivity even worse. Third, I can usually snag 200 empty 38 special cases every trip to the range, I may find 357 mag brass 2-3 times per year.

If I desire recoil, I grab my Keltec KSG or my 629 with full house magnums. Makes the 357 mag feel like a peashooter.

HTH

Chris

 

[jtcarm]

I've never had a lick of trouble switching calibers.

As for the "if you want a .38 buy one" mentality, you can (and I do) load magnum class ammo in .38 special cases. Most folks probably buy a .357 primarly to shoot .38 special ammo, but like having the option of extra power if they want it.

I've always been a reloader so I don't know for sure, but if you shoot factory ammo and want something lighter in your .357, is there a readily-available choice in .357 cases?

Back in the day when LEOs packed revolvers and Bullseye was the dominant form of pistol competition, lots of 1x-fired .38 special brass that had been shot by military & police pistol teams could be had for way less than .357s. That is, if you could find .357 brass. WW and Remington owned most of the ammo market and did not like selling reloading components on the philosophy that it took away from their ammo sales.

 

[Cal44]

Well, the guys at Freedom Arms would have agreed with the OP.

They sell a 38 special cylinder for their 357 magnum revolvers.

They sell a 45 colt cylinder for the 454 Casull guns as well.