38 Special revolvers are often promoted as a great first gun for a new shooter, especially women shooters? “Snubbies†do have some positive attributes: they are small, lightweight, easy to conceal, reliable, and it's pretty hard to have an accidental discharge with that long, heavy trigger pull.
38 Special are that it's effective in a self-defense capacity in service-size pistols. It doesn't produce excessive recoil, so most shooters can accurately shoot it. Simply load, point, shoot and repeat.
38 Special Ammo Prices Went Through the Roof. As for prices, lower demand has resulted in a slight drop in prices, yet firearms owners may simply have to accept that shooting is going to be a bit more expensive for the foreseeable future –at least into next year and likely beyond.
38" referring to the approximate diameter of the loaded brass case. This came about because the original . 38-caliber cartridge, the . 38 Short Colt, was designed for use in converted .
Why is 38 Special so hard to find? The first problem is a demand problem. According to NSSF's final tally, approximately 8.4 million first time gun owners entered the market in 2020. When they came in, they brought an unprecedented demand for guns and ammo, as well as some interesting purchasing habits.
38 Special has a muzzle energy of 208 foot-pounds, while the . 357 Magnum logs a muzzle energy of 539 foot pounds. The comparisons we've given have the same bullet sizes, making it clear that the .357 Magnum is more powerful.
- Deepest Penetration: Black Hills +P, 125 gr JHP: 22.12 inches deep.
- Largest Overall Diameter: Federal Personal Defense Micro 130 gr HST JHP: .72 inches.
- Fastest: SinterFire Special Duty 110 gr Frangible HP: 1,060 feet per second.
BANG: Five Best .38 Special Handguns for Home Defense
- Here's What You Need To Remember: The .
- Ruger SP101.
- Colt Cobra.
- Smith & Wesson Model 10.
- Smith & Wesson Model 442.
- Smith & Wesson 686.
The . 38 Special is one of the best revolver cartridges ever made. Because it was introduced in the late 19th century as a black powder cartridge and has not changed dimensionally in that time, today's . 38 Special is a mild recoiling, low-pressure round that enjoys a very healthy following.
38 Special and .357 Magnum are exactly the same in width. It's only when looking at their length that you'll notice a difference. Many handgun owners shoot one or both of these rounds, and while the cartridges have a common heritage, these bullets perform in strikingly different ways.
. 38 SPL 5,550 Ft. . 357 MAG 6,600 Ft.
Of course, recoil is also nearly double as well. But here's the deal: Because the two rounds are loaded with bullets that are the same diameters, but the 357 Magnum merely has a longer case and more powder, the 38 Special cartridge can be safely fired in guns marked 357 Magnum, but not vice-versa.
Ammunition: One or more loaded cartridges consisting of a primed case, propellant, and projectile(s). Three main types are rimfire, centerfire, and shotshell.
The big difference between “jams†in revolvers and semi-automatic pistols is that most pistol malfunctions can be cleared fairly quickly. However, with a revolver, the malfunction will usually take you out of the fight.
- Ruger Super Redhawk.
- North American Arms . 22 Revolvers.
- Taurus Protector.
- Smith & Wesson 442.
- Ruger LCR-22.
- Smith & Wesson Bodyguard 38.
- Ruger GP100.
- Rossi 352.
Smith & Wesson's “duty-size†M&P N-frame—the R8 revolver—holds eight rounds of . 357 Mag. or . 38 Spl. In this case, your revolver carries eight rounds with which to do that.
32 revolver Ballistics Data
| Bullet Brand | Type Weight | Velocity |
|---|
| Remington FMJ | 71 grains | 1623 |
| Hornady HBWC | 90 grains | 860 |
| Hornady SWC | 86 grains | 1232 |
| Hornady HP | 100 grain | 1201 |
Revolvers, or “wheelguns,†have been around for nearly two hundred years. A revolver typically holds five, six, or even seven rounds of ammunition in a rotating cylinder. Modern revolvers are typically double-action guns: a single trigger pull both cocks the hammer and releases it, firing the pistol.
