is it ok to load a 38. cal round into a 38 special S.&W.?

Question

is it safe to shoot with a smaller round

I have a 38 smith & wesson special ctg
and a whole lot of regular 146 grain 38. cal. ammo. The 38 special ctg is longer and has more grain,is it safe to use shorter ctg in a revolver

Answer 1

Smaller is always safe....bigger isn't.

If it's the same cal, the cartridge fits the cylinder, and the rim fits, you're ok.

Addendum: If your pistol is a .357mag, it can shoot .357mag, .38spec, .38 Long Colt, .38 Short Colt etc.

If your pistol is chambered for .38 Long Colt, you can use that cartridge or the .38 Short etc. Shorter is fine, longer isn't.

Addendum to WWD: I can't think of a single revolver in which a shorter cartridge of the same caliber, simply a shorter case, isn't safe to shoot. Which ones did you have in mind?

Addendum to GunCrazy: Taken straight off the Remington ammo site.....http://www.remington.com/pdfs/2006catalog-ballistics.pdf

For those among us that can't do pdf files.....

(These are all listed as interchangeable)

.38 Colt Special
.38 S&W Special
.38 Special Targetmaster®
.38 S&W Special Mid-Range (SEE NOTE D)
.38 Special (+P) (SEE NOTE B)
.38-44 Special (+P) (SEE NOTE B)
.38 Special
.38 Special Flat Point
-------------------------
.38 Short Colt in .38 Long Colt but not conversely.
Both can be used in .38 Special
-------------------------

That's from the guys making and selling the ammo in question.

Those thumbs down sure are easy to click on, ain't they?

Answer 2

Every .38 S & W Special is a .38 caliber, so I suppose it would be alright. However, if you are confusing the .38 S & W , with the .38 S & W Special, you are not going to make it work. The Special is a longer round, and too small diameter for the .38 S & W. The .38 S & W is too large diameter to fit the Special chamber.
There were a lot of .38 S & W revolvers that had the cylinder reamed out longer to accomodate the Special round, but split cases and poor accuracy resulted.

Answer 3

Not all .38's are created equal.

Not just in length, but it bullet diameter, too.

I wouldn't shoot a .38 Special cartridge in anything but a gun designed for .38 Special, .357 Magnum, or .357 Maximum--because I KNOW that all of these guns accept the same sized bullet. And the longer, more powerful rounds will not fit in the cylinders or chambers of the smaller guns.

I wouldn't, however, shoot .38 LC, .38 SC or .38 S&W, even from a .357 Magnum. No, I've never fired these cartridges, but my reloading manuals (Hornady, Speer, AmmoGuide) all tell me that:

(1) These loads use bullets that are 0.003 inches larger than the .357 Magnum bullet.

(2) These cartridges have cases that are 0.002 inches wider than the .357 Mag case.

(3) These cartridges have rims that are 0.005 inches wider than the .357 Mag case.

So if I could even get these cartridges into my .357, it would be snug fit--which is no big deal. But trying to push a bigger bullet through a smaller barrel probably will be.

So no, H, I don't think that Randkl gave the best answer on this question, and I'm thumbing him down, too.

Answer 4

First of all, Randkl has given you the best answer so far so what is it with all the 'thumbs down???'

In modern .38 caliber non-mangum revolver rounds the .38 Special is the longest. The shorter .38s, the .38 Colt (long and short) and the .38 S & W rounds (not to be confused with a .38 Special round in a S & W revolver) will all fit and work in a revolver chambered for .38 Special. For that matter, they will all chamber and work in a .357 Magnum revolver. The reverse, however, is not true. So Rankl is... Correct!

H

I have shot the .38 S & W (short) out of .38 Specials revolvers. They work as .003 is nothing and the bullet is so weak as to preclude splitting in the cylinder. The most serious problem you are likely to have using dated ammo is that it will misfire, or you get a squib load that will cause the bullet to lodge in the barrel of your gun. I stand by my statement: Randkl has given the best answer; yes, you can shoot these out of a .38 Special. It is probably safer than attempting to shoot .9mm or .380 bullets w/half-moon clips out of a .357 Mag since the modern .9mm/.380 is much higher pressure (and this has also been done).

H

Answer 5

Randkl is 100% correct as H has said.
The 38 S&W operates at 13,000 cup.
Where as the 38 Special operates at 17,000 cup.
While the 38 S&W does run a .360 diameter to the 38 Special .357 that is only .003 over.
That is well with in the manufactures tolerances.
Plus you are running 4,000 cup below what the 38 Special operates at.
That would make it safe to use.

BUT, WWD is correct on potential collectors value if this is old ammo.
It could very well be worth saving them and trying to sell them on one of the firearm auction sites.

Just look at what there selling an “empty box” for of 38 S&W on e-bay for and it still has 2 days and 22 hours to yet, the price can jump much higher, and the condition of the box Sucks.

http://cgi.ebay.com/WINCHESTER-38-CAL-AMMO-BOX_W0QQitemZ270154897125QQihZ017QQcategoryZ71133QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem


Firearms auction sites links.
http://www.gunbroker.com/

http://www.auctionarms.com/

D58


Hunting with Rifle, Pistol, Muzzle loader and Bow for over 3 decades.
Reloading Rifle, Pistol and shotgun for over 3 decades.

Answer 6

How would a .38 Special round fit into a .38 S&W cylinder (I assume that this is what you're asking about)?

The .38 Special has an overall length of 1.55 inches.

The .38 S&W has an overall length of 1.24 inches.

The .38 Special would be too long to fit.

Furthermore, even if you *could* get it to fit, the .38 Special case holds more powder, which could cause dangerously high pressures--especially considering that guns that fire .38 S&W are older, are made with inferior metallurgical technology, and not made to withstand the higher pressures.

Your accuracy would suck, too, since the .38 S&W gun is made for a bullet that is 0.361 inches in diameter, while the .38 Special uses a bullet that is 0.358 inches in diameter.

Now, if you're actually trying to do this the other way (.38 S&W round in a .38 Special gun), then it's a DEFINITE NO, for the last reason that I gave.

You'd be trying to shoot a 0.361 inch bullet through a hole that was designed for a 0.358 inch bullet--again, causing dangerously high pressures that could destroy your gun. And your hand. And your face.

Answer 7

If you have a .38 SPL revolver, it won't chamber .38 S&W cartridges. The .38 S&W SPECIAL uses a .357" bullet and the .38 Smith & Wesson uses a .360" bullet.

Now if you have a revolver chambered for .38 S&W, you have two problems. For one, there is cartridge length and cylinder length. Maximum cartridge length for the .38 S&W is 1.240" and maximum cartridge length for the .38 S&W Special is 1.550". That means that not only is the .38 Spl. going to be rattling around loose in the chamber, but it is going to stick out the front of the cylinder.

.38 S&W cartridges can not be used in a .38 Special, and vice versa. The two cartridges are strictly non-interchangeable.

doc

Answer 8

Smaller is not always safe, but it you have 38 Colt cartridges, either the Long or Short version, they'll be OK. If they're 38 Short Colt, though, you could consider their age and potential collector's value.

Answer 9

I haven't seen a question bring so much controversy as this one has. I am not a re-loader. The only advise I can give is simple: If there is a doubt about safety, do not use it. I'm sure there is no desire to damage a gun or a body part. Forgive me if I err on the side of safety.