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38+P-------357magnum

jwb267
can you safely shoot a 38+P round in a 357 magnum
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Comments

10 comments

Date Votes
  • golferboy426
    yep no problem
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  • 11b6r
    Yep. +P 38 Special- 20,000 PSI .357 Magnum- 35,000 PSI
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  • beantownshootah
    quote:Originally posted by 11b6r
    Yep. +P 38 Special- 20,000 PSI .357 Magnum- 35,000 PSI


    Well to be absolutely precise, per SAAMI, .38+P loads to a max pressure of 18,500 PSI, with "ordinary" .38 special loaded to 17,000 PSI.

    As you say, .357 magnum operates safely at nearly double the pressure to 35,000 PSI. That also happens to be the maximum SAAMI operating pressure for both 9mm luger and .40SW rounds as well.

    In practice, what this means is that any .38+P round should be safe to fire in a .357 revolver in unlimited quantity.
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  • bustinstainless
    yes, you can 38's are a little shorter but work fine from my experience
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  • partisan
    Absolutely!!!
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  • vdms55
    one thought on using .38's in a .357. years ago i was told that repeated use of .38's, and no number was quoted, could possibly burn a ring in the cylinder of the firearm, where the .38 brass ends hence when a .357 round was fired from the firearm the brass of the .357 may expand into the burn ring possibly making it harder to eject. maybe b.s. maybe not. seemed logical though.
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  • Emmett Dunham
    The S&W service revolver .357 manual I have says no +p ammo! I shoot some by mistake that a friend gave at the range and they lock the cylinder up on the revolver. The manual should be easy to get to make sure you are ok.

    Emmett
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  • glabray
    It is safe to do so but you might find that the shorter case of the 38, which results in a longer jump to the rifling, causes poorer accuracy than when using the .357 case.
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  • ruger41
    quote:Originally posted by Emmett Dunham
    The S&W service revolver .357 manual I have says no +p ammo! I shoot some by mistake that a friend gave at the range and they lock the cylinder up on the revolver. The manual should be easy to get to make sure you are ok.

    Emmett


    sheesh if your .357 locks up with +p .38's I'd be worried it would really lock up with the Magnum rounds. When you say locks up do you mean you are getting bullets jumping their crimp? I know there are a few S&W's out there-mainly the Airweights & the .44 Special 296 Ti that you have to use a certain bullet weight & jacketed round but it shouldn't be a HUGE deal to shoot .38 +p through a gun designed for .357. The manual MAY be saying not to use .38's because S&W is CYAing & only want you to use what is printed on the barrel.
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  • 11b6r
    Beantown- went back and checked, and found both numbers- yours and mine- depending on which website you check. I defer to you, sir.
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