38 Ammo-Will Not Chamber!!!!
Hi to all;
I have an old box of 38 S&W ammo, and was curious as to why it will not chamber in my 357 S&W model 27-2. It wants to go in, but just as the shell casing starts to go into the chamber, it hangs up. I miked the shells, and compaired them to the 357 shells, they were about .001 bigger around then the 357's, and that is what is confusing me. (Like I didn't have enough things to confuse me!)
It seems like a 38 should be a 38! But not so.
Can any one explain this phenomenom to me?
And by the way, the old 38's that I have, look very similar to a 9mm, a little longer, and the rim on the shell is a little bigger around.
Thanks to all for your input! [:D]
BigBarn
"Respect the land, and it will respect you"
I have an old box of 38 S&W ammo, and was curious as to why it will not chamber in my 357 S&W model 27-2. It wants to go in, but just as the shell casing starts to go into the chamber, it hangs up. I miked the shells, and compaired them to the 357 shells, they were about .001 bigger around then the 357's, and that is what is confusing me. (Like I didn't have enough things to confuse me!)
It seems like a 38 should be a 38! But not so.
Can any one explain this phenomenom to me?
And by the way, the old 38's that I have, look very similar to a 9mm, a little longer, and the rim on the shell is a little bigger around.
Thanks to all for your input! [:D]
BigBarn
"Respect the land, and it will respect you"
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.38 S&W ammo IS NOT THE SAME as .38 special ammo. it will not chamber, and should never be loaded into a .38 special / .357 magnum revolver. its shorter, fatter, and not intended for your gun. best regards, mike.
What other dungeon is so dark as ones own heart, what jailer so inexorable as ones own mind.0 -
MR MIKE is correct 38 s&w is short fat round for small top break pistols. One of the most dangeous things you can do is put the wrong ammo in a gun and try to fire it please please don't do it if you had used 357 mag ammo in 38 S&W pistol it could blow it up.for the price of ammo use only what you know is correct 0 -
Thanks guys for your expert info. I would never try and force a bullet into a chamber that would not readily accept it, so there is no worry there.
I just do not understand how a reputable firm like S&W could make 38 ammo that will not fit into a 38 S&W gun! It just does not make sense!
Well now that I have that off my chest, I will get off my soap box, and go back to what I know. Again, thanks to all that replied!
BigBarn[8)]
"Respect the land, and it will respect you"0 -
Hello BIGBARN I did not want to inply that you would force a round the danger lies in putting a round that is slightly smaller like a 357 mag will fit in 38s&w chamber but when fired case will split etc. rifles are even more like to blow a 308 will chamber in a 25-06 but pressure will be sky high just be careful and only use ammo that fire arm is chambered for. 0 -
"I just do not understand how a reputable firm like S&W could make 38 ammo that will not fit into a 38 S&W gun! It just does not make sense!"
I'm sure the .38 S&W ammo will fit in a gun chambered for .38 S&W. It will not chamber in guns chambered for .38 S&W Special or .357 Magnum. As noted above, it's a different round that is wider.
"One day lad, all this will be yours."
"What, the curtains?"0 -
38 S&W
38 special
357 magnum
These are all three different ammos.
A 38 S&W will only chamber in a gun chambered for 38 S&W.
A gun chambered for 38 special will only chamber 38 special ammo.
A gun chambered for 357 magnum will chamber both 38 special AND 357 magnum ammo.
Virtaully all revolvers have stamped on them (usually on the barrels) the round they are chambered for.
Rafter-S (who will try his hand at clarification)0 -
BB, the .38 S&W is, as others have noted, an entirely different round. It has a .360" bullet and the casing is slightly larger in diameter for this reason. The .38 S&W is a lineal descendent of the .36 cap and ball revolver of the mid 1800s (with a stopover at the .38 rimfire) while the .38 Special is descended from the .38-44 target round which first appeared circa 1900. There are an incredible variety of rounds in this general size range bearing similar names (both the Anglo-American .38 family and the metric 9mm family) - but "general" is the key word. The differences may be subtle, but they are critical. Even though S&W pioneered all three of the rounds involved here and the term "S&W" appears in the formal nomenclature for all, they ain't the same - just as the .357 Magnum and .357 SIG are different (.357 - 358" bullets vs. .355" - .356" bullets). Use only the ammo for which the firearm is marked - often there are different (often proprietary) names for the same cartridge, depending on who loaded it, but unless you have the proper expertise / references, limit yourself to the specific round identified with the firearm.
"There is nothing lower than the human race - except the French." (Mark Twain) ". . . And liberals / DemoWipes" (me)0 -
believing that ammo is safe to fire because you can get it to chanmber without forcing it is a big mistake. more guns, and the hands holding them have been damaged due to this mistaken information. you can chamber a .270 WIN in a .30-06 SPRING rifle, but its not recomended or safe.
SAAMI has a guide on there web sight that will help your out. be careful, and think before you act. best regards, mike.
What other dungeon is so dark as ones own heart, what jailer so inexorable as ones own mind.0 -
mrmike08075 you refered to SAMMI web site. Do you have a link? How do I get in? Last time I tried it was for manufacters only.
dennisw0 -
Below is the SAAMI site.
http://www.saami.org/
Once in the site, click on "Publications".
On the publications page click on "Unsafe Arms and Ammunition
Combinations"
Book mark this site for future use and/or print out a hard copy as well.
Best Regards, Mike.
What other dungeon is so dark as ones own heart, what jailer so inexorable as ones own mind.0 -
First rule of guns and ammo when loading:
Thou shalt ALWAYS check that the data stamps on both gun and ammunition match.
Unless it's a gun that can dutchload - in which case you should be aware of what it can handle. For that, read the owner's manual. [}:)]
"Nuke 'em 'til they glow - then shoot 'em in the dark."0 -
You seem to be hung up on the idea that a reputable firm should not make ammo that doesn't fit in all guns of that caliber.
Think about it:
Remington is a reputable firm that makes a gun in .22 Short.
They also make .22 ammo that won't fit in this gun:
.22 Long
.22 Long Rifle
.22 WMR
.22 Yellow Jacket
.22 Extra Long
.22 Automatic
.22 Remington Special
.22 Hornet
etc, etc, etc.
This doesn't seem to damage their reputation.0
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