.38 smith and wesson - The Firearms Forum

Jarem · 08-11-2012, 06:14 PM

Hi all, long time lurker first time poster here.

I recently acquired a .38 caliber smith and wesson revolver. Will post pic later if interested.

Problem is I am having a heck of a time finding ammo. Local dealers say they can order it (1/5) and the rest say they wont order ammo because they don't like the caliber. Its not a .38 special, and half of them want to sell me .38 special ammo. I'd rather not blow my hand off so the question is...
Any reliable online dealers available? I was planning on using sgammo however they our out of stock on .38 sw ammo. Sportsmansguide doesn't appear to handle it either.

Any information is very appreciated.

Thanks,
JJ

Alpo · 08-11-2012, 06:27 PM

Graf carries it.
http://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog/...categoryId/36?

For some reason known only to themselves, Fiocchi calls it 38 S&W Short, but it's the same stuff.
http://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog/...tegoryId/3824?
But I see they are out of stock on it, so it don't matter.

Midway carries it
http://www.midwayusa.com/find?sortby...nsionid=10050&

You didn't look hard enough at Sportsmans Guide
http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/c....aspx?a=357941

Ain't cheap. Probably the Privi is gonna be the cheapest.

savage170 · 08-11-2012, 11:56 PM

Just got a box from cheaper than dirt. The local Basspro keeps some on hand also

woolleyworm · 08-12-2012, 12:06 AM

Welcome to the active side of TFF Jarem ! Please do post some pics and info on your 38SW. Wheel guns are always nice to look at.

As far as ammo goes, if you're in an area where they have gunshows on a regular basis, I find alot of harder to find ammo at them. 38SW isn't particularly difficult to find though, I did want to double check to see if you're looking for BP loads or smokeless?

Alpo · 08-12-2012, 08:46 AM

Good point, Worm. I was thinking of a Terrier or a Victory, but there's a whole buncha top-break Smiths out there that are 38 S&W and are not smokeless-safe.

CJ_56 · 08-12-2012, 08:51 AM

I think I'd be stocking up on .38 ammo. It seems pretty much every place has given up on it. The only places I see it are places that have old stock or maybe they just carry less popular rounds. The .38 Spcl has pretty much taken over the market. I went through this with a Tokarev I owned. It got to where I was lucky to see a box of ammo a year. I always bought up everything I found. Now it's all over the place again though. Maybe .38 ammo will make a comeback too. But for now I'd stock up.

My daughter just bought a S&W .38 Spcl. BTW. She bought the Bodyguard 38. It's a nice concealed carry piece. I'm sure it will be a purse gun before it's over. My daughter had a hard time dealing with slides and slide releases on the semi-auto pocket pistols. It's sorta hard to get a grip on them I guess. Heck I had to struggle with a couple of them. I know they would get easier after a while but she needed a revolver for sure. She can flat hit what she shoots at though.

Conman · 08-12-2012, 01:16 PM

http://ammoseek.com/?gun=handgun&cal...ds=&sortby=cpr

Gun Geezer · 08-12-2012, 04:04 PM

The first revolver I ever purchased was a snubnosed S&W in .38 S&W. That was back in my college days and it was used. If I remember correctly I paid $25 for it. Ammo was a little hard to find even (about 1965). I still see it now and then at gun shops and farm stores. I believe it's still produced by Remington and others. It might make a good collectors item or conversation piece today but unless it was a real bargain, I can't really see the wisdom of buying any firearm that is hard to find ammo for as we all saw a yr. or so ago when .380 was so scarce.

I rarely carry the .380 now that I have a few thousand rnds. in the gun safe. I'm banking on 9mm being readily available for a long time.

gvw3 · 08-12-2012, 04:24 PM

There is a gun shop by me that has about 15 boxes of 38 S@W. In was made in 1979 but still seems to work fine. Other than them I can't get it anywhere around here.

Jarem · 08-20-2012, 07:39 AM

Thanks all for the info. In response to a few posts at once,
Will post pics at some point, in the process of move and my wife has our digital camera in a different state.
Sportsmansguide was out of stock on the .38 a few weeks ago.

And the pistol was a gift, kind of a pass down the line kind of thing.

Sorry I don't have a pic to share, will try get pics posted later.

fleetwood1976 · 08-20-2012, 11:49 AM

i buy a lot from these guys. they have some.
http://www.chestnutridge.com/products/ammo.asp

08-11-2012, 06:14 PM	#1
Jarem Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 2	.38 smith and wesson Hi all, long time lurker first time poster here. I recently acquired a .38 caliber smith and wesson revolver. Will post pic later if interested. Problem is I am having a heck of a time finding ammo. Local dealers say they can order it (1/5) and the rest say they wont order ammo because they don't like the caliber. Its not a .38 special, and half of them want to sell me .38 special ammo. I'd rather not blow my hand off so the question is... Any reliable online dealers available? I was planning on using sgammo however they our out of stock on .38 sw ammo. Sportsmansguide doesn't appear to handle it either. Any information is very appreciated. Thanks, JJ -->

08-11-2012, 06:27 PM	#2
Alpo Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: NW Florida Posts: 8,662	Re: .38 smith and wesson Graf carries it. http://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog/...categoryId/36? For some reason known only to themselves, Fiocchi calls it 38 S&W Short, but it's the same stuff. http://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog/...tegoryId/3824? But I see they are out of stock on it, so it don't matter. Midway carries it http://www.midwayusa.com/find?sortby...nsionid=10050& You didn't look hard enough at Sportsmans Guide http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/c....aspx?a=357941 Ain't cheap. Probably the Privi is gonna be the cheapest. __________________ Meddle not in the affairs of dragons, for thou art crunchy, and taste good with catsup - George of Lod, Year of Our Lord 297 I always take precautions. Beware the Evil Bullet Fairies.

08-11-2012, 11:56 PM	#3
savage170 V.I.P. Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: FL Posts: 385	Re: .38 smith and wesson Just got a box from cheaper than dirt. The local Basspro keeps some on hand also

08-12-2012, 12:06 AM	#4
woolleyworm TFF Moderator/Host Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: SW Fort Worth Contributor Posts: 4,883	Re: .38 smith and wesson Welcome to the active side of TFF Jarem ! Please do post some pics and info on your 38SW. Wheel guns are always nice to look at. As far as ammo goes, if you're in an area where they have gunshows on a regular basis, I find alot of harder to find ammo at them. 38SW isn't particularly difficult to find though, I did want to double check to see if you're looking for BP loads or smokeless? __________________ . What are you gonna do, talk the alien to death? -- (on Sigourney Weaver's worry about Guns in Aliens) "Safety is something that happens between your ears, not something you hold in your hands." "I carry a small gun to compensate for my huge Blue press." .

08-12-2012, 08:46 AM	#5
Alpo Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: NW Florida Posts: 8,662	Re: .38 smith and wesson Good point, Worm. I was thinking of a Terrier or a Victory, but there's a whole buncha top-break Smiths out there that are 38 S&W and are not smokeless-safe. __________________ Meddle not in the affairs of dragons, for thou art crunchy, and taste good with catsup - George of Lod, Year of Our Lord 297 I always take precautions. Beware the Evil Bullet Fairies.

08-12-2012, 08:51 AM	#6
CJ_56 V.I.P. Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: SE Ohio Posts: 391	Re: .38 smith and wesson I think I'd be stocking up on .38 ammo. It seems pretty much every place has given up on it. The only places I see it are places that have old stock or maybe they just carry less popular rounds. The .38 Spcl has pretty much taken over the market. I went through this with a Tokarev I owned. It got to where I was lucky to see a box of ammo a year. I always bought up everything I found. Now it's all over the place again though. Maybe .38 ammo will make a comeback too. But for now I'd stock up. My daughter just bought a S&W .38 Spcl. BTW. She bought the Bodyguard 38. It's a nice concealed carry piece. I'm sure it will be a purse gun before it's over. My daughter had a hard time dealing with slides and slide releases on the semi-auto pocket pistols. It's sorta hard to get a grip on them I guess. Heck I had to struggle with a couple of them. I know they would get easier after a while but she needed a revolver for sure. She can flat hit what she shoots at though.

08-12-2012, 01:16 PM	#7
Conman V.I.P. Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Eastern Iowa Contributor Posts: 193	Re: .38 smith and wesson http://ammoseek.com/?gun=handgun&cal...ds=&sortby=cpr __________________ USAF 1955-1977

08-12-2012, 04:04 PM	#8
Gun Geezer Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Central Florida Posts: 1,710	Re: .38 smith and wesson The first revolver I ever purchased was a snubnosed S&W in .38 S&W. That was back in my college days and it was used. If I remember correctly I paid $25 for it. Ammo was a little hard to find even (about 1965). I still see it now and then at gun shops and farm stores. I believe it's still produced by Remington and others. It might make a good collectors item or conversation piece today but unless it was a real bargain, I can't really see the wisdom of buying any firearm that is hard to find ammo for as we all saw a yr. or so ago when .380 was so scarce. I rarely carry the .380 now that I have a few thousand rnds. in the gun safe. I'm banking on 9mm being readily available for a long time. __________________ If voting could change anything for the better, It'd already be illegal.

08-12-2012, 04:24 PM	#9
gvw3 Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Chicago IL Area Contributor Posts: 3,287	Re: .38 smith and wesson There is a gun shop by me that has about 15 boxes of 38 S@W. In was made in 1979 but still seems to work fine. Other than them I can't get it anywhere around here. __________________ Criminals advocate stronger gun laws to foster a safer work environment. This limits their exposure to risk.

08-20-2012, 07:39 AM	#10
Jarem Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 2	Re: .38 smith and wesson Thanks all for the info. In response to a few posts at once, Will post pics at some point, in the process of move and my wife has our digital camera in a different state. Sportsmansguide was out of stock on the .38 a few weeks ago. And the pistol was a gift, kind of a pass down the line kind of thing. Sorry I don't have a pic to share, will try get pics posted later.

08-20-2012, 11:49 AM	#11
fleetwood1976 Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Southern Indiana Contributor Posts: 1,333	Re: .38 smith and wesson i buy a lot from these guys. they have some. http://www.chestnutridge.com/products/ammo.asp