Using .38 special in .357 mag revolver - The Firearms Forum

RunningOnMT · 04-01-2009, 01:18 PM

This question occured to me while reading comments in another thread but I didn't want to hijack the thread. I have seen several posts mention firing .38 spl ammo in .357 mag revolvers. While I know it can be done, I have been told by a couple gun smiths and dealers that this is not a good practice unless you are going to be using .38 spl exclusively in that gun. I know little about the technical aspect besides what I have been told but these people said .38's will wear a groove (?) in the chamber after time that will cause a problem with future use of .357 ammo. They said if you want to shoot .38's buy a .38 but if you want a .357 only use .357 cartridges. Have I been told wrong?

graehaven · 04-01-2009, 01:32 PM

Here's what I found someone say as a recommendation on another forum:

Roger, you will also notice that the .38 Specials are a lot easier on your revolver, not just your wrist. I suspect most people with .357s spend most of their time shooting .38s and if you shoot .38 +Ps you'll be closer to .357 performance while still be easier on the gun. You might want to keep an eye on cylinder chambers though if you shoot a lot of .38s. The shorter case might mean a little build up from time to time that could make loading .357s a bit sticky. I will generally shoot a couple of cylinders of .38s and then one of .357s and this seems to prevent this problem. Good cleaning helps too. Both rounds are also great with cast bullets. Just keep the velocities down a bit in .357 to help keep barrels clean. Mind you, I've shot a lot of Lyman No. 2 alloy (quenched in cold water) in my .357s at around 1100 fps and no leading yet. I think the .38 Special (particularly in +P form) has unfortunately become one of the more under rated rounds in these times of high pressure, super fast cartridges. Enjoy!

http://forums.cabelas.com/archive/index.php/t-528.html

I JUST bought a Taurus .357 Titanium on Saturday, and ran a box of .38s through it yesterday. When I carry it, I plan to use .38+P defense ammo in it, rather than .357 rounds.

With the way firearms are manufactured today with such quality materials and tolerances, I doubt it would be much of an issue. Although, someone here might think/know differently. I'll be looking forward to seeing some expert responses on it.

graehaven · 04-01-2009, 01:35 PM

Some more discussion here too (it's specific to the Taurus I just bought):

http://forums.gunboards.com/showthread.php?t=73556

pinecone70 · 04-01-2009, 03:14 PM

My new Ruger actually does better with .38s than it does with .357 magnums. I don't really know why, but with the magnum rounds giving me sore hands, I think I'll be mostly using .38 specials. It's not a defense gun anyway.

bestseller92 · 04-01-2009, 03:29 PM

I've shot TONS of .38s through my various .357s with ZERO problems. You MIGHT have to clean your chambers if you get sticky chambering/extraction with .357s after using .38s. Big deal. But I've rarely even found that to be the case. Again, there is nothing wrong with shooting .38s in a .357 Magnum.

Yes, in my experienced opinion, you have been "told wrong".

Insulation Tim · 04-01-2009, 04:09 PM

Good to know as I just purchased a new Taurus 5 shot .357 mag revolver but intened on shooting .38's in it.

questor · 04-01-2009, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bestseller92

You MIGHT have to clean your chambers if you get sticky chambering/extraction with .357s after using .38s

One day at the range, I shot a box of .38's and then was unable to load .357 rounds. Fortunately a very savvy shooter said "you need a chamber brush, not a bore brush to clean the chamber." Bought a chamber brush and all that crap was cleaned.

the moral of the story, use a chamber brush after you shoot .38's

howlnmad · 04-01-2009, 04:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RunningOnMT

This question occured to me while reading comments in another thread but I didn't want to hijack the thread. I have seen several posts mention firing .38 spl ammo in .357 mag revolvers. While I know it can be done, I have been told by a couple gun smiths and dealers that this is not a good practice unless you are going to be using .38 spl exclusively in that gun. I know little about the technical aspect besides what I have been told but these people said .38's will wear a groove (?) in the chamber after time that will cause a problem with future use of .357 ammo. They said if you want to shoot .38's buy a .38 but if you want a .357 only use .357 cartridges. Have I been told wrong?

With proper cleaning this won't be a problem. You do clean regularly, don't you? Shoot the 38's, save money and the pain, just thoroughly clean the firearm.

Bindernut · 04-01-2009, 04:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by questor

One day at the range, I shot a box of .38's and then was unable to load .357 rounds. Fortunately a very savvy shooter said "you need a chamber brush, not a bore brush to clean the chamber." Bought a chamber brush and all that crap was cleaned.

the moral of the story, use a chamber brush after you shoot .38's

Yup, the biggest problem I've had with shooting .38Spcl in my .357s is the buildup in the front of the chambers (either lead or powder fouling) that will cause sticky or even impossible chambering of .357 brass.

And if you don't have a .38 chamber brush handy, then grab a .40/10mm or .41/.44 bore brush and use it to clean those chambers out.

Dirtypacman · 04-02-2009, 11:17 AM

I also load my own and shoot 38 out of my 357. Regular cleaning is all that is needed to keep it in good working condition for either.

BobMcG · 04-03-2009, 10:51 PM

I've shot thousands of .38s in .357s without seeing any cylinders getting "scored" by the shorter cartridge, despite having been told it "could" happen.

johnlives4christ · 04-04-2009, 01:53 AM

normally when i shoot 38s out of my 357 i dont have much problem with sticky chambers as i will only shoot 4 or 5 cylinder loads full then run 357 through it... i'd rather shoot 357 but whenever i get a deal on 38's i cant pass it up

~john

carver · 04-04-2009, 07:39 AM

I shot my SP 101 with .38 wadcutters for a long time, as I really don't like the recoil form the .357 ammo. One day I decided to load up some home made .357 rounds, and discovered that they didn't want to go into the chambers! After a closer investigation, I discovered that a deposit had been made in each chamber from the powder. It was burnt in well, and it was thick. I used a wooden dowel with 0000 steal wool in a hand drill to work it out. I will no longer shoot .38's in any .357 chamber without a thorough cleaning afterwards, and I try not to shoot them at all. I have several .38's that will work just fine for wadcutters.

thomas44 · 04-05-2009, 09:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by questor

One day at the range, I shot a box of .38's and then was unable to load .357 rounds. Fortunately a very savvy shooter said "you need a chamber brush, not a bore brush to clean the chamber." Bought a chamber brush and all that crap was cleaned.

the moral of the story, use a chamber brush after you shoot .38's

I usually shoot .357 magnums anyway, but to clean my revolver chambers I use one of those nylon brushes that usually come with a semi-auto pistol these days. It's oversized and puts enough pressure on the chamber walls to clean them really well. Works great !

ezstreit · 10-29-2011, 01:10 PM

Having just bought my first 357 6 in bbl COLT for deer hunting the cost of ammo in 2011 saving $ by using 38 spl for practice in 357 sounds good. But should fire the 357 ammo to be used for hunting also so as to adjust sights. I had read that the problem was chamber erosion (grove) in front of the shorter 38 would cause the 357 case to bulge into the grove making extraction of the 357 case more difficult. Logic seems that this would occur but comments above indicate not a big deal.

Alpo · 10-29-2011, 02:16 PM

You don't get chamber erosion. This is a hold-over from back in the days of black powder and corrosive primers. Non-corrosive primers and propellants have been in use for decades, and it just does not happen anymore.

What you can get, especially if you shoot lead 38s, is a buildup of lead shavings and bullet lube at the mouth of the 38 case, which can cause hard chambering and even harder ejecting of the 357s.

I say CAN cause the hard chambering. I have shot massive amounts of 38s in my 357s, and have never seen such a buildup, and have no problems with shooting 357s afterwards. I have, however, two 32 H&R magnum revolvers that I shoot lead 32 S&W Longs in. After several hundred rounds of the 32 S&WLs, I bought a box of 32 H&Rs and fired a cylinderfull. Loading was no problem, but ejecting was a massive pain. I had to actually push the ejector rod up to the edge of the table and lean my weight on it to push the empties out. Pushing with my thumb accomplished nothing. But once I put S&WLs back in it, they ejected easily.

I can only presume that there is a lead/lube buildup in my chambers.

mikld · 10-30-2011, 10:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bestseller92

I've shot TONS of .38s through my various .357s with ZERO problems. You MIGHT have to clean your chambers if you get sticky chambering/extraction with .357s after using .38s. Big deal. But I've rarely even found that to be the case. Again, there is nothing wrong with shooting .38s in a .357 Magnum.

Yes, in my experienced opinion, you have been "told wrong".

I have the same experience. Since I clean my guns after a range session there is not enough carbon build up to make any difference when shooting .357 ammo after even a couple hundred .38 reloads...

gdmoody · 10-30-2011, 01:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikld

I have the same experience. Since I clean my guns after a range session there is not enough carbon build up to make any difference when shooting .357 ammo after even a couple hundred .38 reloads...

A few months ago I bought a Dan Wesson from a fellow who shot nothing but .38s in it. I has a very nice ring inside of each cylinder of carbon/lead/whatever build-up. Every time I go shoot it, I think about stopping at the store to buy some brass .38 brushes to clean the rings out. Every time I head home from the range, I forget about it. One of these days while I am actually at the gun store or wal-mart I will think about it and buy what I need.

What I am saying is that a ring WILL build up over time!!

Josh Smith · 10-30-2011, 04:55 PM

Hello,

I believe the .38spl problem to be more related to lead bullets and subsequent lead buildup in the chambers than powder fouling or chamber ringing. Just think how quickly the revolver would be trashed by .357 rounds if the metal were that poor.

On the other hand, I've seen .22 shorts lead up .22LR chambers very quickly and cause problems.

Just keep an eye on it, but as was said, it really should be fine.

Regards,

Josh

04-01-2009, 01:18 PM	#1
RunningOnMT Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Akron, Ohio Contributor Posts: 4,720	Using .38 special in .357 mag revolver This question occured to me while reading comments in another thread but I didn't want to hijack the thread. I have seen several posts mention firing .38 spl ammo in .357 mag revolvers. While I know it can be done, I have been told by a couple gun smiths and dealers that this is not a good practice unless you are going to be using .38 spl exclusively in that gun. I know little about the technical aspect besides what I have been told but these people said .38's will wear a groove (?) in the chamber after time that will cause a problem with future use of .357 ammo. They said if you want to shoot .38's buy a .38 but if you want a .357 only use .357 cartridges. Have I been told wrong? -->

04-01-2009, 01:32 PM	#2
graehaven Advanced Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Upstate NY Posts: 2,853	Re: Using .38 special in .357 mag revolver Here's what I found someone say as a recommendation on another forum: Roger, you will also notice that the .38 Specials are a lot easier on your revolver, not just your wrist. I suspect most people with .357s spend most of their time shooting .38s and if you shoot .38 +Ps you'll be closer to .357 performance while still be easier on the gun. You might want to keep an eye on cylinder chambers though if you shoot a lot of .38s. The shorter case might mean a little build up from time to time that could make loading .357s a bit sticky. I will generally shoot a couple of cylinders of .38s and then one of .357s and this seems to prevent this problem. Good cleaning helps too. Both rounds are also great with cast bullets. Just keep the velocities down a bit in .357 to help keep barrels clean. Mind you, I've shot a lot of Lyman No. 2 alloy (quenched in cold water) in my .357s at around 1100 fps and no leading yet. I think the .38 Special (particularly in +P form) has unfortunately become one of the more under rated rounds in these times of high pressure, super fast cartridges. Enjoy! http://forums.cabelas.com/archive/index.php/t-528.html I JUST bought a Taurus .357 Titanium on Saturday, and ran a box of .38s through it yesterday. When I carry it, I plan to use .38+P defense ammo in it, rather than .357 rounds. With the way firearms are manufactured today with such quality materials and tolerances, I doubt it would be much of an issue. Although, someone here might think/know differently. I'll be looking forward to seeing some expert responses on it. __________________ The beauty of the second amendment is that it will not be needed until they try to take it." - Thomas Jefferson RESISTANCE IS FEUDAL... PREPARE TO SERVE.

04-01-2009, 01:35 PM	#3
graehaven Advanced Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Upstate NY Posts: 2,853	Re: Using .38 special in .357 mag revolver Some more discussion here too (it's specific to the Taurus I just bought): http://forums.gunboards.com/showthread.php?t=73556 __________________ The beauty of the second amendment is that it will not be needed until they try to take it." - Thomas Jefferson RESISTANCE IS FEUDAL... PREPARE TO SERVE.

04-01-2009, 03:14 PM	#4
pinecone70 Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Minnesota Gal! Posts: 4,730	Re: Using .38 special in .357 mag revolver My new Ruger actually does better with .38s than it does with .357 magnums. I don't really know why, but with the magnum rounds giving me sore hands, I think I'll be mostly using .38 specials. It's not a defense gun anyway. __________________ _____________________________________________ "Miss Scarlet, in the library...with a revolver...."

04-01-2009, 03:29 PM	#5
bestseller92 V.I.P. Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Oklahoma. Posts: 189	Re: Using .38 special in .357 mag revolver I've shot TONS of .38s through my various .357s with ZERO problems. You MIGHT have to clean your chambers if you get sticky chambering/extraction with .357s after using .38s. Big deal. But I've rarely even found that to be the case. Again, there is nothing wrong with shooting .38s in a .357 Magnum. Yes, in my experienced opinion, you have been "told wrong". Last edited by bestseller92; 04-01-2009 at 03:31 PM..

04-01-2009, 04:09 PM	#6
Insulation Tim Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Ohio Contributor Posts: 2,300	Re: Using .38 special in .357 mag revolver Good to know as I just purchased a new Taurus 5 shot .357 mag revolver but intened on shooting .38's in it. __________________ Tim *"Remember the Ark was built by amateurs....Professionals built the Titanic"*

04-02-2009, 11:17 AM	#10
Dirtypacman Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Merrimac Valley, MA Posts: 908	Re: Using .38 special in .357 mag revolver I also load my own and shoot 38 out of my 357. Regular cleaning is all that is needed to keep it in good working condition for either. __________________ Member HHRG and HSC, NRA Life Member, GOAL Member LTC-A

04-03-2009, 10:51 PM	#11
BobMcG Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Somewhere in the Twilight Zone. Contributor Posts: 1,119	Re: Using .38 special in .357 mag revolver I've shot thousands of .38s in .357s without seeing any cylinders getting "scored" by the shorter cartridge, despite having been told it "could" happen.

04-04-2009, 01:53 AM	#12
johnlives4christ Former Guest Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Kentucky Posts: 3,828	Re: Using .38 special in .357 mag revolver normally when i shoot 38s out of my 357 i dont have much problem with sticky chambers as i will only shoot 4 or 5 cylinder loads full then run 357 through it... i'd rather shoot 357 but whenever i get a deal on 38's i cant pass it up ~john

04-04-2009, 07:39 AM	#13
carver TFF Moderator/Host Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: DAV, Deep in the Pineywoods of East Texas, just west of Shreveport, LA Contributor Posts: 11,292	Re: Using .38 special in .357 mag revolver I shot my SP 101 with .38 wadcutters for a long time, as I really don't like the recoil form the .357 ammo. One day I decided to load up some home made .357 rounds, and discovered that they didn't want to go into the chambers! After a closer investigation, I discovered that a deposit had been made in each chamber from the powder. It was burnt in well, and it was thick. I used a wooden dowel with 0000 steal wool in a hand drill to work it out. I will no longer shoot .38's in any .357 chamber without a thorough cleaning afterwards, and I try not to shoot them at all. I have several .38's that will work just fine for wadcutters. __________________ Y'all be safe now, ya hear! Lamentations Chapter 5: 1. Remember, O LORD, what is come upon us: consider, and behold our reproach. 2. Our inheritance is turned to strangers, our houses to aliens. 3. We are orphans and fatherless, our mothers [are] as widows. 5. Our necks [are] under persecution: we labour, [and] have no rest. 16. The crown is fallen [from] our head: woe unto us, that we have sinned! 21. Turn thou us unto thee, O LORD, and we shall be turned; renew our days as of old.

10-29-2011, 01:10 PM	#15
ezstreit Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Posts: 1	Re: Using .38 special in .357 mag revolver Having just bought my first 357 6 in bbl COLT for deer hunting the cost of ammo in 2011 saving $ by using 38 spl for practice in 357 sounds good. But should fire the 357 ammo to be used for hunting also so as to adjust sights. I had read that the problem was chamber erosion (grove) in front of the shorter 38 would cause the 357 case to bulge into the grove making extraction of the 357 case more difficult. Logic seems that this would occur but comments above indicate not a big deal.

10-29-2011, 02:16 PM	#16
Alpo Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: NW Florida Posts: 8,664	Re: Using .38 special in .357 mag revolver You don't get chamber erosion. This is a hold-over from back in the days of black powder and corrosive primers. Non-corrosive primers and propellants have been in use for decades, and it just does not happen anymore. What you can get, especially if you shoot lead 38s, is a buildup of lead shavings and bullet lube at the mouth of the 38 case, which can cause hard chambering and even harder ejecting of the 357s. I say CAN cause the hard chambering. I have shot massive amounts of 38s in my 357s, and have never seen such a buildup, and have no problems with shooting 357s afterwards. I have, however, two 32 H&R magnum revolvers that I shoot lead 32 S&W Longs in. After several hundred rounds of the 32 S&WLs, I bought a box of 32 H&Rs and fired a cylinderfull. Loading was no problem, but ejecting was a massive pain. I had to actually push the ejector rod up to the edge of the table and lean my weight on it to push the empties out. Pushing with my thumb accomplished nothing. But once I put S&WLs back in it, they ejected easily. I can only presume that there is a lead/lube buildup in my chambers. __________________ 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. Last edited by Alpo; 10-29-2011 at 02:17 PM..

10-30-2011, 04:55 PM	#19
Josh Smith V.I.P. Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Wabash IN Contributor Posts: 66	Re: Using .38 special in .357 mag revolver Hello, I believe the .38spl problem to be more related to lead bullets and subsequent lead buildup in the chambers than powder fouling or chamber ringing. Just think how quickly the revolver would be trashed by .357 rounds if the metal were that poor. On the other hand, I've seen .22 shorts lead up .22LR chambers very quickly and cause problems. Just keep an eye on it, but as was said, it really should be fine. Regards, Josh __________________ - Smith-Sights Adjustable Sights for the Mosin-Nagant -