I love my 38 Smith & Wesson that yes I inherited for my grandfather who bought it at a gun show that used to be a Australian police officers gun. Unfortunately ammo is becoming more and more scarce
Well, actually there IS a .38 short cartridge that works just fine in .38 spl. So you can get: .38 short, 38. long, 38. Special and 357. Magnum. 38 S&W however is a different breed. So don't confuse .38S&W with .38 Short. Guess how i found out 🙂
The 38 Short and Long are Colt rounds. The S&W will not chamber in 38 special guns as they are fatter. 38 special shouldn't chamber in a 38 s&w but if the chamber is cut long it might which is not a good situation.
.38 Short Colt, .38 Long Colt, 38 Special, .357 Magnum can be fired out of a .357 magnum. 38 S&W is it own caliber. Just like 32 S&W, 32 S&W Long, 32 H&R Magnum and Federal 327 Magnum can be fired out of a327 Magnum revolver. 32-20 is its own caliber can be fired out of a 32-20 revolver and 32-20 rifle.
We were given and old Iver Johnson 38 sw and 3 boxes of ammo. We also have a 38spl charter arms and a SS SW 38spl revolver. My grandkids want to learn to shoot so I plan to let them shoot the old 38sw. It looks in very good shape. It is a 5 shot open on top hammerless. It shouldn't bruise their hands like the little charter arms pocket job. Our PC guns are Keltec 380's. I'm 85 so am also giving my 270 to my son in law and grandson. I just enjoy fishing now.
I love the .38 S&W caliber and not just because I bought a vintage 1953 Smith & Wesson Regulation Police model 4 inch revolver at a pawn shop a few years a go !!! It is one accurate round to shoot especially out to 15 yards and if it was at one time good enough for the po po departments then it's good enough for me and YES it is DEADLY out to that combat range of 21 feet or 7 to 10 yards with 700 to 800 ft per second and will get you all the self protection you need because all it takes is that one well placed shot or hell even the whole 5 rounds center mass but usually 1 to 2 shots ends any gun fight at point blank range !!!! I assure you I'm a fanboy at the age 59 of this caliber the sweet shooting .38 S&W !!! It's just a joy to and hoot to shoot from my vintage revolver !!!
@@ivanperea4381 I'd say so. Plenty of companies manufacture new .38 S&W ammunition, although it's seemingly always lead round nose 145-146 grain bullets at around 650-700 fps velocity, as they expect it may be used in pre-smokeless powder guns so it's down-loaded to be safer to use in those guns. A company named Buffalo Bore makes self defense ammo for it, which is a 125 grain hard cast lead flat nose bullet going 1000+ fps. I've seen that ammo on GunBroker recently, as well as the main types of new production .38 S&W from Magtech, PPU, PrivPartisan, Winchester, Remington, etc. The prices are somewhat higher sometimes from individual sellers, but the sellers that have 'Buy it now' listings and dozens of boxes available to sell often sell it for around $30-35ish for a box of 50 rounds. There are even some new production black powder loaded cartridges available occasionally, but they are much more rare, as it's like 1 or 2 people/companies that will occasionally sell them. Hopefully you can find some and have fun shooting this very mild and soft shooting cartridge, I absolutely love this caliber, obsolete or not!
@@ivanperea4381 no. And it's expensive. I have a old ctge the gunshop has to order it special for me and it's expensive. It is a fun round to shoot almost no recoil at all. I have a old ctge in S&W short 125 years old and still shoots flawless the auto ejection still works it was a hit tech revolver back then it's still cool I love the design and even carry it sometimes. The round isn't a powerful round I shot a 2+4 with it and it stuck into the 2+4 I shot 2+4 with 9mm it goes right threw and splinters it everywhere . But it was designed for exactly what this man said it was for to get you out of a scrape.
Where did you find jacketed rounds for the .38 S&W? A friend gave me an Iver Johnson hammerless and it’s been a bear finding ammo in general, but when I do find it I can only ever find lead round nose.
I have two boxes of Fiocchi in 38 s&w short that has the fmj on the whole bullet and it says that on the bottom of the case next to the primer 38 s&w G F L and I stood it up next to one of my PPU 38s&w lrn and it's a tad bit shorter but still 145gr bullet and the brass case is the same size as the PPU brass case of the lrn but it's brass case seems to be jus a tad bit wider in perimeter and they both fit my Smith & Wesson 1952 vintage post war Regulation Police pistol !!! Now I haven't shot any of this 38s&w short that has the fmj out of this pistol yet for I may go to a gun dealer and ask if they think it would be okay to shoot out of my vintage Smith & Wesson pistol just to be on the safe side !!!
I have a really old S&W revolver, pre 1940’s it’s last patent # is Dec 29 1914, it says .38 S&W Special on the side and .38 Special fits perfectly, but the old guy I got it from says it shoots .38 Smith and Wesson
Your measurement on the bullets is off - only catching the ogive in those loaded cartridges. 38/357 is 0.357 diameter for the largest part of the bullets when just the bullet is measured. The 38 S&W is 361/362 at the largest part of the bullets.
Thanks for the video! Hopefully, someone in the comments can point me in the right direction here. We inherited what the Colt website tells us is a 38 Police Positive manufactured in 1921 or 1929 (my money is on 1929, but what do I know?). I believe that means it's 38 S&W. However, it has a 2" barrel that says Agent 38 Special (after market?). Where can I find out if it is advisable to shoot 38 S&W through that barrel? We had to force the cylinder open after shooting 38 special.
@@RTACDaughters Thanks for the reply. I guess my next question is whether I should be looking for a different barrel since it's marked 38 Special or if I can/should shoot 38S&W as the firearm is currently configured.
I bought some 38 S&W By mistake at a gunshow by mistake. I put them in my Rossi 38 special cylinder thay fit but a little drag putting them in. I didn't shoot them but thay did fit in the cylinder.
I’m in agreement with you… the 38 Smith and Wesson still makes ya leek… no one wants extra holes in them. Like with everything out there bullet placement is key. I think keeping these old firearms shooting is a tribute to their quality and historical value. Keeping them in original condition as long as they can function safely. Is of more value than trying to refinish them. In other words don’t destroy a historical artifact. If ya want a nice gun save the money and buy one.
I purchased a near-pristine Webley mk.IV in .38 Special and there is no fmj rounds available on the market here, only lead ones, and those dirty the barrely horribly, so my question is, can I savely reload the spent brass casings with rounded fmj bullets meant for .38 special? I do not want to take any chances when it comes to doing avoidable damage to this piece.
Most Webleys were chambered for the 38-200 which is almost identical to the 38S&W for size and pressure but it uses a 200gr bullet instead of a 158 gr. These cartridges interchange but may not shoot to the sights for the different bullet weights. This is the same round used in the WW2 Enfield revolver, however some of those had the chambers deepened so they can shoot 38Spl. I've not known any to blow up but that gun isn't rated for that pressure and case splits aren't inknown. Look at your Webley with magnification and see if the caliber stamp seems altered or changed. Webley did make some 38 Spl guns so you might have one. If so, any standard non-+P loads are fine for it and the sights will be regulated to a 158gr bullet.
Great video! I came across an old model 36 (No dash bluied) it very good condition. I wanna carry it as a bug, but im looking for some good hard hitting wadcutters for it, any suggestions. I appreciate it brother
The no-dash isn't rated for +P nor was it intended to seer a lot of service ammo. There's some very good snubby loads being made now 110gr to 125gr which weren't available back when I carried a no-dash. In 38 Spl wadcutters tend to be loaded light for target shooting, and semi-wadcitterrs tend to use slower burning powder for longer barrels. Go with a premium hollow-point standard load in the 110gr to 125gr range, anything heavier suffers too much velocity loss in a snubbie. If you take a ":J" frame apart, grind off 1/2 turn from the rebound slide spring, polish inside where that spring goes and where the rebound slide rides in the frame, then polish the edges of the mainspring strut, you'll find the trigger much sweeter especially in DA. It'll never match the larger S&W's triggers but it can be made better than factory.
@@P_RO_+ p 38 special won’t hurt any 38 special revolver. I’ve been shooting "+p” 38 Special in my well worn 1918 manufactured S&W M&P for 30 years. Never a problem. +p is just a marketing gimmick. Original BP 38 special pushed a 158 grain bullet at close to 1000 fps.
think with anything shot placement is key with anything as well as skill level i know you cant stick 8 sw in a special but think you can the 38 lc and sc im unsure
I know .38 short colt is fine to chamber and fire in .38/.357 revolvers. Not sure about .38 long colt but it wouldn't surprise me if it worked. .38 S&W seems to depend on the gun, as some revolver cylinders have chambers that'll just barely fit the .38 S&W round, whereas others it won't go in at all. And if it does go in and is fired, I've heard it's often more difficult to eject the spent casing
@@brian8152 Both the Colt cartridges will 'work' in 38 Spl and the Short Colt will fit a 38S&W but accuracy will be horrible and cases may split on firing. 38S&W can fit too tight in 38Spl and cause overpressure, even though it's standard pressure is much lower. Best to simply use the right ammo as is stamped on the gun.
Hello, I have a S&W Model 60 Revolver that is chambered for "357 Magnum, 38 S&W SPECIAL +P". I've had it for a while and have shot many .38 Special rounds out of it and just found out today, that .38 Special is different from .38 S&W Special. Since the manufacturer specifies that it can shoot the .38 S&W Special (+P), is it safe to assume that it will fire without issue, or should I still avoid it due to the differences? Is it safe to continue to fire .38 Specials out of this revolver? Thank you,
As longas your 38spl p+ is not hotter than 357 mag I say you are ok but you can cont tact S&W by email orphone they can tell you more! Ilook on their site you should be fine with 38spl +p
@@RTACDaughters Thank you :D Generally speaking it has been fine with .38 special (Previous owner gave me several .38 special, including +p rounds, with the gun), but I never realized that it was rated for .38 S&W too. I never new until I looked it up on the website today, and saw this video that there is a difference.
There is no cartridge named "38 S&W Special" in +P or not. The 38S&W is a 19th century cartridge originally loaded with blackpowder. The case is a larger diameter but shorter than the 38Spl. The 38Spl was invented by S&W during the Spanish American war. The Arrny was using 38 Long Colt revolvers which had a 150gr heeled bullet propelled by backpowder. The cartridge lacked stopping power and wasn't very accurate.S&W used that bullet diameter (.357") in a larger diameter case holding more powder and offered their revolver in that clambering to the Army as the Army had already rejected the 38S&W round. The Colt cartridge used a flat-point billet but S&W used a rounded point which added 8gr to the bullet weight and named it "38 Special". In the late 20's S&W developed some stronger guns and designated them "38-44". Identical to the 38Spl but higher pressure. That load was dropped after a few years as no matter how big the warning, people were trying to use it in light guns which were blowing up. Phil Sharpe and Elmer Keith convinced S&W to make a 38Spl cases 1/10 of an inch longer loaded to even higher pressures and the 357Mag was born in 1935. In the 70's Remington and Dan Wesson collaborated to create the 357Maximum which was a lengthened 357Mag in a strengthened case. It was found to 'gas-cut' frame straps with extensive use so the cartridge faded away and is made no more. I'm covering all this because with the 357Max, the 357Mag, the 38-44, and the 38Spl a longer chamber can safely shoot any shorter cartridges in thus list and +P ammo is safe in all but standard 38Spl. Now for the 'fun'. The 38S&W has a slightly larger diameter case and it should NOT fit any of the guns in my list above, but sometimes tolerances of manufacturing let that happen. Even though the 38S&W is a lower pressure cartridge, that tight case fit can raise chamber pressure past the 38Spl standard on firing, leading to damaged or blown-up guns. The only safe interchange for the 38S&W is the British 38-200 which uses a heavier bullet at similar pressures. Some gins chambered for the 38-200 or 38S&W will chamber 38SPL rounds but firing them will result in over-pressure which will blow cheap or weak guns up in your hand, and will excessively wear higher quality guns.Though you'll probably never see any, the 38 Colt (sometimes called the 38 Short Colt) will fire safely in a 38 Long Colt chamber and can be fired in any of the other chamberings I've mentioned but accuracy will be horrible and cases will probably split on firing. And in case you're interested, the 38WCF aka 38-40 is actually a 40 cal bullet and fits none of these.
@@RTACDaughters Have all military and police revolvers been converted to 38 special? Or is that only the case if the barrel also says 38 Special? Mine says 38 s&w. CTG on it. The longer drum seems to fit a .38 Special.
38 S&W will shot out of a 38 special. I tried it in my Smith 357 and Rossi 38 special, it shot from both of them. It is so close in diameter that if it will fit it will shoot. Just be sure and clean your cylinder afterwards.
@Nicholas C Go for it dude. As hard as ammo is to come by these days. I say " if it fits then shoot it" 38 S&W may be easier to get also. It is a kinda old fashioned round, not very popular anymore.
@Brian I have a suspicion that Smith&Wesson revolvers are made to accommodate the 38 S&W round. I also have a suspicion that some of the other manufacturers who have copied the S&W revolvers have chambered their cylinders to the same specs.
It works. It's not recommended no. Say you can fit 38 Sp or ➕P, in your 38 S&W. If they fit in the cylinder they will run. Yes you run the risk of case expansion in the cylinder after firing. Usually all you'll need is a wooden dowel or even a pencil or pen and they'll pop right out. That being said, I would still only do it if you had absolutely no other choice. Think about if you're not at the range an you're in a life and death scenario, you're already at a disadvantage using a revolver with 5 rounds. You don't want to further compound that handicap by having to fiddle around and nock out expanded casings from your cylinder before your able to attempt to reload again. In which case, it'd be nice to have maybe a Darringer or something similar that can be ready if need be while you're freeing up your 38.
I wonder why self-defense needs to necessarily end with a high powered hollow point bullet mortally wounding an attacker nowadays. For most civilians trying to disengage from an assault a low powered low recoil round like .38 S&W might be sufficient. It is a strange obsession with inflicting maximum damage and ensuring death.
Well if you need to defend oneself why wouldn't you want the maximum lethal round to do so? Also hollow points will expand within the soft tissue and will not overly penetrate causing the bullet to hit something that you do not want to
Its about stoping the attack. Just because a person is shot doesnt mean they will stop attacking. Death ( or hopefully fear of it) will stop them with larger caliber. My fear with larger caliber is going through somebody and hitting an innocent. I like hollow points.
Probably because if the asshole that breaks in your house comes out alive you're liable to have a lawsuit on your hands. You blow him to Timbuktu however, and there's only one story. The story of how you were asleep and this lunatic broke in and was humping the family gold fish. It's unfortunate that we have to think in this manner but if it comes down to it, it's your family and freedom at stake. You are more important than the person who just broke into your house. You are better, than the person who just broke into your house. You like breathing more than the person who just broke into your house. You love your family more than the person who just broke into your house. There are a million reasons why you want to lay down the threat immediately. I can maybe come up with 1or 2 scenarios where you maybe don't want to smoke the person. Like say they were mental and had a knife, is it a threat? Well yes it is but the person is Autistic or whatever the case may be. This in my mind, would be a situation where you would prefer to neutralize the threat instead of eliminating it because the person needs mental help. I don't feel like a mental person deserves a death sentence the way a normal burglar or attacker does. Some will argue that a life threat is a life threat no matter what. I don't feel it's as cut and dry as that however. It's all on an individual basis. If you notice your attacker isn't mentally sound, an you end their life, you'll struggle with that decision the rest of your life. Even if you don't go to prison. Way better to just love each other and stop breaking into people's houses! So if criminals could just understand this that would be great lol
I carry several different guns in .38 S&W for daily concealed carry. One is a S&W 2nd Model (1880-1884) Double Action 5 shot, 3.25" barrel, the others are Forehand and Wadsworth's; one is a "Forehand D.A", the other is a Forehand Arms Double Action. The "Forehand D.A." has a factory bobbed hammer, the other one has a regular spurred hammer. Both of them have 5 shot cylinders and 2.5" barrels, but unlike the S&W I have, they're not top breaks. They're really light and concealable, were shipped to my house without any issue due to them being pre-1898 guns, but still in great condition, and in my shitty anti-gun state (MA), there is case law that doesn't require a LTC (license to carry) for pre-1898/black powder guns. I use Remington Performance Wheelgun ammo, 146 grn. Lead Round Nose bullets (though I filed down the round nose to a flat nose on some of them to make them RNFP bullets). The velocity is 680~ fps if I recall correctly, making the energy about 152~ ft/lbs; on par with some light loaded .38 Specials or some hot .32 ACPs I guess. I like the pure lead bullet as it will have a hollow point like effect inside the human body, especially if hitting bone. Also at the low velocities they have, I'd imagine over-penetration would be very unlikely, and if it happened, would lose enough energy for the bullet to be a lot less dangerous due to losing most of it's energy after hitting something first. Also, when a bullet stays in the target, all of the energy of it is used up, and not wasted out of the target going into the wall behind them, for example. I got a regular cheap 5 shot speedloader for .38 revolvers, and it works fine since .38 S&W, .38 Special, and .357 Magnum have the same rim diameter, so they'll fit and function fine in speedloaders and speedstrips designed for .38 Special and .357 Magnum cartridges. Of course these devices only work with my top break, since the other two revolvers I have are gate loaded and would be unlikely to be re-loaded in the heat of the moment. The trigger on my S&W in double action is amazingly smooth and light (the Single Action sear has worn down and no longer functions unfortunately), and the trigger on my F&W Double Action is surprisingly similar in quality to the S&W's trigger, which was definitely surprising given that the S&W's in the late 1800's cost, if I recall correctly, around $12, whereas the cheaper gun manufacturers such as Iver Johnson, H&R, H&A, F&W, cost anywhere from $2.50-$5 tops. Also the F&W guns have an automatic rebounding hammer, which in the 1880s/1890s was pretty rare. The S&W I believe is supposed to have a sear to hold the hammer a few millimetres back, so the firing pin mounted to the hammer doesn't protrude through the frame, however that is also non-functional just like the single action sear on that gun unfortunately. But simply positioning the cylinder so that the protruding firing pin is in between two cartridges works fine for safe carry, as the cylinder cannot rotate to have a cartridge's primer in line with the firing pin without pulling the trigger (or cocking the hammer but as I've said, it won't stay back due to the worn out single action sear). I really need to get to a range to do more practice, as I've only been able to shoot them a little, for short periods of time, with less than ideal targets, due to my circumstances and where I live. Prior to getting these, I only had reproduction cap and ball revolvers, in .32, .36, and .44 calibers, which I have a little more experience with. But them being single action only, heavier, unable to be reloaded or unloaded quickly, lack of excessive smoke upon firing, and the risks of misfires or cap jams, makes me glad I found out about these antique guns, and their legality/easy availability to me, and wish I knew about them sooner. I wish I could just easily get a modern subcompact .380 or 9mm semi-auto pistol, or snub nose .38/.357 revolver, and carry that, but until I either decide to waste time/effort/money on a 'may issue' license, or am able to move one state north (either NH or VT which both have constitutional carry laws and don't have BS permits needed for one to exercise their constitutional rights), I don't mind making do with these antiques and replicas. Any gun is better than none, and I now have over at least 10 different revolvers, with 8, soon to be 9, that fully work and don't need a part or two to function again. Also, thankfully I don't live in a very dangerous area or need to be in dangerous locations/times/settings/etc. I always have something just in case on me, but since I know it's not as likely for it to need to be used, I don't find the limited capacity or ballistic performance of the .38 S&W (or even the .32 S&W or .32 S&W Long) cartridges that of a disadvantage, since they all put out at least 60 ft/lbs. of energy, which according to some army test in the past, was deemed the minimum amount of energy required to penetrate a human skull. The .32 S&W does around 80 ft/lbs, about the equivalent of .22 WMR from a pistol, and the .32 S&W Long does 110-120 ft/lbs, which is a little less than a standard or light loaded .32 ACP round. Not to mention the statistics that show a large amount of cases where a defender simply showing their gun to their assailant or warning them that they are armed has been enough for them to run away without needing to fire a shot. And if I did, the statistics show the closeness of the majority of encounters means the lower ballistic effectiveness of the cartridges my guns are chambered in shouldn't be too much of a disadvantage, and would very likely to be lethal depending on shot placement, or at the very least incapacitating enough for me to run away. Like with any round, even really high powered ones, it's hits that are needed, not misses, and it's hits to anatomically significant parts of the attacker's body that matter, with hits to anywhere else not guaranteeing them to stop unless you're lucky and get a psychological stop due to them being in pain. Anyway, I apologize for the long, rambling post lol. I just wanted to mention my experiences with daily carrying these antiques chambered in .38 S&W (some are in .32 S&W, though only one is currently working, and one is in .32 S&W Long, but also needs parts to work as well, but I ordered a replacement gun due to the spare parts I need being near impossible to find, and it being a good price), but don't carry those as often, and if I do, usually only as a backup to my .38 S&W guns; especially the F&W solid frame ones that cannot be quickly reloaded like my S&W top break can. I'm sure I'm not the only one but I'd imagine my situation isn't very common at least lol. The prices are usually pretty good, the convenience of it being shipped to my door without needing a C&R license, or any state licensing or registration is a huge bonus, and mainly, I love the history of them. "If only these guns could talk" is what I always wish, knowing that in the 130 or so years of their existence, the people who've carried them, the things they might've saved their owners from (or perhaps even any crimes they were used for), is extremely interesting to me, and just holding them, knowing that someone, at some point in the 19th century, bought it new and held it just as I did, is a really cool feeling! Granted, a lot were probably in a sock drawer for the majority or entirety of their lives with only a few dozen or less shots fired from them, but those types of guns are the ones that're typically in the best shape, which is my first priority for these guns. One day, when I'm able to move, or end up getting a license for modern firearms, I'll still never forget or lose the hobby of collecting these antiques! But for now, they are a lot more valuable to me than simply collectibles.
@justus Yes there are cases were someone get several shots or even a full cylinder of .357 into the chest and he still shot back. And also with .45 and even 44 Magnum. So its very questionable if all the blast recoil and hearing loss will give you any advantage. Maybe there are rather disadvantages. Sometimes less is more.
I love my 38 Smith & Wesson that yes I inherited for my grandfather who bought it at a gun show that used to be a Australian police officers gun. Unfortunately ammo is becoming more and more scarce
Well, actually there IS a .38 short cartridge that works just fine in .38 spl. So you can get: .38 short, 38. long, 38. Special and 357. Magnum. 38 S&W however is a different breed. So don't confuse .38S&W with .38 Short. Guess how i found out 🙂
You blew the cylinder off huh?👀🇺🇸
The 38 Short and Long are Colt rounds. The S&W will not chamber in 38 special guns as they are fatter. 38 special shouldn't chamber in a 38 s&w but if the chamber is cut long it might which is not a good situation.
@@twentyfifthdui4717I doubt any guns exploded
.38 Short Colt, .38 Long Colt, 38 Special, .357 Magnum can be fired out of a .357 magnum. 38 S&W is it own caliber. Just like 32 S&W, 32 S&W Long, 32 H&R Magnum and Federal 327 Magnum can be fired out of a327 Magnum revolver. 32-20 is its own caliber can be fired out of a 32-20 revolver and 32-20 rifle.
We were given and old Iver Johnson 38 sw and 3 boxes of ammo. We also have a 38spl charter arms and a SS SW 38spl revolver. My grandkids want to learn to shoot so I plan to let them shoot the old 38sw. It looks in very good shape. It is a 5 shot open on top hammerless. It shouldn't bruise their hands like the little charter arms pocket job. Our PC guns are Keltec 380's. I'm 85 so am also giving my 270 to my son in law and grandson. I just enjoy fishing now.
I love the .38 S&W caliber and not just because I bought a vintage 1953 Smith & Wesson Regulation Police model 4 inch revolver at a pawn shop a few years a go !!! It is one accurate round to shoot especially out to 15 yards and if it was at one time good enough for the po po departments then it's good enough for me and YES it is DEADLY out to that combat range of 21 feet or 7 to 10 yards with 700 to 800 ft per second and will get you all the self protection you need because all it takes is that one well placed shot or hell even the whole 5 rounds center mass but usually 1 to 2 shots ends any gun fight at point blank range !!!! I assure you I'm a fanboy at the age 59 of this caliber the sweet shooting .38 S&W !!! It's just a joy to and hoot to shoot from my vintage revolver !!!
Is this ammo easy to find?
@@ivanperea4381 I'd say so. Plenty of companies manufacture new .38 S&W ammunition, although it's seemingly always lead round nose 145-146 grain bullets at around 650-700 fps velocity, as they expect it may be used in pre-smokeless powder guns so it's down-loaded to be safer to use in those guns. A company named Buffalo Bore makes self defense ammo for it, which is a 125 grain hard cast lead flat nose bullet going 1000+ fps. I've seen that ammo on GunBroker recently, as well as the main types of new production .38 S&W from Magtech, PPU, PrivPartisan, Winchester, Remington, etc.
The prices are somewhat higher sometimes from individual sellers, but the sellers that have 'Buy it now' listings and dozens of boxes available to sell often sell it for around $30-35ish for a box of 50 rounds. There are even some new production black powder loaded cartridges available occasionally, but they are much more rare, as it's like 1 or 2 people/companies that will occasionally sell them. Hopefully you can find some and have fun shooting this very mild and soft shooting cartridge, I absolutely love this caliber, obsolete or not!
@@brian8152 thank you so much brother
@@ivanperea4381 no. And it's expensive. I have a old ctge the gunshop has to order it special for me and it's expensive. It is a fun round to shoot almost no recoil at all. I have a old ctge in S&W short 125 years old and still shoots flawless the auto ejection still works it was a hit tech revolver back then it's still cool I love the design and even carry it sometimes. The round isn't a powerful round I shot a 2+4 with it and it stuck into the 2+4 I shot 2+4 with 9mm it goes right threw and splinters it everywhere . But it was designed for exactly what this man said it was for to get you out of a scrape.
@@brian8152 here in Maryland it's more in the 40ish it's hard to find for me my gunshop orders it for me.
38 S&W uses.361 diameter bullet.
.38 smith and Wesson is very unique. Don’t cross it with anything else.
Where did you find jacketed rounds for the .38 S&W? A friend gave me an Iver Johnson hammerless and it’s been a bear finding ammo in general, but when I do find it I can only ever find lead round nose.
Local gun store had some 3 years ago. Lead is the only thing right now.
I have two boxes of Fiocchi in 38 s&w short that has the fmj on the whole bullet and it says that on the bottom of the case next to the primer 38 s&w G F L and I stood it up next to one of my PPU 38s&w lrn and it's a tad bit shorter but still 145gr bullet and the brass case is the same size as the PPU brass case of the lrn but it's brass case seems to be jus a tad bit wider in perimeter and they both fit my Smith & Wesson 1952 vintage post war Regulation Police pistol !!! Now I haven't shot any of this 38s&w short that has the fmj out of this pistol yet for I may go to a gun dealer and ask if they think it would be okay to shoot out of my vintage Smith & Wesson pistol just to be on the safe side !!!
My wife inherited a S&W 32-1 from her late father. I think it's called the Terrier. Thanks for the good information.
.38spl snake shot: W.C. Fields said "I always carry a flack of bourbon in case of snakebite. I ALSO always carry a small snake!"
I think 38 and 32 Smith and Western are both Awesome! But leave the snakes alone😂
I have a really old S&W revolver, pre 1940’s it’s last patent # is Dec 29 1914, it says .38 S&W Special on the side and .38 Special fits perfectly, but the old guy I got it from says it shoots .38 Smith and Wesson
If it says 38spl than that what it is.
Thanks, I have not seen anything on the 38S&W, I have a model 36 in that chamber. Been reloading my cases.
Odd I thought all of the M36s were 38 Special. The S&W shouldn't fit.
Your measurement on the bullets is off - only catching the ogive in those loaded cartridges. 38/357 is 0.357 diameter for the largest part of the bullets when just the bullet is measured. The 38 S&W is 361/362 at the largest part of the bullets.
that was the point thanks for wathcing
@@RTACDaughters - 👍
Thanks for the video! Hopefully, someone in the comments can point me in the right direction here. We inherited what the Colt website tells us is a 38 Police Positive manufactured in 1921 or 1929 (my money is on 1929, but what do I know?). I believe that means it's 38 S&W. However, it has a 2" barrel that says Agent 38 Special (after market?). Where can I find out if it is advisable to shoot 38 S&W through that barrel? We had to force the cylinder open after shooting 38 special.
Your gun should be 38S&W not 38spl
@@RTACDaughters Thanks for the reply. I guess my next question is whether I should be looking for a different barrel since it's marked 38 Special or if I can/should shoot 38S&W as the firearm is currently configured.
@@yarbrotherI hope that you took your revolver to a competent pistol smith to have it looked at.
In my experience most people don t want to be shot with a bb gun let alone any cartridge gun
I bought some 38 S&W By mistake at a gunshow by mistake. I put them in my Rossi 38 special cylinder thay fit but a little drag putting them in.
I didn't shoot them but thay did fit in the cylinder.
They will fit into some 38spl but not all. Paul herited did a video on this even the sane manufacturers different years would not work.
I’m in agreement with you… the 38 Smith and Wesson still makes ya leek… no one wants extra holes in them.
Like with everything out there bullet placement is key.
I think keeping these old firearms shooting is a tribute to their quality and historical value. Keeping them in original condition as long as they can function safely. Is of more value than trying to refinish them. In other words don’t destroy a historical artifact.
If ya want a nice gun save the money and buy one.
I say do whatever you want with your stuff , and don’t tell other what they should or shouldn’t do with theirs.
Was the 38 S&W originally a black powder cartridge?😊
Yes
I bought a box of 38 s&w by accident 5 years ago. I meant to get specials.....I guess I have to snap up a revolver to shoot them sometime.
Those 38s with the tax stamp are +p too
I purchased a near-pristine Webley mk.IV in .38 Special and there is no fmj rounds available on the market here, only lead ones, and those dirty the barrely horribly, so my question is, can I savely reload the spent brass casings with rounded fmj bullets meant for .38 special?
I do not want to take any chances when it comes to doing avoidable damage to this piece.
Yes you can check out Chris from the 740 channel he does reloading
Most Webleys were chambered for the 38-200 which is almost identical to the 38S&W for size and pressure but it uses a 200gr bullet instead of a 158 gr. These cartridges interchange but may not shoot to the sights for the different bullet weights. This is the same round used in the WW2 Enfield revolver, however some of those had the chambers deepened so they can shoot 38Spl. I've not known any to blow up but that gun isn't rated for that pressure and case splits aren't inknown. Look at your Webley with magnification and see if the caliber stamp seems altered or changed. Webley did make some 38 Spl guns so you might have one. If so, any standard non-+P loads are fine for it and the sights will be regulated to a 158gr bullet.
Great video! I came across an old model 36 (No dash bluied) it very good condition. I wanna carry it as a bug, but im looking for some good hard hitting wadcutters for it, any suggestions. I appreciate it brother
If you are talking about the 38SW then magtech Is the hot! if you are talking about the 38spl then what ever you can find! At this point!
@@RTACDaughters Yeah i have the old school Chiefs Special 38spl
@@RTACDaughters is 38s&w easy to find ?
The no-dash isn't rated for +P nor was it intended to seer a lot of service ammo. There's some very good snubby loads being made now 110gr to 125gr which weren't available back when I carried a no-dash. In 38 Spl wadcutters tend to be loaded light for target shooting, and semi-wadcitterrs tend to use slower burning powder for longer barrels. Go with a premium hollow-point standard load in the 110gr to 125gr range, anything heavier suffers too much velocity loss in a snubbie.
If you take a ":J" frame apart, grind off 1/2 turn from the rebound slide spring, polish inside where that spring goes and where the rebound slide rides in the frame, then polish the edges of the mainspring strut, you'll find the trigger much sweeter especially in DA. It'll never match the larger S&W's triggers but it can be made better than factory.
@@P_RO_+ p 38 special won’t hurt any 38 special revolver. I’ve been shooting "+p” 38 Special in my well worn 1918 manufactured S&W M&P for 30 years. Never a problem. +p is just a marketing gimmick. Original BP 38 special pushed a 158 grain bullet at close to 1000 fps.
think with anything shot placement is key with anything as well as skill level i know you cant stick 8 sw in a special but think you can the 38 lc and sc im unsure
I know .38 short colt is fine to chamber and fire in .38/.357 revolvers. Not sure about .38 long colt but it wouldn't surprise me if it worked. .38 S&W seems to depend on the gun, as some revolver cylinders have chambers that'll just barely fit the .38 S&W round, whereas others it won't go in at all. And if it does go in and is fired, I've heard it's often more difficult to eject the spent casing
@@brian8152 Both the Colt cartridges will 'work' in 38 Spl and the Short Colt will fit a 38S&W but accuracy will be horrible and cases may split on firing. 38S&W can fit too tight in 38Spl and cause overpressure, even though it's standard pressure is much lower. Best to simply use the right ammo as is stamped on the gun.
Hello,
I have a S&W Model 60 Revolver that is chambered for "357 Magnum, 38 S&W SPECIAL +P". I've had it for a while and have shot many .38 Special rounds out of it and just found out today, that .38 Special is different from .38 S&W Special. Since the manufacturer specifies that it can shoot the .38 S&W Special (+P), is it safe to assume that it will fire without issue, or should I still avoid it due to the differences? Is it safe to continue to fire .38 Specials out of this revolver?
Thank you,
As longas your 38spl p+ is not hotter than 357 mag I say you are ok but you can cont tact S&W by email orphone they can tell you more! Ilook on their site you should be fine with 38spl +p
@@RTACDaughters Thank you :D
Generally speaking it has been fine with .38 special (Previous owner gave me several .38 special, including +p rounds, with the gun), but I never realized that it was rated for .38 S&W too. I never new until I looked it up on the website today, and saw this video that there is a difference.
There is no cartridge named "38 S&W Special" in +P or not. The 38S&W is a 19th century cartridge originally loaded with blackpowder. The case is a larger diameter but shorter than the 38Spl. The 38Spl was invented by S&W during the Spanish American war. The Arrny was using 38 Long Colt revolvers which had a 150gr heeled bullet propelled by backpowder. The cartridge lacked stopping power and wasn't very accurate.S&W used that bullet diameter (.357") in a larger diameter case holding more powder and offered their revolver in that clambering to the Army as the Army had already rejected the 38S&W round. The Colt cartridge used a flat-point billet but S&W used a rounded point which added 8gr to the bullet weight and named it "38 Special". In the late 20's S&W developed some stronger guns and designated them "38-44". Identical to the 38Spl but higher pressure. That load was dropped after a few years as no matter how big the warning, people were trying to use it in light guns which were blowing up. Phil Sharpe and Elmer Keith convinced S&W to make a 38Spl cases 1/10 of an inch longer loaded to even higher pressures and the 357Mag was born in 1935. In the 70's Remington and Dan Wesson collaborated to create the 357Maximum which was a lengthened 357Mag in a strengthened case. It was found to 'gas-cut' frame straps with extensive use so the cartridge faded away and is made no more. I'm covering all this because with the 357Max, the 357Mag, the 38-44, and the 38Spl a longer chamber can safely shoot any shorter cartridges in thus list and +P ammo is safe in all but standard 38Spl.
Now for the 'fun'. The 38S&W has a slightly larger diameter case and it should NOT fit any of the guns in my list above, but sometimes tolerances of manufacturing let that happen. Even though the 38S&W is a lower pressure cartridge, that tight case fit can raise chamber pressure past the 38Spl standard on firing, leading to damaged or blown-up guns. The only safe interchange for the 38S&W is the British 38-200 which uses a heavier bullet at similar pressures. Some gins chambered for the 38-200 or 38S&W will chamber 38SPL rounds but firing them will result in over-pressure which will blow cheap or weak guns up in your hand, and will excessively wear higher quality guns.Though you'll probably never see any, the 38 Colt (sometimes called the 38 Short Colt) will fire safely in a 38 Long Colt chamber and can be fired in any of the other chamberings I've mentioned but accuracy will be horrible and cases will probably split on firing. And in case you're interested, the 38WCF aka 38-40 is actually a 40 cal bullet and fits none of these.
I just inherited a smith&wesson lemon sqeezer in 38s&w.
Don't have one but they are fun to shoot.
S&W's made before 1899 are not rated for smokeless powder, and some "lemon squeezers" were made before then
@@P_RO_10 gr. fff so fun to shoot do your own research, when reloading don’t listen to people like me. But fun !
Do you guys find this type of ammo often it is it hard to find ? 38s&w
Yes to both questions at this time.
38 is a good round
can a 38 and a 38 specials bullet be used in ether gun
no they can not.
Sou brasileiro não entendo a explicação do video, mas alguém pode me dizer se eu posso usar 38 SW em um revolver 38 spl da tauros?
No you can't use 38sw in a 38spl or 38spl in 38sw.
@@RTACDaughters thank you
@@RTACDaughters And the other way around?
@@RTACDaughters Have all military and police revolvers been converted to 38 special? Or is that only the case if the barrel also says 38 Special?
Mine says 38 s&w. CTG on it. The longer drum seems to fit a .38 Special.
38 S&W will shot out of a 38 special. I tried it in my Smith 357 and Rossi 38 special, it shot from both of them. It is so close in diameter that if it will fit it will shoot. Just be sure and clean your cylinder afterwards.
Chris H Not a recommended practice, no more than shooting a .22short in a rifle or pistol that's chambered solely for .22 long or long rifle.
@Nicholas C Go for it dude. As hard as ammo is to come by these days. I say " if it fits then shoot it" 38 S&W may be easier to get also. It is a kinda old fashioned round, not very popular anymore.
remarried. Bullet will work but the 38 sw case has a larger-diameter. Don't Force It
@Brian I have a suspicion that Smith&Wesson revolvers are made to accommodate the 38 S&W round. I also have a suspicion that some of the other manufacturers who have copied the S&W revolvers have chambered their cylinders to the same specs.
It works. It's not recommended no.
Say you can fit 38 Sp or ➕P, in your 38 S&W.
If they fit in the cylinder they will run.
Yes you run the risk of case expansion in the cylinder after firing.
Usually all you'll need is a wooden dowel or even a pencil or pen and they'll pop right out.
That being said, I would still only do it if you had absolutely no other choice. Think about if you're not at the range an you're in a life and death scenario, you're already at a disadvantage using a revolver with 5 rounds. You don't want to further compound that handicap by having to fiddle around and nock out expanded casings from your cylinder before your able to attempt to reload again.
In which case, it'd be nice to have maybe a Darringer or something similar that can be ready if need be while you're freeing up your 38.
I just bought some 9mmslugs that are .355
That ammo tax stamp is pretty interesting stuff.
20/20 Tennessee finally dropped the tax stamp on ammo
Is this ammo easy to find ?
I wonder why self-defense needs to necessarily end with a high powered hollow point bullet mortally wounding an attacker nowadays. For most civilians trying to disengage from an assault a low powered low recoil round like .38 S&W might be sufficient. It is a strange obsession with inflicting maximum damage and ensuring death.
Well if you need to defend oneself why wouldn't you want the maximum lethal round to do so? Also hollow points will expand within the soft tissue and will not overly penetrate causing the bullet to hit something that you do not want to
Its about stoping the attack. Just because a person is shot doesnt mean they will stop attacking. Death ( or hopefully fear of it) will stop them with larger caliber. My fear with larger caliber is going through somebody and hitting an innocent. I like hollow points.
Probably because if the asshole that breaks in your house comes out alive you're liable to have a lawsuit on your hands.
You blow him to Timbuktu however, and there's only one story.
The story of how you were asleep and this lunatic broke in and was humping the family gold fish.
It's unfortunate that we have to think in this manner but if it comes down to it, it's your family and freedom at stake. You are more important than the person who just broke into your house. You are better, than the person who just broke into your house.
You like breathing more than the person who just broke into your house. You love your family more than the person who just broke into your house.
There are a million reasons why you want to lay down the threat immediately.
I can maybe come up with 1or 2 scenarios where you maybe don't want to smoke the person.
Like say they were mental and had a knife, is it a threat? Well yes it is but the person is Autistic or whatever the case may be.
This in my mind, would be a situation where you would prefer to neutralize the threat instead of eliminating it because the person needs mental help.
I don't feel like a mental person deserves a death sentence the way a normal burglar or attacker does.
Some will argue that a life threat is a life threat no matter what.
I don't feel it's as cut and dry as that however.
It's all on an individual basis. If you notice your attacker isn't mentally sound, an you end their life, you'll struggle with that decision the rest of your life. Even if you don't go to prison.
Way better to just love each other and stop breaking into people's houses!
So if criminals could just understand this that would be great lol
I carry several different guns in .38 S&W for daily concealed carry. One is a S&W 2nd Model (1880-1884) Double Action 5 shot, 3.25" barrel, the others are Forehand and Wadsworth's; one is a "Forehand D.A", the other is a Forehand Arms Double Action. The "Forehand D.A." has a factory bobbed hammer, the other one has a regular spurred hammer. Both of them have 5 shot cylinders and 2.5" barrels, but unlike the S&W I have, they're not top breaks. They're really light and concealable, were shipped to my house without any issue due to them being pre-1898 guns, but still in great condition, and in my shitty anti-gun state (MA), there is case law that doesn't require a LTC (license to carry) for pre-1898/black powder guns.
I use Remington Performance Wheelgun ammo, 146 grn. Lead Round Nose bullets (though I filed down the round nose to a flat nose on some of them to make them RNFP bullets). The velocity is 680~ fps if I recall correctly, making the energy about 152~ ft/lbs; on par with some light loaded .38 Specials or some hot .32 ACPs I guess. I like the pure lead bullet as it will have a hollow point like effect inside the human body, especially if hitting bone. Also at the low velocities they have, I'd imagine over-penetration would be very unlikely, and if it happened, would lose enough energy for the bullet to be a lot less dangerous due to losing most of it's energy after hitting something first. Also, when a bullet stays in the target, all of the energy of it is used up, and not wasted out of the target going into the wall behind them, for example.
I got a regular cheap 5 shot speedloader for .38 revolvers, and it works fine since .38 S&W, .38 Special, and .357 Magnum have the same rim diameter, so they'll fit and function fine in speedloaders and speedstrips designed for .38 Special and .357 Magnum cartridges. Of course these devices only work with my top break, since the other two revolvers I have are gate loaded and would be unlikely to be re-loaded in the heat of the moment. The trigger on my S&W in double action is amazingly smooth and light (the Single Action sear has worn down and no longer functions unfortunately), and the trigger on my F&W Double Action is surprisingly similar in quality to the S&W's trigger, which was definitely surprising given that the S&W's in the late 1800's cost, if I recall correctly, around $12, whereas the cheaper gun manufacturers such as Iver Johnson, H&R, H&A, F&W, cost anywhere from $2.50-$5 tops. Also the F&W guns have an automatic rebounding hammer, which in the 1880s/1890s was pretty rare. The S&W I believe is supposed to have a sear to hold the hammer a few millimetres back, so the firing pin mounted to the hammer doesn't protrude through the frame, however that is also non-functional just like the single action sear on that gun unfortunately. But simply positioning the cylinder so that the protruding firing pin is in between two cartridges works fine for safe carry, as the cylinder cannot rotate to have a cartridge's primer in line with the firing pin without pulling the trigger (or cocking the hammer but as I've said, it won't stay back due to the worn out single action sear).
I really need to get to a range to do more practice, as I've only been able to shoot them a little, for short periods of time, with less than ideal targets, due to my circumstances and where I live. Prior to getting these, I only had reproduction cap and ball revolvers, in .32, .36, and .44 calibers, which I have a little more experience with. But them being single action only, heavier, unable to be reloaded or unloaded quickly, lack of excessive smoke upon firing, and the risks of misfires or cap jams, makes me glad I found out about these antique guns, and their legality/easy availability to me, and wish I knew about them sooner. I wish I could just easily get a modern subcompact .380 or 9mm semi-auto pistol, or snub nose .38/.357 revolver, and carry that, but until I either decide to waste time/effort/money on a 'may issue' license, or am able to move one state north (either NH or VT which both have constitutional carry laws and don't have BS permits needed for one to exercise their constitutional rights), I don't mind making do with these antiques and replicas.
Any gun is better than none, and I now have over at least 10 different revolvers, with 8, soon to be 9, that fully work and don't need a part or two to function again. Also, thankfully I don't live in a very dangerous area or need to be in dangerous locations/times/settings/etc. I always have something just in case on me, but since I know it's not as likely for it to need to be used, I don't find the limited capacity or ballistic performance of the .38 S&W (or even the .32 S&W or .32 S&W Long) cartridges that of a disadvantage, since they all put out at least 60 ft/lbs. of energy, which according to some army test in the past, was deemed the minimum amount of energy required to penetrate a human skull. The .32 S&W does around 80 ft/lbs, about the equivalent of .22 WMR from a pistol, and the .32 S&W Long does 110-120 ft/lbs, which is a little less than a standard or light loaded .32 ACP round. Not to mention the statistics that show a large amount of cases where a defender simply showing their gun to their assailant or warning them that they are armed has been enough for them to run away without needing to fire a shot. And if I did, the statistics show the closeness of the majority of encounters means the lower ballistic effectiveness of the cartridges my guns are chambered in shouldn't be too much of a disadvantage, and would very likely to be lethal depending on shot placement, or at the very least incapacitating enough for me to run away. Like with any round, even really high powered ones, it's hits that are needed, not misses, and it's hits to anatomically significant parts of the attacker's body that matter, with hits to anywhere else not guaranteeing them to stop unless you're lucky and get a psychological stop due to them being in pain.
Anyway, I apologize for the long, rambling post lol. I just wanted to mention my experiences with daily carrying these antiques chambered in .38 S&W (some are in .32 S&W, though only one is currently working, and one is in .32 S&W Long, but also needs parts to work as well, but I ordered a replacement gun due to the spare parts I need being near impossible to find, and it being a good price), but don't carry those as often, and if I do, usually only as a backup to my .38 S&W guns; especially the F&W solid frame ones that cannot be quickly reloaded like my S&W top break can. I'm sure I'm not the only one but I'd imagine my situation isn't very common at least lol. The prices are usually pretty good, the convenience of it being shipped to my door without needing a C&R license, or any state licensing or registration is a huge bonus, and mainly, I love the history of them. "If only these guns could talk" is what I always wish, knowing that in the 130 or so years of their existence, the people who've carried them, the things they might've saved their owners from (or perhaps even any crimes they were used for), is extremely interesting to me, and just holding them, knowing that someone, at some point in the 19th century, bought it new and held it just as I did, is a really cool feeling! Granted, a lot were probably in a sock drawer for the majority or entirety of their lives with only a few dozen or less shots fired from them, but those types of guns are the ones that're typically in the best shape, which is my first priority for these guns. One day, when I'm able to move, or end up getting a license for modern firearms, I'll still never forget or lose the hobby of collecting these antiques! But for now, they are a lot more valuable to me than simply collectibles.
@justus Yes there are cases were someone get several shots or even a full cylinder of .357 into the chest and he still shot back. And also with .45 and even 44 Magnum. So its very questionable if all the blast recoil and hearing loss will give you any advantage. Maybe there are rather disadvantages. Sometimes less is more.
I would like to purchase some rounds
Go to ammo seek
Where that at and what are requirements
Ammoseek.com
interesting!!
We're can I get some SW ammo at .
seach the inter web