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Can you shoot 38 S&W ammo in this gun?
- Thread starter DG45
- Start date
RamSlammer
New member
Depends on how it was converted. If the chambers were just reamed longer to accept the added length of .38 SPL ammo, but kept at the same dimension, then yes, you should be able to shoot .38 S&W. (In fact, it's probably best that you do.)
If a new cylinder was fitted with .38 special chambers, then they'll be too narrow to accept .38 S&W cartridges which are slightly fatter.
If both a cylinder and barrel were added in .38 spl/.357" barrel, then you have a dedicated .38 special only.
If a new cylinder was fitted with .38 special chambers, then they'll be too narrow to accept .38 S&W cartridges which are slightly fatter.
If both a cylinder and barrel were added in .38 spl/.357" barrel, then you have a dedicated .38 special only.
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I don't, woad yurt. I just wanted to know because I was reading another guys thread and he had a 38 S&W that had been converted to 38 Special and everybody was advising him that these conversions from 38 S&W to 38 Special were never good and would damage the gun because 38 Special ammo was of too small a diameter for the gun. It sort of got to sounding like the guy had a couple of pounds of useless iron so I just asked whether it could still use 38 S&W but got no answer for half a day. I figured the thread was dying out, so I opened a new one to ask the same question. Thanks for the answer.
It should be safe to shoot
Those .38 S&W revolvers were essentially a Military & Police fitted with a .38 S&W cylinder. Most were 'converted' to .38 Special simply by, as Ram Slammer correctly mentioned, reaming out the front end of the chambers to allow a .38 Special cartridge to fully enter. However, because - as already mentioned - the S&W round is wider at the base, usually Special cases get bulged at the base. In extremis, they split.
However, the basic cylinder is pretty much identical to the same era .38 Special cylinder in terms of size, material and treatment. Unless the 'conversion' was seriously botched, the cylinder should be suitable for .38 Special regular loads. As Ram Slammer said, the chambers should still allow the wider S&W round to be loaded. However, as Woad Yurt pointed out, this conversion sometimes had the side effect of altering the cylinder to barrel alignment and fouling up the accuracy potential.
All those revolvers that were converted in such manner are 'ruined' as far as collectors are concerned.
Those .38 S&W revolvers were essentially a Military & Police fitted with a .38 S&W cylinder. Most were 'converted' to .38 Special simply by, as Ram Slammer correctly mentioned, reaming out the front end of the chambers to allow a .38 Special cartridge to fully enter. However, because - as already mentioned - the S&W round is wider at the base, usually Special cases get bulged at the base. In extremis, they split.
However, the basic cylinder is pretty much identical to the same era .38 Special cylinder in terms of size, material and treatment. Unless the 'conversion' was seriously botched, the cylinder should be suitable for .38 Special regular loads. As Ram Slammer said, the chambers should still allow the wider S&W round to be loaded. However, as Woad Yurt pointed out, this conversion sometimes had the side effect of altering the cylinder to barrel alignment and fouling up the accuracy potential.
All those revolvers that were converted in such manner are 'ruined' as far as collectors are concerned.
The 38 S&W barrel is slightly larger IIRC. So if the cylinder was changed or altered, the accuracy is not up to par. I would also imagine that it shoots on the dirty side and a good loss of velocity is tossed in for good measure. It might shoot fine with hollow base wad cutters but probably marginal with jacketed rounds.
Plus I don't think I'd want to give it a steady workout with modern loads in 38 special anyway.
Plus I don't think I'd want to give it a steady workout with modern loads in 38 special anyway.
Boone in Texas
New member
.38 S & W ammo
I have 6 boxes of .38 S & W for sale if anyone is interested.
I have 6 boxes of .38 S & W for sale if anyone is interested.
novaman317
New member
in reguards to the .38 s&w ammo
if you still have some avaiable i would be interested in some at a good price. e mail me at bryan-thacker@hotmail.com if you still have some to sell. thank you
if you still have some avaiable i would be interested in some at a good price. e mail me at bryan-thacker@hotmail.com if you still have some to sell. thank you
Doug Bowser
New member
I have owned several of he S&W M&P .38 S&W revolvers. I reloaded for them. I always used .357" Hollow based wadcutters and had very good results. A converted to .38 Spl version of this revolver had better accuracy with .38 Spl cases and HBWC than .38 S&W cases used in the longer chamber. I have never seen a British used M&P .38 S&W revolver converted to .38 spl by changing the cylinder.
I also had a 4" S&W top break revolver in .38 S&W. The HBWC loads were very accurate out to 20 yards , even in this older revolver.
Doug
I also had a 4" S&W top break revolver in .38 S&W. The HBWC loads were very accurate out to 20 yards , even in this older revolver.
Doug
Magnum Wheel Man
New member
Boone... you have a P.M.
anyone out there has nickel 38 S&W cases ( not special ) I reload this cartridge, & do a mild & a lil hotter load... I put the hotter load in nickel cases, of which I have a limited supply
anyone out there has nickel 38 S&W cases ( not special ) I reload this cartridge, & do a mild & a lil hotter load... I put the hotter load in nickel cases, of which I have a limited supply
also
Remember, also, that, despite the fact that the two cartridges are labelled ".38", they are not the same caliber.
.38 S&W = .361"
.38 S&W Special = .357".
So...depending on which one the barrel is for.......accuracy can be iffy if you are shooting .357s down a .361 bore.
Pete
Remember, also, that, despite the fact that the two cartridges are labelled ".38", they are not the same caliber.
.38 S&W = .361"
.38 S&W Special = .357".
So...depending on which one the barrel is for.......accuracy can be iffy if you are shooting .357s down a .361 bore.
Pete