Differance between 38 special & 38 CTG.
- Thread starter DBski
- Start date
sleeping dog
New member
.38 ctg? .38 s&w ctg?
If you're asking about the .38 S&W, it's not interchangeable with .38 Special. .38 special is too long to fit in a .38 S&W gun. .38 S&W case is too fat to fit in a .38 Special gun. The projectile is also fatter than .357.
Editing: Oh, yeah, if you could fit a .38 special round in a .38S&W gun, don't pull the trigger. The .38 Special round is too powerful for the .38 S&W gun.
Regards.
If you're asking about the .38 S&W, it's not interchangeable with .38 Special. .38 special is too long to fit in a .38 S&W gun. .38 S&W case is too fat to fit in a .38 Special gun. The projectile is also fatter than .357.
Editing: Oh, yeah, if you could fit a .38 special round in a .38S&W gun, don't pull the trigger. The .38 Special round is too powerful for the .38 S&W gun.
Regards.
L: .38 Spl (W-W 158 gr LSWCHP+P)
R: .38 S&W (W-W 146 gr LRN)
The .38 Spl diameter is .357-.358.
The .38 S&W diameter is .360.
Not a lot of difference in the diameter but a difference. The .38 S&W case is a bit larger near the rim. Not much but a little. A .38 S&W might fit in some .38 Spl revolvers but it depends on the tolerances of the individual gun. Just trying them in what I have close at hand I found .38 S&W would easily chamber in my 2.5" Model 19 and 6" Model 28 but would not chamber in my 4" Model 66.
As Sleeping Dog wrote it's not a good idea to fire .38 S&W in .38 Spl guns even if they'll fit. Definitely don't fire .38 Spl ammo in .38 S&W guns.
R: .38 S&W (W-W 146 gr LRN)
The .38 Spl diameter is .357-.358.
The .38 S&W diameter is .360.
Not a lot of difference in the diameter but a difference. The .38 S&W case is a bit larger near the rim. Not much but a little. A .38 S&W might fit in some .38 Spl revolvers but it depends on the tolerances of the individual gun. Just trying them in what I have close at hand I found .38 S&W would easily chamber in my 2.5" Model 19 and 6" Model 28 but would not chamber in my 4" Model 66.
As Sleeping Dog wrote it's not a good idea to fire .38 S&W in .38 Spl guns even if they'll fit. Definitely don't fire .38 Spl ammo in .38 S&W guns.