ammo for a smith 357

[sportsman]

bought some +p ammo for a snub nose 38 dont like shooting it in that gun. my question is can i shoot it in a older model 27 smith 357

[c good]

Model 27 is rated for full magnum pressures. Plus P is fine as long as the revolver is mechanically sound. HTH c good

[sportsman]

ammo

is a magnum 357 close to a +p 38

[bruce381]

magnium is a longer case and way more pwerful so you can use ANY 38 in a 357 magnium.
bruce

[1JimMarch]

Standard 38Spl from a 4" barrel is generally around 200ft/lbs energy, with the best closer to 250ish. 38+P from the same tube runs around 250-300ft/lbs energy, with the VERY best (the wild child Buffalo Bore 158+P) topping 350.

An S&W 27 in 357Magnum can shoot 357 ammo up near 800 ft/lbs energy - see also Buffalo Bore and Doubletap Ammo.

So no, 350ft/lbs isn't going to blow up a gun that can handle more than double that.

HOWEVER: it IS possible to kill a 27 with 38Spl ammo - but it's not a question of "overpressure" or "blowing it up". The killer is rapid fire. The 27/28 cylinders (and all other six-shot N-Frame 38s and 357s) is very large and heavy so starting and stopping it quickly can destroy the action parts. The pawl and cylinder stop bar get beat to hell. That's why smaller K-frame S&Ws were the top choice in rapid-fire competition like PPC, even though they often had extra weight bolted to them to increase the weight to N-frame specs.

The 8-shot S&W 357s don't have this problem, or at least not to the same degree: the action parts have been beefed up and the 8-hole cylinder weighs less.

[JayDeeSacramento]

If you find you don't like that Model 27 please feel free to let me know.