38 special in a 357

[bohoki]

your friend is a kook

[rudigan]

No.

[RickD427]

I carried Model 19, 66 and 686 revolvers for about 15 years until my agency switched to the Beretta 92. I could only carry .38 rounds and I fired at least 30 rounds/month and more when I could.

You're quite correct about the case length being shorter and the potential for carbon build up in the cylinder between in the space between the forward edge of the case mouth and the point where the cylinder diameter neck down. But have to be really, really, neglectful of your cleaning regimen to get to the point where that would be an issue. And even if you get to point, it's easily remedied by a proper cleaning.

There a ton of history supporting the proposition that .38 special can be routinely and safely fired from .357 revolvers.

[jimmykan]

Harder question: Can you safely fire 380 ACP in a 38 Super 1911, and will it cycle with a 7-lb recoil spring?

[newbutold]

Tell your friend he shouldn't shoot magnums in his .357

[five.five-six]

I carried Model 19, 66 and 686 revolvers for about 15 years until my agency switched to the Beretta 92. I could only carry .38 rounds and I fired at least 30 rounds/month and more when I could.

You're quite correct about the case length being shorter and the potential for carbon build up in the cylinder between in the space between the forward edge of the case mouth and the point where the cylinder diameter neck down. But have to be really, really, neglectful of your cleaning regimen to get to the point where that would be an issue. And even if you get to point, it's easily remedied by a proper cleaning.

There a ton of history supporting the proposition that .38 special can be routinely and safely fired from .357 revolvers.

^This

You can also have the same issues firing .22 shorts in a .22LR.

Not all .22LR auto loaders will function properly with .22 shorts but the colt frontier scout and marlin 60 will and I’ve experienced this. Always remedied with a good cleaning.


Edit:

I carried Model 19, 66 and 686 revolvers

Those are awesome guns... were you allowed to keep any of them?

[RickD427]

Harder question: Can you safely fire 380 ACP in a 38 Super 1911, and will it cycle with a 7-lb recoil spring?

Nope. The revolver can handle different case lengths because it headspaces on the cartridge rim.

The 1911 headspaces on the cartridge mouth (some early models of the .38 Super did headspace on the case rim, but that design didn't work well and modern .38 Supers headspace on the mouth) . If you put the .380 cartridge into the .38 super, the base of the case will sit .215" forward of the breechface. The firing pin ain't even gonna reach the primer.

[teflondog]

Just make sure to clean the cylinder with a good solvent and brush. The build up in the chambers won't ruin your gun but it will eventually prevent longer .357 ammo from properly seating.

[plumbum]

I have never had to scrub the chambers of any .357 revolver with anything more than a nylon brush and hoppes - you really gotta be blowing through cheap, dirty, lead reloads to build up anything noticeable.

[hambam105]

Plunbub
"....you really gotta be blowing through cheap, dirty, lead reloads to build up anything noticeable. ...."

They do. They must certainly do.

[RandyD]

What is everyone's preferred way to clean the "crud ring" from chambers when it gets really severe, especially for lever action rifles, where you can't insert a rod from the breech end without disassembling the rifle?

I usually clean such guns with a bore snake, but it doesn't remove hardened crud rings effectively.

My preferred way of cleaning a 38 Special or .357 Magnum revolver chamber is to use a brush for a 10 mm handgun. The 38 Special or .357 Magnum case is .379 or 9.63 mm and the chamber will be slightly larger, so a 10 mm brush will fit nicely in the chamber. I use a drill press to quickly remove any carbon or lead deposits in the chamber.

If you need to clean a lever action, look for a flexible cleaning rod that allows you to insert the brush into a chamber.

[pacrat]

Be careful with this one. Some Interior Ballisticians describe the concept of "Flashover" that can occur in cases that have a low powder to volume ratio (and some reloaders call "hogwash" on the theory).

In a "Flashover", the primer ignites and the flash travels along the empty space in the cartridge and ignites a greater surface area of powder that was intended by the load developer. This produces a faster burn rate and a resulting higher chamber pressure.

After 50+ years of very diverse reloading. And many lengthy conversations with the ballisticians at Sierra Bullets, when they were in Santa Fe Springs. And my early days reloading mentor, "Dean Grennell". I stand firmly in the "HOGWASH" side of that info line'

FLASHOVER/DETONATION, is a rare phenomenon that only occurs with large cases and small loads of "very slow" burning powders. Experience has shown small loads of 4831 and slower burn rate powders can initiate a flashover/detonation.

Fast powders used in pistols has never created a flashover/detonation. And it is common practice to load small charges of pistol powders in large rifle cases for bunnyfart plinking loads.

Overcharging pistol cases with pistol powder can definitely Kaboom! Undercharging pistol powder in pistols, can create "squibs" but not Kabooms.

JM2c

[NapalmCheese]

Hogwash or not, it's also really easy to just load with starting load data for .357; which is what I've been doing. They make really fun plinking loads with light plated bullets.

[five.five-six]

After 50+ years of very diverse reloading. And many lengthy conversations with the ballisticians at Sierra Bullets, when they were in Santa Fe Springs. And my early days reloading mentor, "Dean Grennell". I stand firmly in the "HOGWASH" side of that info line'

FLASHOVER/DETONATION, is a rare phenomenon that only occurs with large cases and small loads of "very slow" burning powders. Experience has shown small loads of 4831 and slower burn rate powders can initiate a flashover/detonation.

Fast powders used in pistols has never created a flashover/detonation. And it is common practice to load small charges of pistol powders in large rifle cases for bunnyfart plinking loads.

Overcharging pistol cases with pistol powder can definitely Kaboom! Undercharging pistol powder in pistols, can create "squibs" but not Kabooms.

JM2c

my understanding of the problem with detonation is it happens in semi's after the bolt is out of battery and that's where the problem is.

[The War Wagon]

I always thought I had the option of shooting the 38 special in my 357 but a friend told me that it damages the gun. Is this true?

Is your friend's name, "Elmer," perchance?

I've been doing it since 1990 with no issues. I'm pretty sure some folks have been doing it since 1935.