Why buy a .38 wheel gun?

[Bigshep]

This is something that's been rattling around in my messed up head for awhile now. I haven't seen this asked on here before and didn't find anything in a couple quick searches, either. If it's on here just link and all that stuff.

Here's my question. Why buy a .38 only revolver? If you can buy a gun chambered for .357 that will also shoot .38s then how do you justify buying one that is chambered for .38 only?

I'm just looking for INGO's opinions and reasons why. It's not like I have anything against them, just curious what others thoughts are.

 

[lovemachine]

I've never compared the size if a .38 to a smaller .357. But I have shot .38's before...

Aren't .38's still smaller in size? Most guys I know that carry a .38 is usually as a BUG, so they would want one that's smaller.

My mother carries a .38, can't picture her carrying a larger .357...

 

[AD Marc]

In something like a J-frame, for instance, you get a slightly shorter, slightly lighter gun with really no disadvantages. Modern 38 defensive loadings penetrate adequately and expand as well as a 357 magnum from a short barrel yet have significantly less flash, blast and allow for faster follow-up shots. The shortened ejector rod also extracts the shorter 38 brass more reliably. If you're talking about airweight revolvers, I specifically recommend against buying one in 357 as they are brutal to shoot and fairly pointless if you goal was minimal weight in the first place.

In fact, I frequently recommend to people that already own a 357 snubby and use it in a defensive roll just to load it with something like speer gold dot short barrel 38+p and be done with it.

 

[Josh Ward]

In something like a J-frame, for instance, you get a slightly shorter, slightly lighter gun with really no disadvantages. Modern 38 defensive loadings penetrate adequately and expand as well as a 357 magnum from a short barrel yet have significantly less flash, blast and allow for faster follow-up shots. The shortened ejector rod also extracts the shorter 38 brass more reliably. If you're talking about airweight revolvers, I specifically recommend against buying one in 357 as they are brutal to shoot and fairly pointless if you goal was minimal weight in the first place.

In fact, I frequently recommend to people that already own a 357 snubby and use it in a defensive roll just to load it with something like speer gold dot short barrel 38+p and be done with it.

^^^THIS^^^

Really, the more viable question is WHY buy a snubnose 357?? You lose more than you gain with the super short barrel IMHO. typically a slightly larger/heavier gun, unpleasant to shoot, more kick, more muzzle flash, no real gains in bullet performance on target.

 

[VERT]

AD Marc pretty much summed it up. A lot of revolvers sold today are small. Not a lot of reason to have one in .357. The short barrels do not adequately use the powder resulting in a lot of flash. Recoil in these small guns is brutal. I have seen on two different occasions where the recoil actually made the remaining bullets slip forward and lock the cylinder.

Now if the OP is referring to the larger K/L frame guns then that is another discussion. Having a gun chambered in .357 would provide more flexibility in terms of ammo availability.

 

[shibumiseeker]

Smaller, lighter, cheaper.

 

[Bigshep]

Excellent reasons so far. Now what if someone comes back with a question like this: "Well if I can just load up on .38+p in a .357 for defense then why not just buy a .357 and use it that way and still have the .357 option for whatever reason?" or "What if I'm not looking for a defensive gun and just looking for a range gun?"

I'm just trying to think of questions that someone else might ask me if this ever comes up for me. These are not questions that I would be asking lol. Just trying to get selling points for a .38 over .357 just in case these questions every get directed toward me. I hate saying "I don't know"

 

[possum_128]

This is something that's been rattling around in my messed up head for awhile now. I haven't seen this asked on here before and didn't find anything in a couple quick searches, either. If it's on here just link and all that stuff.

Here's my question. Why buy a .38 only revolver? If you can buy a gun chambered for .357 that will also shoot .38s then how do you justify buying one that is chambered for .38 only?

I'm just looking for INGO's opinions and reasons why. It's not like I have anything against them, just curious what others thoughts are.

I don't know, why buy anything less than a S&W 500. Maybe someone doesn't want to fire .357 from a small light gun and would be able to make quicker follow up shots with a .38 and will never use .357 so why buy one.

 

[AD Marc]

AD Marc pretty much summed it up. A lot of revolvers sold today are small. Not a lot of reason to have one in .357. The short barrels do not adequately use the powder resulting in a lot of flash. Recoil in these small guns is brutal. I have seen on two different occasions where the recoil actually made the remaining bullets slip forward and lock the cylinder.

Now if the OP is referring to the larger K/L frame guns then that is another discussion. Having a gun chambered in .357 would provide more flexibility in terms of ammo availability.

A good way to think of a 357 out of a snubby is a short drag race with a powerful car that has crappy tires. It really can't make the most out of its power.

Bullet slip causing the cylinder to bind is a problem with the ammo. This is why I only recommend self-defense ammo from major manufacturers like the afforementioned speer loading. Excellent quality control.

As far as larger revolvers go, if were talking about using it in a defensive roll, then the question becomes "why choose a revolver?"

 

[pleiades]

If you take a .357 and are always shooting .38's in it, you will develop "crust" in the chambers that will eventually make it difficult to shoot .357 ammo. Since I just wanted to shoot .38's, I purchased a dedicated .38 revolver so as to not mess up a .357

 

[kc9bpo]

This was actually something I was debating on before buying my first revolver. I started looking at the AirWeight models in 38. loved how they fit in my hand and how light they were...but at the same time, that was a concern I had. So I started looking at the 357s. I narrowed it down to two models, in the S&W Model 60 or the Ruger SP101. Both met the requirements I had for my future carry weapon, so it came down to reviews, and the weight. The Ruger was a little heavier than the S&W, but in my mind, that would be handy when shooting the magnum loads. In the end, I went with a Ruger SP101.
Took it to the range, shot both 38+P and 357M thru it, and the recoil on the gun was very light. I am VERY happy I went with a slightly bigger and heavier weapon, just wish I could win the lottery to afford all the ammo I want. lol

 

[JB357Mag]

A .38 spl snubbie is a great all around gun.

Very concealable, can use for home defence and some range
plinking.

Its been an effective caliber for many years.

Jimmy

 

[shibumiseeker]

Excellent reasons so far. Now what if someone comes back with a question like this: "Well if I can just load up on .38+p in a .357 for defense then why not just buy a .357 and use it that way and still have the .357 option for whatever reason?" or "What if I'm not looking for a defensive gun and just looking for a range gun?"

I'm just trying to think of questions that someone else might ask me if this ever comes up for me. These are not questions that I would be asking lol. Just trying to get selling points for a .38 over .357 just in case these questions every get directed toward me. I hate saying "I don't know"

Smaller, lighter, cheaper. If the gun is built for a .357mag then by definition everything else being equal (ie overall quality) then the gun will have to be heavier, bulkier, and more expensive. Even just for range work and not SD a lighter gun is easier to hold up for longer sessions. To be perfectly honest, the main reason for higher powered rounds is SD, so in a range only gun there's no real reason to bump up to .357 unless one just likes heavy, more powerful recoiling guns. .38spl guns can also have a lighter DA trigger pull because they are not trying to fire a magnum primer.

 

[addictedhealer]

Because my LCR weighs 15.oz loaded. .357 cost more, more flash, more noise, more muzzle flip, more recoil. I wouldn't buy a larger framed gun in .38 unless it was old school.

.38 +p will get the job done. I didn't plan on shooting 357 so I didn't want to buy it. It is my edc not end of the world survival weapon.

 

[pirate]

Had plenty over both over the years and currently only ankle carry bobbed air frame .38's.

Night and day difference over the majority of .357's out there as far as weight and size go when ankle carrying. Less flash and recoil especially when dealing with the air weights. Not to mention the added benefit of any revolver in not having to police your brass.

 

[Bigshep]

Thanks for the replies guys. Got a little bit more info to help me in case one of the friends or family decides to go to their "gun guy" (read: me) and this happens to be one of their questions or it goes to this.

 

[jgreiner]

This is something that's been rattling around in my messed up head for awhile now. I haven't seen this asked on here before and didn't find anything in a couple quick searches, either. If it's on here just link and all that stuff.

Here's my question. Why buy a .38 only revolver? If you can buy a gun chambered for .357 that will also shoot .38s then how do you justify buying one that is chambered for .38 only?

I'm just looking for INGO's opinions and reasons why. It's not like I have anything against them, just curious what others thoughts are.

The smaller pocket ones don't always fire .357 magnum. The ones that do tend to be a bit larger and heavier.

If you haven't shot .357 magnum rounds, especially from a smaller gun, they can be very punishing on your hands.

I shoot them from my 4" S&W 66, which isn't a pocket gun, and they are very comfortable to shoot. But that gun has a lot of weight to it as well.

 

[bdybdall]

Then there are the crazies like myself who want a K-frame .38 with a long barrel and target sights so we can load wadcutters over Bullseye and hunt squirrels. I just haven't found that perfect gun yet.

 

[Cat-Herder]

If you take a .357 and are always shooting .38's in it, you will develop "crust" in the chambers that will eventually make it difficult to shoot .357 ammo. Since I just wanted to shoot .38's, I purchased a dedicated .38 revolver so as to not mess up a .357

The difficulty only lasts as long as you leave your chambers dirty. I've shot many thousands of 38 wadcutters out of my 357s and have not ever experienced "crust" that couldn't be quickly cleaned out.

IMO, for a snub, stick with a 38, for three inches and longer barrels, go 357.

 

[pokersamurai]

Why buy a .38 revolver?

Because they have been doing a fine job of punching bad guy's tickets since 1899.