Can you shoot .38s out of any .357 revolver?

[Guest tnrich]

Never asked anyone before but I'm noticing a lot of .357s also are chambered for a .38 or .38+p.  Thanks in advance for the help.

Rich

[Glock30]

Yes. The bullet diameter is the same, but. 357 is much hotter than. 38 special or. 38 +p. Don't shoot .357 mag from a .38 though! :)

[gregintenn]

I do it regularly.

[Jonnin]

only issue is it makes the cylinder dirty so clean before going back to mags or cases get stuckish

[Guest tnrich]

Thanks folks.  I'd like to target shoot/practice with the .38s and probably carry the .38+p.  We hike a lot and I ride 4-wheelers a lot in East TN and East KY.  I'd rather have the .357 rounds when large animals are around.

Rich

[Parrothead]

Thanks folks.  I'd like to target shoot/practice with the .38s and probably carry the .38+p.  We hike a lot and I ride 4-wheelers a lot in East TN and East KY.  I'd rather have the .357 rounds when large animals are around.

Rich

 

Same reason i carry a .357 in the woods.

[tnhawk]

I've shot 38 in a 357 for years without any problem.  However it would not be a good idea to shoot 357 or 38+p in a gun designed for 38.

[Guest tnrich]

I agree about the .357 in a .38.  Not going to go there..lol..Can any of you give me a comparison, or opinion on the .357 versus the Colt .45?  I can get a great deal on a Polymer Judge from a buddy.  Thanks.

[Garufa]

You can't even stick a .357 magnum cartridge in a .38 special handgun.  The case is longer for that specific reason.

[Guest Lester Weevils]

Ditto on cleaning good if you want to shoot .357 after shooting .38. I reload and its just as cheap to reload a 158gn .357 practice load as a 158gn .38 practice load, so I just never shoot .38 any more. And it eliminates the careful cleaning problem.

 

The little ring of dirt that you get shooting .38's, in my experience makes it impossible to chamber .357 in the gun until thoroughly cleaned. I'm kinda doofus, but the ring of burnt stuff is near-invisible when I look in the cylinder, but you know its there because .357 won't go all the way in. So you sit there scrubbing at something basically invisible till you can load .357 in the gun again. :)

 

One fella said the easy way is just soak the cylinder in a jar of brake cleaner for a couple of days then swab it out. If I ever foul the cylinders with .38 again, am gonna try that.

[DaveTN]

 I'd rather have the .357 rounds when large animals are around.

Criminals are some of the biggest animals you may need to encounter with a handgun. They may not go down easy or fast.

[Guest tnrich]

Dave, I agree with you completely.