Difference between 38S&W and 38 Special

[hargroderauto]

I just received a box of 38S&W ammo from Sportsmans guide by mistake. I wanted 38 Special ammo. Can 38S&W be shot in a 38Special revolver? (I know its a stupid question) If not, who wants this ammo (Remington 146 Gr lead rn)

[armsmaster270]

If I remember right the cases are a larger diameter than 38spl and shouldn't chamber

[Chesster]

If I remember right the cases are a larger diameter than 38spl and shouldn't chamber

I'm no expert on these but this sound right.

[44 AMP]

The case mouth diameter of the .38 S&W is .380, and the .38 Spl is .379. Sooo....it shouldn't chamber. But, if your chamber is on the sloppy side, it might.

The .38S&W came out about 1877, and was used in a wide variety of top break, guns, giving better peformance than the .32s in common use. No one has made any new guns for this cartridge since WWII. It was in wide use in England, being known as the .38/200 (loaded with a 200gr bullet), and was the service revolver round in WWII. One finds Webleys and some S&W guns chambered for the .38 S&W - .38/200.

The .38 Special (originally the .38 S&W Special) came out in 1909. The case is longer and slightly smaller in diameter that the .38 S&W.

Don't bother to try and shoot your .38 S&W rounds in a .38 Spl. Even if they chamber. Exchange the box for what you want, or sell them.

[alistaire]

38 Special is an extra long .38 Long Colt, intended to be sold to the US Army as a replacement for it's .38 Long Colt revolvers. The Army chose to use .45 as it's minimum caliber. It is not related to .38 Smith & Wesson.

[a7mmnut]

They are lower pressure and have been easily mistaken for and shot in Specials for years and years. That said, here is Randy Lyman's Caliber Interchangeability chart:

CARTRIDGE INTERCHANGEABILITY CHART
------------------------------------
Cartridges within the groups shown are interchangeable. Other
substitutions should not be made without specific recommendation
of the firearms manufacturer, since improper combinations could
result in firearm damage or personal injury.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
RIMFIRE
22 W.R.F.
22 Remington Special
22 Win. Model 2890 in a 22 Win. Mag Rimfire but not conversely
-----------------------------------------------------------------
CENTERFIRE
25-20 Remington
25-20 W.C.F.
25-20 Win.
25-20 Win. High Speed
25-20 Marlin
25 W.C.F.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
6mm Rem. (80 & 90 grain)
244 Rem.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
25 Automatic
25 Auto. Colt Pistol (ACP)
25 (6.35mm) Automatic Pistol
6.35 Browning
-----------------------------------------------------------------
7mm Express (TM) Rem.
280 Rem.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
30-30 Sav.
30-30 Win.
30-30 Win. Accelerator*
30-30 Marlin
30-30 Win. High Speed
30 W.C.F
-----------------------------------------------------------------
32 Colt Automatic
32 Automatic Colt Pistol (ACP)
32 (7.65mm) Automatic Pistol
7.65mm Automatic Pistol
7.65mm Browning (not interchangeable with 7.65mm Luger)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
32 Short Colt in 32 Long Colt but not conversely
SEE NOTE C
-----------------------------------------------------------------
32 S. & W. in 32 S. & W. Long but not conversely
-----------------------------------------------------------------
32 S. & W. Long
32 Colt New Police
32 Colt Police Positive
-----------------------------------------------------------------
32 W.C.F.*
32 Win.*
32-20 Win. High Speed*
SEE NOTE A
-----------------------------------------------------------------
32-20 Colt L.M.R.
32-20 W.C.F.
32-20 Win. and Marlin
SEE NOTE G
-----------------------------------------------------------------
38 S. & W.
38 Colt New Police
380 Webley
-----------------------------------------------------------------
38 Colt Special
38 S. & W. Special
38 Targetmaster (R)
38 S. & W. Special Mid-Rage
38 Special (+P)
38-44 Special (+P)
38 Special
38 Special Flat Point
SEE NOTES B & D
-----------------------------------------------------------------
38 Short Colt in 38 Long Colt but not conversely;
Both can be used in 38 Special
-----------------------------------------------------------------
38 Marlin
38 Win.*
SEE NOTE A
-----------------------------------------------------------------
38 Remington*
38-40 Win.
38 W.C.F.*
SEE NOTE A
-----------------------------------------------------------------
38 Automatic in 38 Super (+P) but not conversely
-----------------------------------------------------------------
380 Automatic
9mm Browning Short (Corto, Kurz)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
9mm Luger
9mm Parabellum
SEE NOTE E
-----------------------------------------------------------------
44 S. & W. Special
SEE NOTE F
-----------------------------------------------------------------
44 Marlin
44 Win.
44 Remington
44-40 Win.
44 W.C.F.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
45-70 Government
45-70 Marlin
45-70 Win.
45-70-405
-----------------------------------------------------------------
NOTE A: *High-speed cartridges must not be used in revolvers.
They should be used only in rifles made expecially for
them.
NOTE B: Ammunition with (+P) on the case headstamp is loaded to
higher pressure. Use only in firearms designated for
this cartridge and so recommended by the gun manufacturer.
NOTE C: Not for use in revolvers chambered for 32 S. & W. or
32 S. & W. Long.
NOTE D: All 38 Special cartridges can be used in 357 Magnum
revolvers but not conversely.
NOTE E: 9mm sub-machine gun cartridges should not be used in
handguns.
NOTE F: 44 Russian and 44 S. & W. Special can be used in 44
Remington Magnum revolvers but not conversely.
NOTE G: Not to be used in Win. M-66 and M-73.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
SOURCE: 1993 Remington Products Catalog

Not listed in Remington's information are the following:
-----------------------------------------------------------------
.38 Special and .357 Mag. in .357 Maximum, but not conversely
-----------------------------------------------------------------
.44 Special and .44 Mag. in .445 Super Mag, but not conversely
-----------------------------------------------------------------
.45 Long Colt in .454 Casull, but not conversely
-----------------------------------------------------------------

<7><))))

[hargroderauto]

Thanks for the replies, I will not use this ammo in my Sp101. Sportsmans guide will not take the ammo back. "Due to Hazardous Restrictions, Ammunition CANNOT be returned.

[SIGSHR]

I don't think 38 S&Ws will fit in a 38 Special cylinder. However a number of the S&W M&Ps bought by the British in WWII had their cylinders reamed out to fire 38 Specials and make them more saleable, then the owners wondered why they got so many split cases and extraction problems.

[Mike Irwin]

The .38 S&W case head is larger in diameter than the .38 Special.

In most cases, this prevents it from chambering in .38 Special guns.

However, in some cases, given loose gun tolerances or tight ammo tolerances, it might.

[BillM]

"No one has made any new guns for this cartridge since WWII."




S&W made the models 32 and 33 until 1974. Pretty sure 1974 is
after WWII. H&R made the 925 and 935 in 38 S&W until 1984.
I've got 2 revolvers that shoot it. Mdl 32 S&W and a Webley.
Fun little cartridge to reload and plink with. About the same
case capacity as 9x19, but loaded to MUCH lower pressures.

[darkgael]

cylinders reamed out to fire 38 Specials

I guess that they reamed them so that the longer cartridge would chamber. I wonder if they ran into extraction problems. I have made cases for my .38 S&W by shortening .38 Special cases. The problem using them is that they are a loose fit in the .38 S&W chamber. It's pretty common for them to split when fired. If they don't split, the cases bulge/fireform to the chamber. Extraction can be sticky. All that plus the bullet difference, a ,357 bullet in a .360 barrel - accuracy is iffy.
I wonder if those conversions have an enhanced value for collectors.
Pete

[Mike Irwin]

"I guess that they reamed them so that the longer cartridge would chamber."

Exactly.

"I wonder if those conversions have an enhanced value for collectors."

Nope, generally not. It negatively affects value.

[Michael Bane]

See...here's an ideal opportunity to get another gun so you don't waste that box of .38 S&W! Maybe an S&W Lemon Squeezer in good shape, or a Regulation Police (built on the old S&W I-frame, slightly smaller than the later J-frames...my first handgun...carried it forever...still have it) or, if you get really lucky, a Terrier, which is the round-butt short-barreled version of the Regulation Police.

Sure, this sounds stupid...but ask me how come I'm looking for decent Super Star in 9mm Largo...

Michael B

[a7mmnut]

Similar S&W "Victory Model" junior look-alikes chambered the .38 S&W. Years later, friends of mine were still shooting them in Model 10 and 13 .38 Specials. I still have some of their ammo after informing them of their error. -7-

[Elvishead]

hargroderauto Thanks for the replies, I will not use this ammo in my Sp101. Sportsmans guide will not take the ammo back. "Due to Hazardous Restrictions, Ammunition CANNOT be returned.

I did that, I was buying some 22lr, and found some "Mini-Mags" AKA 22lr Hi-vols. I also pick up a box of 22 Magnums. OOOpppps!

See if you can find somebody that would buy'em at a small lose to you. Be creative.:D

[tenholewheels]

in nickel with a 3 inch barrel, made in 1887 that is one fine

little shooter.

i have only used magtech 148gr RNL in it and for its

size is quite accurate.

it is in mint condition and i try to shoot it every range trip.