Home Defense...Service-Size .38 Special VS. Service-Size .357 Magnum

Southern Shooter · November 19, 2009, 08:26 AM

NOT WANTING A CALIBER WAR...PLEASE!!!

Am I wrong to assume that a .38 Special with a 4" barrel, loaded with a quality SD round...or, even just a good +P 125 grain SJHP would be effective in defending the home?

I get flack at times that I should move up to a .357 Magnum in a service-size revolver. I have several revolvers in that size. But, don't see the need to make that my home defense gun.

Thanks

skoro · November 19, 2009, 08:48 AM

I have a S&W .357 revolver for HD. I keep it stoked with .38+P FBI loads.

skydiver3346 · November 19, 2009, 08:53 AM

Of course its okay for self defense at home. The four inch barrel gives you adequate velocity and a good +P bullet is more than sufficient to do the job. In fact, you don't HAVE to have a +P round but I would certainly suggest it if you can group these bullets well. There are many, many people in this country who use a .38 Special for self defense and it has done the job for a long time this past century and up to and including the future.

Skans · November 19, 2009, 08:57 AM

.38 special or .38+P is perfectly fine for Home Defense, so long as you are confident and competant with the gun. In fact I'd argue that there are as many dissadvantages with using .357 as there are advantages. Muzzle flash and harsh recoil v. the more manageable .38 or +P rounds. If you are going to be shooting +P, however, make sure that your .38 revolver can handle it.

Lokpyrite · November 19, 2009, 11:18 AM

Depends on what you're asking, if you're asking "is the 38 ok?" ofcourse it is.
If you're asking "Is the 357 better?" In my opinion yes it is. But you know what opinions are like.

Don P · November 19, 2009, 12:23 PM

Quote:

Am I wrong to assume that a .38 Special with a 4" barrel, loaded with a quality SD round...or, even just a good +P 125 grain SJHP would be effective in defending the home?

Not at all. Less recoil and less muzzel flash. You do your job and the 38spl wil do its job. IMO if you are going to use +P might as well go to 357mag

KingEdward · November 19, 2009, 12:27 PM

The .357 round has a better "one shot stoppage rate" per se over any .38 special round.

The .357 round also is MUCH louder and the muzzle blast in low light can be extremely bright.

The .38 rounds (even +P) have less recoil and allow for quicker follow up shots.

I've shot both through several guns. In regular and low light.

I keep a model 19 at home loaded with Remington .38 +P 158 gr LSWC (R38S14)

It's my HD revolver.

CWPinSC · November 19, 2009, 01:45 PM

The .357 Mag. is a better stopper - statistically. It also makes much more noise, flash, and recoil then the .38 spcl., even a +p. If you train with the .357 Mag., you will get used to it.

A "service" revolver will have at least a 4" barrel, which will help tame the .357 Mag. When I worked armed security back in the late 70s, I carried a S&W Model 13 - a 4" .357 Mag. I carried 158 gr. JHP in it. I got a set of grips that really fit my hand and I could shoot it all day and not get hurt.

My advice is shoot the biggest gun you can control. Control means the ability to make rapid follow-ups and accurate hits on target.

Old Grump · November 19, 2009, 03:54 PM

At close in house distances 38 is adequate and easier to shoot quickly and accurately. I like 158 grain SWC Keith style bullets but they all work as long as you hit your target.

Deaf Smith · November 19, 2009, 08:00 PM

Quote:

Am I wrong to assume that a .38 Special with a 4" barrel, loaded with a quality SD round...or, even just a good +P 125 grain SJHP would be effective in defending the home?

Southern Shooter,

The FBI used to use the Smith & Wesson 13, 3 inch .357 Magnum, with .38 Special 158gr SWLHPs at 900 fps. It served them well for many years till simi-autos became the rage.

So yes, your .38 with quality ammo will do fine. Get a good compact flashlight like a Surefire P6 and have a cell phone handy.

The houseguns we keep are Ruger Speed and Service Six revolvers in .38 Special (so my wife can easly use them, they all work the same.) While I use Buffalo Bore 158gr LSWHPs, Remington, Winchester, and Federal also make them, and DPX .38s are also real good loads.

So don't sweat it. Your .38 is a fine defensive weapon for the house. Now might add a 12 guage or M1 Carbine, but that's elective. The handgun is the first and easiest to handle at night in the confines of a house.

mavracer · November 19, 2009, 08:53 PM

I usually have a 1911 45acp for home defense but I have left my 4" Smith 65 in the nightstand with 38+Ps and I sleep just fine.I'm not sure the extra power is worth the blast and recoil.I reciently switched some of my SD/HD 357s to Remington golden sabers wich are a mid range 357 and don't have much more flash and recoil than some 38+Ps

Buzzcook · November 19, 2009, 09:11 PM

This topic pops up every once in a while. The .38 spl. is a fine cartridge that has a proven track record of over 100 years.

imho, its lighter recoil make it superior for self defense because it is easier to keep on target.

Many people who buy .357 use only .38 spl for that reason.

zxcvbob · November 19, 2009, 09:11 PM

I have two 4" service revolvers, and I trade back and forth which one is "on duty". One is a S&W Model 15 (.38 Special) and the other is a Ruger Security Six (.357), and I use 158 grain .38 Special soft lead hollow-points in both. I don't need or want all the thunder and fury of a .357 indoors when the Special is almost as effective -- and I can get back on target for a 2nd shot *much* faster with .38

Hook686 · November 20, 2009, 05:50 PM

The big advantage to my way of thinking is the S&W 627 is an 8 shooter. One does not have to load .357 magnum, but I figure .357 +p might do better on the revolver frame. If you are happy with .38 Special, I see no advantage to the .357 magnum frame, oother than you can get one that shoots 8 shots.

PS the .38 Special is not "Almost as effective", as the .357 magnum can shoot 802 ft-lb 125 grain commercially available loads. Heavy .38 Special +P 125 grain rounds come in at 306 ft-lbs. .38 Special are less than these.

Some folks say, "It is better to have a gun and not need it, than need one and not have it." Why would the same not apply to ammunition for that gun, since your life depends upon it ?

Glenn Dee · November 20, 2009, 05:59 PM

A service sized 357 IS a service sized .38

ClayInTx · November 23, 2009, 07:41 PM

I am pleased that I have to ask this question and am not able to answer it.

I’ve read and heard that a 357 Magnum will go all the way through a man and kill someone standing behind him, and a 38 Special will not.

Is this true?

I suppose these statements are in reference to a normal size man, and reference the same barrel lengths..

If true it seems that a 357 might be a bit dangerous to be blasting away inside a house.

What about a 38 Special +p?

Also, FMJ and JHP should have different penetration characteristics. Does anyone know of a website which gives this information.

Clay

Crane's · November 23, 2009, 08:01 PM

Both cartridges are sufficient for home defense and are proven in the field. The single biggest reason to use a non magnum handgun in the home is noise. A magnum or any other high intensity handgun round fired in an enclosed space will cause significant permanent hearing loss or possibly rupture an ear drum.

Erik · November 24, 2009, 06:40 PM

"Both cartridges are sufficient for home defense and are proven in the field."

Agreed.

"Am I wrong to assume that a .38 Special with a 4" barrel, loaded with a quality SD round...or, even just a good +P 125 grain SJHP would be effective in defending the home?"

No.

November 19, 2009, 08:26 AM	#1
Southern Shooter Senior Member Join Date: May 4, 2005 Location: central Louisiana Posts: 469	Home Defense...Service-Size .38 Special VS. Service-Size .357 Magnum NOT WANTING A CALIBER WAR...PLEASE!!! Am I wrong to assume that a .38 Special with a 4" barrel, loaded with a quality SD round...or, even just a good +P 125 grain SJHP would be effective in defending the home? I get flack at times that I should move up to a .357 Magnum in a service-size revolver. I have several revolvers in that size. But, don't see the need to make that my home defense gun. Thanks __________________ "My plea is that we stop seeking out the storm and enjoy more fully sunlight. I am suggesting that as we go through life we accentuate the positive. I am asking that we look a little deeper for the good, that we still our voices of insult and sarcasm, that we more generously compliment and endorse virtue and effort." Gordon B. Hinckley

November 19, 2009, 08:53 AM	#3
skydiver3346 Senior Member Join Date: December 22, 2007 Location: Florida Posts: 1,222	.38 Special for self defense at home? Of course its okay for self defense at home. The four inch barrel gives you adequate velocity and a good +P bullet is more than sufficient to do the job. In fact, you don't HAVE to have a +P round but I would certainly suggest it if you can group these bullets well. There are many, many people in this country who use a .38 Special for self defense and it has done the job for a long time this past century and up to and including the future.

November 19, 2009, 03:54 PM	#9
Old Grump Member in memoriam Join Date: April 9, 2009 Location: Blue River Wisconsin, in Posts: 3,144	At close in house distances 38 is adequate and easier to shoot quickly and accurately. I like 158 grain SWC Keith style bullets but they all work as long as you hit your target. __________________ Good intentions will always be pleaded for any assumption of power. The Constitution was made to guard the people against the dangers of good intentions. There are men in all ages who mean to govern will, but they mean to govern. They promise to be good masters, but they mean to be masters. --Daniel Webster--

November 19, 2009, 09:11 PM	#13
zxcvbob Senior Member Join Date: December 20, 2007 Location: S.E. Minnesota Posts: 4,720	I have two 4" service revolvers, and I trade back and forth which one is "on duty". One is a S&W Model 15 (.38 Special) and the other is a Ruger Security Six (.357), and I use 158 grain .38 Special soft lead hollow-points in both. I don't need or want all the thunder and fury of a .357 indoors when the Special is almost as effective -- and I can get back on target for a 2nd shot much faster with .38 __________________ "Everything they do is so dramatic and flamboyant. It just makes me want to set myself on fire!" —Lucille Bluth

November 20, 2009, 05:50 PM	#14
Hook686 Senior Member Join Date: May 22, 2005 Location: USA The Great State of California Posts: 2,090	The big advantage to my way of thinking is the S&W 627 is an 8 shooter. One does not have to load .357 magnum, but I figure .357 +p might do better on the revolver frame. If you are happy with .38 Special, I see no advantage to the .357 magnum frame, oother than you can get one that shoots 8 shots. PS the .38 Special is not "Almost as effective", as the .357 magnum can shoot 802 ft-lb 125 grain commercially available loads. Heavy .38 Special +P 125 grain rounds come in at 306 ft-lbs. .38 Special are less than these. Some folks say, "It is better to have a gun and not need it, than need one and not have it." Why would the same not apply to ammunition for that gun, since your life depends upon it ? __________________ Hook686 When the number of people in institutions reaches 51%, we change sides. Last edited by Hook686; November 20, 2009 at 05:57 PM.

November 19, 2009, 08:48 AM	#2
skoro Senior Member Join Date: April 30, 2008 Location: Texas Posts: 1,952	I have a S&W .357 revolver for HD. I keep it stoked with .38+P FBI loads.

November 19, 2009, 08:57 AM	#4
Skans Senior Member Join Date: November 20, 2008 Posts: 11,132	.38 special or .38+P is perfectly fine for Home Defense, so long as you are confident and competant with the gun. In fact I'd argue that there are as many dissadvantages with using .357 as there are advantages. Muzzle flash and harsh recoil v. the more manageable .38 or +P rounds. If you are going to be shooting +P, however, make sure that your .38 revolver can handle it.

November 19, 2009, 11:18 AM	#5
Lokpyrite Senior Member Join Date: November 12, 2009 Posts: 367	Depends on what you're asking, if you're asking "is the 38 ok?" ofcourse it is. If you're asking "Is the 357 better?" In my opinion yes it is. But you know what opinions are like.

November 19, 2009, 12:27 PM	#7
KingEdward Senior Member Join Date: April 22, 2009 Location: The Volunteer State Posts: 439	The .357 round has a better "one shot stoppage rate" per se over any .38 special round. The .357 round also is MUCH louder and the muzzle blast in low light can be extremely bright. The .38 rounds (even +P) have less recoil and allow for quicker follow up shots. I've shot both through several guns. In regular and low light. I keep a model 19 at home loaded with Remington .38 +P 158 gr LSWC (R38S14) It's my HD revolver.

November 19, 2009, 01:45 PM	#8
CWPinSC Junior member Join Date: July 1, 2009 Posts: 863	The .357 Mag. is a better stopper - statistically. It also makes much more noise, flash, and recoil then the .38 spcl., even a +p. If you train with the .357 Mag., you will get used to it. A "service" revolver will have at least a 4" barrel, which will help tame the .357 Mag. When I worked armed security back in the late 70s, I carried a S&W Model 13 - a 4" .357 Mag. I carried 158 gr. JHP in it. I got a set of grips that really fit my hand and I could shoot it all day and not get hurt. My advice is shoot the biggest gun you can control. Control means the ability to make rapid follow-ups and accurate hits on target.

November 19, 2009, 09:11 PM	#12
Buzzcook Senior Member Join Date: November 29, 2007 Location: Everett, WA Posts: 6,126	This topic pops up every once in a while. The .38 spl. is a fine cartridge that has a proven track record of over 100 years. imho, its lighter recoil make it superior for self defense because it is easier to keep on target. Many people who buy .357 use only .38 spl for that reason.

November 20, 2009, 05:59 PM	#15
Glenn Dee Senior Member Join Date: September 9, 2009 Location: South Florida Posts: 1,560	A service sized 357 IS a service sized .38

November 23, 2009, 07:41 PM	#16
ClayInTx Senior Member Join Date: November 17, 2009 Location: Texas Posts: 1,066	All the way through? I am pleased that I have to ask this question and am not able to answer it. I’ve read and heard that a 357 Magnum will go all the way through a man and kill someone standing behind him, and a 38 Special will not. Is this true? I suppose these statements are in reference to a normal size man, and reference the same barrel lengths.. If true it seems that a 357 might be a bit dangerous to be blasting away inside a house. What about a 38 Special +p? Also, FMJ and JHP should have different penetration characteristics. Does anyone know of a website which gives this information. Clay

November 23, 2009, 08:01 PM	#17
Crane's Junior Member Join Date: November 23, 2009 Posts: 4	Both cartridges are sufficient for home defense and are proven in the field. The single biggest reason to use a non magnum handgun in the home is noise. A magnum or any other high intensity handgun round fired in an enclosed space will cause significant permanent hearing loss or possibly rupture an ear drum.

November 24, 2009, 06:40 PM	#18
Erik Senior Member Join Date: December 24, 1999 Location: America Posts: 3,479	"Both cartridges are sufficient for home defense and are proven in the field." Agreed. "Am I wrong to assume that a .38 Special with a 4" barrel, loaded with a quality SD round...or, even just a good +P 125 grain SJHP would be effective in defending the home?" No. __________________ Meriam Webster's: Main Entry: ci·vil·ian Pronunciation: \sə-ˈvil-yən also -ˈvi-yən\, Function: noun, Date: 14th century, 1: a specialist in Roman or modern civil law, 2 a: one not on active duty in the armed services or not on a police or firefighting force b: outsider 1, — civilian adjective