What do you think of the .38 special?

[azmark]

Besides plinking and target shooting, just how useful is the .38 special caliber?

[gdvan01]

Besides plinking and target shooting, just how useful is the .38 special caliber?

I have my Model 60 loaded with 5 silvertip hollowpoints. If you walked into my home unannounced you'd find out how useful it is.

(not a threat, just making a point)

[Erik]

"What do you think of the .38 special?"
It is a fine cartridge with a prestigious past.

"Besides plinking and target shooting, just how useful is the .38 special caliber?"
Very. Many a person has been well served by the .38. It is still one of the defensive cartridges of choice.

[Jay1958]

Personally, I think the .38 Special can serve a valuable purpose. For some, the .357 Magnum round has too much recoil, particularly in a light snubnose. Another excellent use for .38 Special in my opinion, is for home defense use by less experienced shooters.

Anyone and everyone who plans to use a firearm to defend themselves should definitely practice with it, but the reality is that some of us choose to practice more than others, or simply have more opprtunity to do so. For example, I practice every chance I get, firing a few thousand rounds per year. On the other hand, my wife may practice once every month or two - usually 50 to 100 rounds per session.

For someone in her situation, the .38 Special round in a 4-inch barrel revolver makes a good choice, IMO. Recoil is less than with a .357 Mag, followup shots can occur more quickly, especially in the hands of a less experienced shooter, and there is no danger of going out of the fight due to a jam caused by limp wristing in a high stress situation. Trust me, high stress situations can cause limp wristing jams!

So in certain situations, like those I mentioned: lightweight snubbies or home defense, I think the .38 Special is a good choice.

Of course some will bemoan it as 'underpowered' and I agree it's not the ideal handgun round for self-defense, but if a BG or two breaks into my house when I'm not there, I would rather my loved ones have a manageable weapon they are confident and reasonably proficient in using than a more powerful weapon that they are not comfortable with...

[zxcvbob]

The only gun I keep loaded in the house is a S&W model 15. 158 grain swaged lead hollowpoints with 4.5 grains of Unique. Or sometimes a Security Six loaded with the same ammo, not .357 Magnums.

I have other more powerful handguns, but the .38 Special is the one I trust. (I would also trust a .45 Colt, but the 7.5" Blackhawk is kind of big to keep ready)

[Pilot]

The .38 Spl +p+ is equal to the 9MM +p cartrdiges. What's not to like?

[skeeter1]

I have my Model 60 loaded with 5 silvertip hollowpoints. If you walked into my home unannounced you'd find out how useful it is.

You stole the words right out of my mouth. Model 60, have had it for 20-some years now, and loaded with 125gr Winchester Silvertip +Ps. Don't come knockin' on my door too late at night -- that's my bedside gun.

I sold a 2.5" barreled S&W model 66 in .357Mag, but I kept the .38, so I guess that tells you something about what I think of the .38Spl. It's gone on many backpacking and field trips with me, and I suspect it could have handled a black bear when I was in Kentucky if it had to.

The .38Spl was first introduce in 1902 as a black powder cartridge, and is still one of the most popular rounds now (in smokeless powder, of course) more than a century later. That alone should tell you something.

[armoredman]

I carry a 9mm auto, but I have a 4 inch Smith Model 10-8, loaded with Winchester 158 LSWCHP +P that I trust just fine - incredibly accurate revolver, and a round with a very good track record. If I couldn't carry my auto, I would put the Smith on without hesitation.

[gdvan01]

Model 60, have had it for 20-some years now, and loaded with 125gr Winchester Silvertip +Ps. Don't come knockin' on my door too late at night -- that's my bedside gun.

Great minds think alike...

[Kreyzhorse]

In my opinion, the .38 is the minimum defensive cartridge. There are certainly better options, but the .38 provides good stopping power in a concealable platform; ie the .38 snub. I can't deny that the .357, .40 or .45 are better platforms, but none of the weapons are as lightweight or concealable as a snub regardless of season. A gun left at home is totally useless vs even the smallest mouse gun.

[john1911]

Besides plinking and target shooting, just how useful is the .38 special caliber?

Plinking and target shooting are my preferred uses of the 38 special. If the only gun I owned was a 38, I would have no qualms about using it for defensive purposes.

[toybox99615]

Obviously you have not considered the long history of the 38 special as the standard of almost every police department and federal law enforcement officer for many many years. While I can not document it unquestionably I believe the 38 special probably has more years as the standard sidearm in military and law enforcement that any other handgun since the early 1900's.

First introduced in 1902 the 38 special has a 100 plus year history. You might not find a great deal of cartridges available at every gun store but I doubt you find one without a selection of 38 special ammo.

[Thunderhawk88]

It is the round I carry most often, in a small, easily concealed snubby.

[jben]

I like the 38 Special cartridge alot. It is a great plinking round, and there are several very good personal defense loads for it. I have a S & W model 60-10 .357 magnum with a 3" full lug barrel. Even though it is chambered for the .357 magnum, I consider mine to be a very durable 38 Special. Being a J-frame revolver, that's what I prefer to use in it. The Speer Gold Dot 135 grain +p is the current load I use. The 38 Special is a great round for a variety of reasons. jben

[BillCA]

The .38 Special cartridge probably protects more homes in the U.S. than any other cartridge, including 9mm and .22LR.

Police adopted the .38 Special in the early part of the 20th Century and it continued in that duty for over 70 years. You can still find some officers carrying a .38 in their duty holsters.

While the .38 isn't appropriate for most hunting sports, it can and will allow you to take a number of game animals at reasonable distances for the cartridge (i.e. about 50 yards).

The .38 can be loaded with mild charges for cutting holes in paper, lightweight bullets at high speeds for defense to heavier bullets up to 200 grains at more moderate velocities. When I reloaded, I could buy projectiles that weighed 100, 110, 115, 125, 135, 146, 148, 150, 158, 160, 170, 180 and 200 grains. That's quite a broad selection. But it got better because some of those were offered in various types - RNL, LSWC, JHP, JSP, Half-jacketed, Semi-Jacketed, FMJ, Plated and flat-points.

There are more potent defensive cartridges out there, but few that are simultaneously as easy to shoot, controllable and accurate as the old .38 Special.

Some consider it outdated or underpowered for defensive uses, but no one told millions of police officers and Military security officers that. Lots of bad guys succumbed to accurate .38 Special shots. Plenty of others lived to be captured too.

My beside shows 2 revolvers loaded with .38 Specials. One is chambered for .357, but I use 130gr SXT .38 +P in this snubby with confidence. The other gun is a S&W Model 67 loaded with the same ammo. I don't feel undergunned with the .38 Special and I'd heartily recommend it to anyone wanting a simple, reliable home defense handgun.

[Playboypenguin]

With five .38spl Winchester 110gr Silvertip HP rounds in my Smith m60 (and ten reload rounds on the other side of the holster) I feel as safe and confident as I possible could be with a carry sized gun.

Not only am I confident in their ability to stop a full sized threat but also in my ability to place the controllable round as precisely and quickly as needed.

[skeeter1]

You can still find some officers carrying a .38 in their duty holsters.

The few LEOs that I know personally are carrying .40SW Glocks now. I know my Glock-carrying LEO brother doesn't like my Beretta 92 -- too big and heavy.

OTOH, when I was still working, the Brinks armored truck driver would come there every day with his S&W Model 10, .38Spl, and no one ever messed with him.

The .38Spl has no peer when it comes to a HD round. Enough to drop a BG in his tracks, and probably not enough (like a .357Mag) to go through walls ( or even houses) and harm someone else. I'm perfectly happy with my S&W M60.

[gdvan01]

(and ten reload rounds on the other side of the holster)

Ditto.
Well, actually there are 2 speed strips I have in my pocket so it's 12 rounds.

[Sgt.Fathead]

I like to start new shooters off with .38 Special 158 gr SWC or SJSP from my 4" Ruger GP100 .357 because it's a great training round and a great round to get familiar with. Of the half dozen people I have, if not taught, then coached, to shoot in the last fifteen years, the majority of them have stuck with the .38 Special as their round of choice. It's great for target and plinking, yes. But would you want to get hit with one or more of these rounds, well placed and on target?

Nope.

[Buzzcook]

Imho the .38 special is the best revolver cartridge for scary situations.
It is powerful enough, even in light loads, to stop bad guys. It has a light enough recoil, especially in a heavy framed revolver, so that follow up shots are not thrown off target.
There are large variety of commercial rounds and reloading gives even greater possibilities.
If you have a well made revolver in .38 special you are fully armed. Well except for zombies.

[gvf]

It's fine, was fine for decades, it's manageable and gets you lighter guns and good follow up shots. One shot stop stuff in various rounds is a consideration and some calibers will do better on some studies, but unless you carry a one-shot derringer, it's but the first of several shots and but one thing to consider. I carry a Colt Detective with 6, so it's not a big consideration with me, what with various modern ammo + 5 more of whatever for follow-up.

[humanitarian2112]

.38 special is a great self defense round. Small revolver, concealed carry; the origiinal point and click interface. Goes bang every time and will stop the bad guy whle allowing multiple follow up shots to be placed on target quickly. Old school rules.

[38splfan]

I love the .38 Special as an all-purpose round. I hope my username doesn't disclose my bias towards it

My first handgun was a Smith & Wesson Victory model with the 5" pencil barrel. It protected the "homestead" for many a night, and when I first got my permit, it rode on my belt more than once.

My second .38 was a Charter Arms Undercover made in the 70's. Bought it for 90 bucks at a pawn shop. It rode in my pocket and on my hip many times.

I've cycled through a half dozen others since then, always having at least one around. Most of them Smith Model 10's.

I've never had one that wasn't reliable and accurate. They're extremely comfortable to shoot, and a basic platform like the Model 10 is pretty much idiot proof, making the learning curve for new shooters very short, with almost instant success and gratification. It's probably the greatest confidence-building round, next to the .22 lr.

Can't beat the variety of loads available, or the cost. Even with the outrageous increases of late, I can still get CCI Blazer for about $10 a box, WWB for about $12.

It may not be perfect, but it's pretty damn close.

[Sgt.Fathead]

buzzcook said all the jumbled thoughts in my head far better than I could post. That's it!

[gpena]

my 38 is a smith & wesson 14-4 with a 4" barrel stays in my truck loaded with speer gold dot 38 spl+p 125 gr .GDHP and I love it . G