# 38 S&W



## Redheads (Jun 9, 2008)

Not sure why i don't know this but can you fire a 38 S&W round out of a 357 ? I know you can shoot the 38 special but unsure about the other.

Thanks


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## bobk (Apr 30, 2004)

Yep


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## Dovans (Nov 15, 2011)

Can you shoot a 38 super out of a 357? (rifle)


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## G.lock (Apr 1, 2014)

Dovans said:


> Can you shoot a 38 super out of a 357? (rifle)


No. A 38 super is a rimless cartridge like a 9mm. It's about 10% longer than a 9mm.
Super was initially offered by colt in a 1911, makes 1250-1300 fps.


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## shot1buck (Feb 23, 2011)

Yes you can and 38 super out of a 38 special gun as well


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## burnsj5 (Jan 30, 2014)

shot1buck said:


> Yes you can and 38 super out of a 38 special gun as well


You shouldn't shoot a 38 super out of a 38 special handgun. They will fire, but 38 super is too hot for a 38 special handgun. If it was a true emergency sure but would be concerned about continued range shooting hurting a 38 special.


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## G.lock (Apr 1, 2014)

To clarify some 38 super will fire in a 357, it varies by manufacturer.
It's not recommended as it's not designed for the 357 chamber.
You also not going to give you the accuracy of a 357


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## Drm50 (Dec 26, 2014)

Redheads said:


> Not sure why i don't know this but can you fire a 38 S&W round out of a 357 ? I know you can shoot the 38 special but unsure about the other.
> 
> Thanks


You can’t fire a 38S&W from a 357 or 38special.


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## Redheads (Jun 9, 2008)

Drm50 said:


> You can’t fire a 38S&W from a 357 or 38special.


Ive been getting all kinds of answers to this question.

I found a deal on a couple S&W that came with a bunch of ammo and the 38S&W was some of the ammo and i was confused. Although it fits in the cylinders its much shorter than a 357 0r 38 special round.


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## Drm50 (Dec 26, 2014)

Redheads said:


> Ive been getting all kinds of answers to this question.
> 
> I found a deal on a couple S&W that came with a bunch of ammo and the 38S&W was some of the ammo and i was confused. Although it fits in the cylinders its much shorter than a 357 0r 38 special round.


Are you sure it’s not 38S&W Special? 38 S&W should not chamber in 357mg. It is not near as powerful but bullet Dia is .360” compared to .357”. Most 357s & 38s won’t accept it. I have seen 38S&W loaded in 38sp/ 357 dies and that will make a “short”.
Picture shows Remington 38S&W in S&W 357. Checked Winchester brand too. It doesn’t chamber. I just had brain storm. One of those S&Ws may be a 38S&W caliber. They made it for years and discontinued in 70s I think. WW2 British military used 38/200 which is same as 38S&W. Pic worth


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## Redheads (Jun 9, 2008)

Drm50 said:


> Are you sure it’s not 38S&W Special? 38 S&W should not chamber in 357mg. It is not near as powerful but bullet Dia is .360” compared to .357”. Most 357s & 38s won’t accept it. I have seen 38S&W loaded in 38sp/ 357 dies and that will make a “short”.
> Picture shows Remington 38S&W in S&W 357. Checked Winchester brand too. It doesn’t chamber. I just had brain storm. One of those S&Ws may be a 38S&W caliber. They made it for years and discontinued in 70s I think. WW2 British military used 38/200 which is same as 38S&W. Pic worth
> View attachment 461587


I guess i could have been a little clearer with my question.....Sorry for the confusion.

Both guns i picked up were S&W...model 27 and model 28 highway patrolman...Both 357 on the N frame ....With those two guns came a bunch of ammo and the 38SW was part of the ammo.

Hope that clarifies it a bit...sorry

also Iv never seen a chrome/polished highway patrolman before....I wish it was stamped FSP highway patrolman  and input ?

Thanks


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## Drm50 (Dec 26, 2014)

Redheads said:


> I guess i could have been a little clearer with my question.....Sorry for the confusion.
> 
> Both guns i picked up were S&W...model 27 and model 28 highway patrolman...Both 357 on the N frame ....With those two guns came a bunch of ammo and the 38SW was part of the ammo.
> 
> ...


I don’t think S&W every offered 28 in nickel. You can never say never with S&W. 27s are common in nickel. What’s FSP? If 38S&Ws chamber they are somebodies reloads out of 357 dies.


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## Redheads (Jun 9, 2008)

Drm50 said:


> I don’t think S&W every offered 28 in nickel. You can never say never with S&W. 27s are common in nickel. What’s FSP? If 38S&Ws chamber they are somebodies reloads out of 357 dies.


FSP= Florida State Police

Thanks for the help


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## codger (Aug 16, 2020)

If you've got a few 38SW rounds to get rid of, I could sure use them. Maybe we could work something out? I've got an old SW top break dbl action (third model?) chambered in 38SW that I've never shot. Inherited it from my FIL. Had it checked out by a competent gunsmith and he said it should be safe to shoot. I only want to put a few rounds through it because its very near 100%.


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## Pooch (Jun 16, 2014)

Had to go to my safe. H&R 38 S&W Hammerless. The only gun my father, he would have been 84, ever owned. He got it from his dad. He never fired it in the 30 yrs he had it. I've had it for 20 and haven't shot it either. Even have an older box of ammo for it. No real cash value to this piece but it's still kinda cool to me. Thought I'd share. I don't know much about the cartridge itself.


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## loweman165 (May 15, 2015)

I've always just shot what ever the MANUAL SAYS THE GUN WILL SHOOT!


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## MagicMarker (Mar 19, 2017)

loweman165 said:


> I've always just shot what ever the MANUAL SAYS THE GUN WILL SHOOT!


That just makes too much sense 😀


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## Drm50 (Dec 26, 2014)

When I was a teenager I worked in a fairly large grocery store. The delivery boys had to make a dump run every night when store closed at 6:30pm. One truck and two guys would go. One guy had been given a H&R 32 short. He brought it with him on dump run. Not having any 32shorts he cut 32 Long bullets flush with case, so they wouldn’t protrude through cylinder. When he touched it off the gun blew up. Cylinder came apart like grenade. He suffered minor injuries. In these older guns that made transition between black powder and smokeless its best to hang them on the wall.
The 38S&W is worst for this because they run from BP days clear into 1970s. A buddy of mine recently inherited a H&R 38S&W from the 1950s. Solid gun, like new. The thing that kept him from shooting it was price of ammo, $42. This was before present panic. I had dies and bullet mold for 38S&W and other oldies. I would load them way down for guys that ended up with grandpas pistol.


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## Redheads (Jun 9, 2008)

codger said:


> If you've got a few 38SW rounds to get rid of, I could sure use them. Maybe we could work something out? I've got an old SW top break dbl action (third model?) chambered in 38SW that I've never shot. Inherited it from my FIL. Had it checked out by a competent gunsmith and he said it should be safe to shoot. I only want to put a few rounds through it because its very near 100%.
> 
> View attachment 461614


Im sure we can work something out depending on location.......


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## Drm50 (Dec 26, 2014)

Don’t forget to send me address and grips will go out.
Thanks, Dan


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## codger (Aug 16, 2020)

Redheads said:


> Im sure we can work something out depending on location.......


I'm in Columbus


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