.38 Special Recommendations

[OCSportsman]

Leaning towards getting mine the LCR in .357, she can target shoot .38's and pack with .357

 

[Certaindeaf]

With all respect, I think a Beretta 380 would be a terrible choice for a new shooter to rely on for self defense, especially if they intend to carry it concealed. Yes the tip-up barrel is convenient and easy for females and novices to use, but it is offset by the need to be aware of and properly use the safety and/or decocking lever which can be the difference between life and death in a self defense situation. The hammerless snub revolver is the ultimate in simplicity, safety and reliability with its only drawback being limited ammo capacity. I will gladly trade a 5 round limit for the ability to draw, hold and fire the weapon from inside a purse or coat pocket without ever exposing it, and for the ability to shove it into an assailants center-of-mass at contact distance and empty it without any concerns about it jamming up. In an elevator or crowded stairwell, a female with a hammerless sbubbie who is being choked out by a man twice her size can pump 5 hollowpoints into his gut as fast as she can pull the trigger and without ever removing the gun or her hand from her purse. The other advantage that a snub wheelgun holds for a novice female...especially one who is recoil sensitive... is the ability to load it with mild target loads for practice and then work her way up to full-powered loads for self defense as she becomes more proficient. Glasers are also an option for a wheelgun that I wouldn't want to try in a semi-auto due to the expense involved in testing them for reliable function. Safety, reliability, simplicity, ease of operation and proven effectiveness---the .38 snub offers it all.

Oh you choir preacher you. I was just trying to help an arthritic/anorexic cripple (or something) out.

 

[Silver Hand]

My wife's purse weighs as much as my hunting pack!

I doubt most women would care about a 10oz difference moving up to a .357 mag.

Why not just put +P ammunition in the .38 air weight and have the equivalent of the .357?
Silver Hand

 

[DieselScout]

Why not just put +P ammunition in the .38 air weight and have the equivalent of the .357?
Silver Hand

.38+p is not the equivalent of .357. Just a quick spot check of ammunition websites shows this not to be true, more energy out of the .357.

 

[Certaindeaf]

I was going to say also.. like 700fpe compared to 300.
but even a he man ain't gonna like those out of an eleven ounce gat pretty much so hence his saying use some good .38's in this case

 

[Mbeef61]

Does a .357 get up to its capable velocity in a 2 inch barrel? Seems like it wouldn't have enough time to build pressure. Plus the muzzle flash would be insane. Hope you don't have to shoot it at night or you will be blind.

Seems to me loading a .357 in a two inch barrel just makes for a flame thrower with minimal extra punch and a lot more recoil

 

[Certaindeaf]

it'll pretty much do ya, in all regards.. even out of a 2"

 

[DieselScout]

Does a .357 get up to its capable velocity in a 2 inch barrel? Seems like it wouldn't have enough time to build pressure. Plus the muzzle flash would be insane. Hope you don't have to shoot it at night or you will be blind.

The stats I was reading on Hornady's sight were out of a 2" barrel, so why would the test their ammunition, publish the results of it is t going g to be effective? How many lumens is muzzle flash finished out of a 4"? What's the reduction when shooting a .38? What about a 44 magnum out of a 4" barrel will that blind you? How does it compare to an AR? Just curious.

This may sound harsh but the .357 out of a snubbie is nothing new, this isn't ground breaking science.

 

[Certaindeaf]

The stats I was reading on Hornady's sight were out of a 2" barrel, so why would the test their ammunition, publish the results of it is t going g to be effective? How many lumens is muzzle flash finished out of a 4"? What's the reduction when shooting a .38? What about a 44 magnum out of a 4" barrel will that blind you? How does it compare to an AR? Just curious.

This may sound harsh but the .357 out of a snubbie is nothing new, this isn't ground breaking science.

But it's loud and kicks and is bright! oh my! lol

 

[Mbeef61]

There are a lot of stupid guns that are manufacturd that don't make sense. So just because they exist doesn't prove it to me

I know a short barrel AR has way less punch than a 16 inch barrel. It need a the length to build enough pressure.

The site below shows .38 vs .357 by the inch. a .38 is around 750 fps in 2 inch barrel and .357 is 900. Minimal difference. and not up to .357 magnum potential
http://www.ballisticsbytheinch.com/357mag.html

 

[Mbeef61]

All that extra powder/power is just burning outside the barrel

 

[OCSportsman]

Hmmm rethinking in progress, thanks for the info Mbeef61

 

[Mbeef61]

Don't get me wrong, I love the .357 mag. But I am a logical person but am also no expert. Just seems like it wouldn't be getting everything you want out of it. I have always thought longer barrels in bigger calibers are more efficient. And all that flame coming out is wasted power/energy

 

[Certaindeaf]

.a .38 is around 750 fps in 2 inch barrel and .357 is 900..

well then that's wrong.. lol

 

[DieselScout]

There are a lot of stupid guns that are manufacturd that don't make sense. So just because they exist doesn't prove it to me

I know a short barrel AR has way less punch than a 16 inch barrel. It need a the length to build enough pressure.

The site below shows .38 vs .357 by the inch. a .38 is around 750 fps in 2 inch barrel and .357 is 900. Minimal difference. and not up to .357 magnum potential
http://www.ballisticsbytheinch.com/357mag.html

See good reasons....good data....not subjective "you'll go blind!!???" [emoji1]

 

[Mbeef61]

I feel like shooting a .357 mag out of a 2 inch barrel inside my house at night will put me at a disadvantage.

More recoil. Harder second shot. More muzzle flash, harder second shot. Possible hearing damage. Not worth the extra 150 fps. Just my $.02

 

[Certaindeaf]

A fair and standard rule of thumb is that the .357 magnum cartridge yields twice the power of a .38 Special. though that's just my old school math/thinking.. it's actually.. well that's good enough.
not that there's anything wrong with the .38

 

[Silver Hand]

Call it what you will, You can achieve more velocity in any .357 they simply have higher pressure standards and the advantage of a longer case, but they kick hard at top velocity and most people do not handle that caliber well for that reason. That is also partly why law enforcement moved away from it so quickly. It is not easy staying on target with a hot load in a model 19 or 66 with a 4''bbl. duty weapon. I have know idea how an untrained women or man for that matter will shoot well with full house loads in a .357 unless it is in a heavy gun. The people that carried the +P .38 in there duty gun at the time 'and not all did so' considered them to be a better bullet and close enough to be called the equivalent of .357 and knew why.
Silver Hand

 

[Certaindeaf]

I feel like shooting a .357 mag out of a 2 inch barrel inside my house at night will put me at a disadvantage.

More recoil. Harder second shot. More muzzle flash, harder second shot. Possible hearing damage. Not worth the extra 150 fps. Just my $.02

Exacly.. one day, snuggies will come with helmets!

 

[Certaindeaf]

You could probably catch your house on fire with one too and you can't have that.. water pistols for all!
lol