Accuracy shooting 38 in a 357

[singleaction]

What has been your experience when it comes to group size shooting 38 special in a 357 revolver. My 5" GP100 shoots them both about the same.

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[oremike]

I don't like to shoot 38's in a 357 due to the powder ring and bullet jump, my go to target load is 7gr's HS-6 behind a 158 hard-cast SWC. If it were in a 38 case it would be a +P load. This load shoots very well in every 357 I've tried it in.

 

[FullCaliberII]

I shoot various .38 rounds out of all my .357's and have never noticed a difference. I like the .38, it's cheaper and easier to shoot.

 

[PuddleMonkey]

I love to plink with 38's and I'm lights out with them in my GP100 6"

 

[NWGlockgal]

I shoot various .38 rounds out of all my .357's and have never noticed a difference. I like the .38, it's cheaper and easier to shoot.

Although I seldom shoot my revolver, when I do I always use .38 because it is cheaper. Haven't noticed any difference in accuracy either.

 

[Fast Eddie]

I use a lead removal cloth after I shoot with .38 and my 686 cleans up like new, its good for stainless guns, it's not recommended at all for blued guns. As far as accuracy, I don't have a scope attached to mine or anything but, I can shoot as nice a group with the .38 as I can with the .357 magnum rounds.

 

[Hook686]

Like oremike I reload and use .357 magnum cases to avoid the ring of deposits. In my J-Frame my main load yields 990 fps with a 158 grain GDHP. I consider this a light .357 magnum load, or a heavy .38 Special +P, so maybe a .38 Special +P+ load. I also shoot .38 Special 158 grain SWC from which ever manufacturer in stock at the time, .357 magnum Short barrel loads from Speer and Buffalo Bore and I never notice any accuracy variation (other than I shoot lighter loads consistently more accurate than heavy loads).

 

[Straight Shooter]

I bought a police trade in Model 66. It was mint with the lightest hint of a cylinder turn line. I think it was the chiefs or never really issued. I couldn't see anything built up in the cylinder so I didn't think much of it. I went to shoot a cylinder full of magnums and I had to use a mallet to extract the cases. I even tried a stainless brush on a drill and it didn't touch it. It polished up and looked like part of the cylinder. The carbon ring in the cylinders had to be cut out with a reamer. Much better to load light 357 loads in 357 brass. I would never buy another 357 that had 38's shot through it. Accuracy with 38's is just fine. If I was determined to shoot 38" I would fit a 38 cylinder to it.

 

[RVTECH]

I only shoot .38s out of my Taurus 605 and it is incredibly accurate with them. 5 out of 5 clays at 25 yards is nearly routine. I haven't had a chance to do any 'real' accuracy trials with my new Blackhawk and .38s yet but it does not seem to be as accurate as it is with .357s - but I need to do some actual 'bench' shooting fora side by side comparison.

 

[Joshg]

I don't own a revolver but on gunblast.com he reviewed the gp100 Wiley Clapp model and listed the grouping from a machine rest. The loads varied, but the best grouping was from a 38. Not saying anything one way or the other, just recently read it and thought it may be relevant.
Ruger GP100 "Wiley Clapp" 357 Magnum Revolver