Is 38 Special and 357 the same?

38 Special and . 357 Magnum are exactly the same in width. It's only when looking at their length that you'll notice a difference. Many handgun owners shoot one or both of these rounds, and while the cartridges have a common heritage, these bullets perform in strikingly different ways.

Are 38 Special and 357 interchangeable?

No; . 357 Magnum was specifically designed so it cannot be fired from handguns chambered in . 38 Special, but you can shoot .

What happens if you shoot a 357 out of a 38?

Of course, recoil is also nearly double as well. But here's the deal: Because the two rounds are loaded with bullets that are the same diameters, but the 357 Magnum merely has a longer case and more powder, the 38 Special cartridge can be safely fired in guns marked 357 Magnum, but not vice-versa.

Are .38 and .357 the same?

Modern 357 Magnum ammo is designed to fire a 158-grain bullet at a muzzle velocity of 1,235 FPS and a target thumping 535 ft-lbs of muzzle energy. Compare that to the 38 Special, which fires the same bullet weight at 755 FPS and has a muzzle energy of 200 ft-lbs, which is less than a 45 ACP.

What caliber is bigger 38 or 357?

357 Magnum, the only clear difference is the length. The . 38 Special case length is roughly 1.15 inches, while . 357 Magnum is 1.29 inches.

.38 Special vs .357 Magnum... Head to Head

Why do they call it 38 Special?

Despite its name, the caliber of the . 38 Special cartridge is actually . 357 inches (36 caliber/9.07 mm), with the ". 38" referring to the approximate diameter of the loaded brass case.

What is the difference between .38 and .38 Special?

There's no difference between a . 38 and a 38 special. The former refers to a caliber with a . 357 inch bullet diameter, while the latter is a cartridge variant under the .

Is 38 Special bigger than 9mm?

Both bullets are equal in bullet diameter, the 9mm case is about 3/8 of an inch shorter than the . 38 Special but boasts double the pressure.

Is 38 Special more powerful than 9mm?

Standard pressure . 38 Special only produces 264 foot-pounds of force (147-grain bullet at 900 feet per second out of a 4-inch barrel), while standard pressure 9mm can produce 365 foot-pounds of force (124-grain bullet at 1,150 feet per second). This is 38.25% more energy at the muzzle in favor of the 9mm.

Is 357 Sig the same as 357 Magnum?

The . 357 SIG was introduced in 1994 as a round with the same power as a . 357 Magnum, and would fit in a 9 mm and . 40 S&W-sized semi-automatic pistol.

Does Glock make a 357?

Designed as a compact model, the GLOCK 32, in 357 SIG, offers a unique combination of versatility, convincing ballistics, optimum carry comfort, and the legendary GLOCK pistol reliability.

What bullets can you shoot out of a 357 Magnum?

357 Magnum can safely and readily shoot the following rounds: . 38 Short Colt, . 38 Long Colt, . 38 Special, .

Can you shoot 38 S&W in a 38 Special revolver?

These two cartridges, because of their length and diameter differences, do not and should not interchange. . 38 S&W and . 38 Spl.

Are 9mm and 38 caliber the same?

38, . 357, . 380 auto and 9mm ammunition are all the same caliber. (Caliber is the size of the projectile, or bullet.)

Is 357 stronger than 9mm?

The 357 Magnum round loaded with a 125-grain projectile reaches almost 1,500 feet per second and strikes targets with 585 foot-pounds of energy. Needless to say, ballistically, it outperforms the 9mm. The 357 Magnum also has no problems reaching the FBI standards and even exceeding them.

What's the largest caliber handgun?

The Pfeifer-Zeliska . 600 Nitro Express Revolver is the largest caliber handgun in the world, and the most powerful. To provide some context, this handgun is so huge that its . 600 Nitro Express rounds are actually British-made rifle bullets.

Is 38 Special a good carry gun?

38 Special is an absolute breeze, even with stout carry loads. The 2-inch model is the carry gun, while 4-inch, 5-inch and 6-inch barrel models can also be had. You'll pay for the innovative design and construction, but you get it back in function for sure.

Are 380 and 38 Special the same?

38 special is designed for use in revolvers and the . 380 ACP is used in semi-auto pistols.

Can Ruger SP101 357 Magnum shoot 38 Special?

The Ruger SP101 holds five rounds of . 357 Magnum or . 38 Special.

What does +p mean in 38 Special?

Overpressure ammunition, commonly designated as +P or +P+, is small arms ammunition that has been loaded to produce a higher internal pressure when fired than is standard for ammunition of its caliber (see internal ballistics), but less than the pressures generated by a proof round.

Why is a 22 called a 22?

. 22 caliber, or 5.6 mm caliber, refers to a common firearms bore diameter of 0.22 inch (5.6 mm). Cartridges in this caliber include the very widely used .

What makes a gun a Magnum?

TLDR: Magnum ammunition comes with extra propellant (gunpowder) and/or a more generous projectile. Unlike other firearm terminology, “magnum ammunition” is both specific and vague. This can cause some confusion when you need to give a character a firearm with some extra oomph.

Does Smith & Wesson make a 357 Magnum pistol?

357 Magnum | Smith & Wesson.