If you take a .357 and are always shooting .38's in it, you will develop "crust" in the chambers that will eventually make it difficult to shoot .357 ammo. Since I just wanted to shoot .38's, I purchased a dedicated .38 revolver so as to not mess up a .357
The difficulty only lasts as long as you leave your chambers dirty. I've shot many thousands of 38 wadcutters out of my 357s and have not ever experienced "crust" that couldn't be quickly cleaned out.
IMO, for a snub, stick with a 38, for three inches and longer barrels, go 357.
In something like a J-frame, for instance, you get a slightly shorter, slightly lighter gun with really no disadvantages. Modern 38 defensive loadings penetrate adequately and expand as well as a 357 magnum from a short barrel yet have significantly less flash, blast and allow for faster follow-up shots. The shortened ejector rod also extracts the shorter 38 brass more reliably. If you're talking about airweight revolvers, I specifically recommend against buying one in 357 as they are brutal to shoot and fairly pointless if you goal was minimal weight in the first place.
In fact, I frequently recommend to people that already own a 357 snubby and use it in a defensive roll just to load it with something like speer gold dot short barrel 38+p and be done with it.
.357 hurts. bottom line. shove a magnum load in a light gun, like a polymer frame LCR or bodyguard, or whatever, and it sucks to shoot. 100 rounds and my rubber grip wore a hole in my hand.
that said, i carry it EDC. my theory is, if someone is close enough, and threatening enough, for me to draw my weapon, i'm not going to be terribly worried about which body parts that magnum goes into, its going to solve things. would a .38 +P do the same? maybe. i dunno that answer. i don't have much experience with +P loads. just theory here, but when things are said and done, is 5 rounds of .38 less effective than 5 rounds of .357? if i fire my weapon i won't stop pulling until its empty.
i was thinking of getting a 357m because it can shoot both the 357 and the 38's.the 2 choices of ammo interest me for the SHTF situations easier to find ammo if you can use 2 diffrent kinds. the couple i have been looking at are around the same price range.
This is something that's been rattling around in my messed up head for awhile now. I haven't seen this asked on here before and didn't find anything in a couple quick searches, either. If it's on here just link and all that stuff.
Here's my question. Why buy a .38 only revolver? If you can buy a gun chambered for .357 that will also shoot .38s then how do you justify buying one that is chambered for .38 only?
I'm just looking for INGO's opinions and reasons why. It's not like I have anything against them, just curious what others thoughts are.
I have also been debating between buying a .357 revolver or a .38 revolver, for everyday carry. I have mostly narrowed it down to the Ruger LCR just had to decide which caliber I wanted. I was all set to get the .357, until I got the opportunity to shoot one. After putting a few rounds of .357 through it, I've decided to go with a .38 revolver. To my hand the kick out of the 2 inch .357 was compared to the kick of shooting a S&W 500. I found it much easier to shoot follow-up shots with the .38, just my opinion. Now I just have to make my final decision between the LCR and the S&W 442.
For me, CONCEALMENT! Size & weight are a factor for a CC gun.....This is something that's been rattling around in my messed up head for awhile now. I haven't seen this asked on here before and didn't find anything in a couple quick searches, either. If it's on here just link and all that stuff.
Here's my question. Why buy a .38 only revolver? If you can buy a gun chambered for .357 that will also shoot .38s then how do you justify buying one that is chambered for .38 only?
I'm just looking for INGO's opinions and reasons why. It's not like I have anything against them, just curious what others thoughts are.