I have several .38 Special firearms that I enjoy. And my S&W Model 52 always draws comment at the range when others see the .38 Special empty cases being ejected.

quote:

Originally posted by Ranger41:
I have several .38 Special firearms that I enjoy. And my S&W Model 52 always draws comment at the range when others see the .38 Special empty cases being ejected.

I always thought the S&W Model 52 were the coolest!


ARman

From mild to wild, the .38 covers the bases. I have a 2” Combat Masterpiece, a 6” K38 and a 5” 38/44 Nickel. From 148 wad cutters to screaming 158 lead SWC HP from Underwood and Buffalo Bore, it covers the spectrum. The K38 cuts clover leafs, I can clean the MPOETC course with the Combat Masterpiece and the 38/44 with the BB/ Underwood loads is a joy to shoot.

I have a mid 70's Chief Special & a 3" HB model 10. The 10 is superbly accurate.
The 38 Special isn't "hot" or powerful or exciting but it is easy to load, low recoiling & a pleasure to shoot for experts & beginners.
It has put folks down for over 100 years, so it's more than capable of being lethal. For me. I think there is just something "magical" about the caliber. You cannot go wrong with 158g LSWCHP for defense. It just works well.

I like .38 special too, this 67 Combat Masterpiece is probably my favorite one.

quote:

Originally posted by cslinger:
The VAST majority of us will only ever shoot in peace vs in anger and may almighty God always make that so.

As such we ultimately shoot for fun and 6 rounds of docile .38 special out of a fixed barrel, well crafted revolver is……… well sublime. Accurate, easy, no brass to chase, quiet”ish”, no real concussive wave and frankly adequate for serious social situations if called upon. It’s just a wonderful cartridge. Do I want to use it in 2024 as my primary self defense choice? Probably not. Would I lose sleep over it if it was my only self defense choice? Absolutely not. As you said it really is “special”.

Very well said...Rod My M67 below...a Louisville Metro PD turn-in...butter smooth & more accurate than my aged eyes can hold.

It's also a breeze to reload for. A simple straight walled cartridge, more capacity than you need, and you can load it as hot or mild as you want. Some folks don't trim their .38 brass and others don't clean it, but it works.

I will be honest. I carry a revolver more than any other handgun and always loaded with 38 +Ps. Either 135 grain gold dots or if in the woods, the underwood 158 grain hard cast flat nose (500 ft lbs from a 38!!)

Typically in a S&W 686+ or a 3.5" 627
, one holds seven ans the other holds eight. Never have I felt undergunned.

my CCW about 99% of the time is a 442.
only other gun I keep outside the safe is a 3 inch 65. use the same gold dot short barrel 38 load in each. wife and teen daughter may need to use it.

my 80ish year old parents have a 4 inch 19 with 38s in it that my mom has shot in the nightstand.

I love revolvers, especially 357/38... Can sit at the ready in a dresser drawer for literally decades and be ready to go at a moments notice.

every month in the Armed Citizen section of American Rifleman is there a story about someone taking care of business with a revolver? how often is that story is an elderly vs a younger much stronger hoodlum ?

quote:

Originally posted by Rodfac:

quote:

Originally posted by cslinger:
The VAST majority of us will only ever shoot in peace vs in anger and may almighty God always make that so.

As such we ultimately shoot for fun and 6 rounds of docile .38 special out of a fixed barrel, well crafted revolver is……… well sublime. Accurate, easy, no brass to chase, quiet”ish”, no real concussive wave and frankly adequate for serious social situations if called upon. It’s just a wonderful cartridge. Do I want to use it in 2024 as my primary self defense choice? Probably not. Would I lose sleep over it if it was my only self defense choice? Absolutely not. As you said it really is “special”.

Very well said...Rod My M67 below...a Louisville Metro PD turn-in...butter smooth & more accurate than my aged eyes can hold.

Cool Louisville Metro PD. I lived in Jefferson County when I was a kid. I remember when JCPD switched to SIG P226 and LMPD went Smith & Wesson 6906.


ARman

quote:

Originally posted by 92fstech:
It's no secret here that I love the .38, particularly the +p versions. I like the .357 too, but out of longer barrels.

Huge fan of the .357 Revolvers.
I can shoot a .38 to a .38+p+ through one as well.
Yes, if I have a .357, I want at least 4in. anything less is more "bark" than "bite". I really learned to shoot on a S&W Mod 19 and Mod 66, so I have a fondness for them.
I really, really like my S&W 340PD with +P's or +P+'s in them. Toss it in my pocket as a back-up. But a .357 through it? Awww Hell no! I'm not that crazy anymore, and the screws in my wrist hurt after just thinking about it.

As a possible retirement gift to myself might just be a S&W Mod 19 and a lever action, both case hardened.

My current favorite is the S&W Model 386 Night Guard.

I like the .38, too, and carry this one quite a bit.

quote:

Originally posted by 92fstech:
It's no secret here that I love the .38, particularly the +p versions. I like the .357 too, but out of longer barrels.

The .38+P is a potent and practical cartridge. <<snip>>

I am also a fan, and keep my 4" Rossi .357 loaded with .38spl +p hollow points for home defense that the wife can handle; just point and shoot ease.

I started to love the .38 Spl. many years ago. The first centerfire handgun I ever bought was a S&W Model 19 4” in 1969. Many guns followed and all were fired with .38 Spl. rounds for fun and practice. I never paid much attention to “what was best” for anything, it was always: “what's on sale?” Years later the late great Peter Kokalis, one of the all time best firearms writers, was giving a lecture at a Las Vegas SOF convention I attended and touted what he considered the (current) best self defense round. His pick was the Federal Premium 38 Special (+P) 158 gr. HP NYCLAD ammunition. That big blue plastic coated lead slug could get the job done.
After I got home I started buying a lot of it.
I have shot it in these 3 guns:

Python 6"

’47 M&P 4”

I still have a few 50rnd boxes and the ’47 4” is in my desk drawer with 6 of those.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Z06,

Great pics of beautiful revolvers Z06.

Thank you. It's the other way I shoot guns.

Love the round also. I carry a Rhino quite often. With the barrel on the bottom, 357 feels like a 38. 38 feels like a 22. I carry it with 38+p. It’s a joy to shoot and with 2 speed loaders on the opposite hip I’m good with capacity.

Went through the academy with a Model 66 using .38's. Being in S. Florida if I am in shorts I have a 442 with Gold Dots (short barrel) loaded it in it in my pocket. Even with only 5 rounds I don't feel under gunned (most of the time)

Picked up one of these as a kit gun basically and it's lot of fun to play with:

https://ruger.com/products/lcrx/specSheets/5431.html