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38 superauto in 357 revolver?

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May 08, 2022, 01:55 PM
SigSentry
38 superauto in 357 revolver?
Bought a box of 129g Fiocchi in 2015 by mistake. Just checked,the only 357 pistols I have that it will fit are the Ruger Police Service Six and my older Blackhawk. Unfortunately, the GP100, SP101, and Vaquerro are no-go. And older pre model 10 and Charter Arms Undercover are out. The Service Six may get the disposal duty against Paul's advise.


May 08, 2022, 03:11 PM
Nframe
If I was anywhere near you I'd buy the 38 Super or trade for the ammo you need.

the other way to use up the ammo is to buy a pistol that shoots 38 super. Wink
May 08, 2022, 03:24 PM
.38supersig
Same here.

Now you have an excuse to buy that P220 you always wanted. Wink




May 08, 2022, 10:16 PM
LoboGunLeather
Good post.


Retired holster maker.
Retired police chief.
Formerly Sergeant, US Army Airborne Infantry, Pathfinders
May 09, 2022, 12:13 AM
92fstech
I've not tried it with a .38 Super/.357, but I do have a model 31 in .32 S&W Long, and it does chamber, fire, and extract .32 ACP ammo. It's pretty accurate, too.

I have experienced a couple of light strikes doing this (never had that issue shooting .32 S&W Long in the gun), and I've read that while the rim of the .32ACP is large enough in diameter to engage the cylinder mouth, it's not quite as thick as the rim of the .32 S&W Long, which creates excessive headspace and can result in light primer strikes and other issues like battering of the breech face. The only ACP rounds I've shot through it were very light handloads, and now that I have S&W Long brass, I don't make a habit of shooting ACP out of it anyway, but it was an interesting experiment.

I'm not sure if the same thing applies to the .38 Super/.357 Magnum, but it might be worth investigating before you fire it.

If I had a random box of .38 Super, I'd probably use it as an excuse to pick up a 1911 or P220 in said cartridge Big Grin!
May 12, 2022, 12:41 PM
stiab
I've shot a lot of Super in .357 S&W revolvers, with no problems, but only in mag frames. There is even a thread about it from a few years ago on here, and on the S&W Forum. Not all current Super ammo will chamber, but several brands will, including Winchester Silver Tips. Also, newer S&W guns from the 90's forward are more likely to chamber them than older ones. For example, my 90's M60 will, and my 70's M60 will not.

Some people in the older threads said it would not work, but they obviously never tried it, and may have had good reasons not to. Many think the Super is a tapered round like the 9mm, which it is not. Straight walled and semi-rimmed, you can shoot it all day long in your Model 28 et al with no difficulty.

Edited to add: I just now watched the video, it was very good and mirrors my experiences. I have never found any Remington or Federal that will chamber in any .38/.357 revolver, but many other brands will. I collect Super factory ammo, and probably have 50 or so boxes. Some of them also chamber in Colt Python, but I have only shot it from S&W, with no failures.


"While not every Democrat is a horse thief, every horse thief is a Democrat." HORACE GREELEY
May 12, 2022, 03:41 PM
Jim Watson
.38 Super case is nominal .384 +0 -.006, therefore .378-.384"
..357 Magnum chamber is nominal .3809 -0 +.004 so .3809 - .3849"

So a maximum Super round is not going in anything but a maximum Magnum chamber.
A minimum Super round will fit any Magnum.

So it mostly depends. None of my .38/.357 revolvers at the time would accept a Super, but the dealer showed me a combination that would.

I wouldn't shoot a Super in a Special revolver even if it chambered, pressure is much higher.
May 14, 2022, 12:25 AM
bczrx
I wish I could find .38 super ammo at a reasonable price where I live.

[but I wish all ammo as more reasonable!]


I have a .357mag [and .357sig], but recently got into .38Super: in 1911 and in P220.

Now, I just need range time!


Sigs and Non-Sigs: I enjoy having options!
May 14, 2022, 11:18 AM
VictorLouis
quote:
Originally posted by 92fstech:
...I do have a model 31 in .32 S&W Long, and it does chamber, fire, and extract .32 ACP ammo. It's pretty accurate, too.

.


The .32 family will all fit into the next longer chambering up-the-scale. However, I wouldn't use the ACP pistol loading in anything but the .32 H&R, or .327 guns. Reason being, modern metallurgy and heat-treat.
May 15, 2022, 05:26 AM
92fstech
quote:
Originally posted by VictorLouis:
quote:
Originally posted by 92fstech:
...I do have a model 31 in .32 S&W Long, and it does chamber, fire, and extract .32 ACP ammo. It's pretty accurate, too.

.


The .32 family will all fit into the next longer chambering up-the-scale. However, I wouldn't use the ACP pistol loading in anything but the .32 H&R, or .327 guns. Reason being, modern metallurgy and heat-treat.


Yeah, I definitely wouldn't use it in an I-Frame, but mine is a J-Frame, and I've heard of folks actually boring those out to .32 H&R with no negative repercussions....although I don't plan to do that to mine. Any ACP loads I have shot through it have been very mild handloads, and I don't plan to make a habit of that, either. Now that I'm set up to load .32 Long it just doesn't make sense.
May 17, 2022, 07:26 PM
egregore
Outside of some highly improbable survival scenario, I see no reason to ever shoot the wrong ammunition in any firearm, whether or not it fits in the chamber. Sell or trade the .38 Super for the right ammo.