Why are 38 specials so popular in 686 / .357 guns?

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Hi,

I'm getting involved in target shooting and very new to handguns. I'm also a very curious person.

Something I have noticed a lot of is people using 38 special ammunition in 357 revolvers such as the S&W 686.

I was just wondering if there's any reason why target shooters seem to want to avoid using 357 shells instead? It seems most target shooters load their own ammunition, so I'm guessing that the same powder, measurement and projectiles could be used on both cases. Is there certain properties of 38 specials that is more beneficial for target / accuracy, or any reason 38 special shells are so much more preferred?

Thanks

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[LHS]

They're cheaper and don't beat up either shooter or gun like full house magnums do.

[olstyn]

In some cases, there may be a detonation risk using a .38 spl load in the longer .357 case, but absent that possibility, which would only be present with a few powders, it theoretically should work fine. You may get lower velocity than you would out of the same powder charge in a .38 case because of the lower peak pressure with the larger case, much like what people see when loading .38 super vs 9mm major. It's also possible that dense/small powders may encounter problems with the position of the powder in the case being a factor. (It's possible to have all the powder at the front of the case and have it not ignite as well when the primer goes off as it would if it was at the back, for example.) Presuming you select a powder that doesn't present either of those problems, though, it should be feasible/reasonable to use a .38 recipe in a .357 case. I'd guess that medium burn speed, "fluffy" powders that provide good case fill would be your best bets.

The other factor, of course, is that .357 cases are probably more expensive and less commonly available as once-fired brass than .38 cases. Given that the only significant negative to using .38s in a .357 gun is that you should do a thorough cleaning before returning to .357s in order to clear out crud/residue buildup at the front end of the cylinder, it's probably not worth the effort for most people to source .357 cases and redo the load workup on an otherwise known-good .38 load.

[BehindBlueI's]

Common wisdom is they are slightly less accurate in a .357, but I'm not good enough to see any difference myself.

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In some cases, there may be a detonation risk using a .38 spl load in the longer .357 case, but absent that possibility, which would only be present with a few powders, it theoretically should work fine.

Ahh - that makes sense. What about .38 S&W cases then?

ie: If spacing is an issue, wouldn't .38 S&W cases be more popular instead? If we don't need that much powder, would it make more sense to just use the shorter S&W .38's instead of having all that empty space? (Or are these more expensive than 38 special cases as well, or are they not compatible in 686's, etc) and require a specific gun?

From my limited perspective it seems as though .38's are used because there's a much greater range in 38/357 handguns than 9mm loads when it comes to revolvers, but I was wondering why 38 special cases are used over other options. I'm guessing it comes down to availability and cost?

Cheers

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[Hambo]

.38 S&W is larger in diameter than .38 Special.

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.38 S&W is larger in diameter than .38 Special.

Thanks Hambo - I knew there had to be a reason! So in effect 38 special cases are the best fit for target loads in revolvers. 9mm might be a good option as well, but there are tonnes more 38/357 revolvers than 9mm ones out there which is why they must be so popular. Learning all the time! Thank you.

[BehindBlueI's]

Ahh - that makes sense. What about .38 S&W cases then?

ie: If spacing is an issue, wouldn't .38 S&W cases be more popular instead? If we don't need that much powder, would it make more sense to just use the shorter S&W .38's instead of having all that empty space? (Or are these more expensive than 38 special cases as well, or are they not compatible in 686's, etc) and require a specific gun?

From my limited perspective it seems as though .38's are used because there's a much greater range in 38/357 handguns than 9mm loads when it comes to revolvers, but I was wondering why 38 special cases are used over other options. I'm guessing it comes down to availability and cost?

Cheers

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Hambo nailed it. A .38 S&W is generally .361" diameter. A .38 Special is .357 or .358. It's counter-intuitive because of changes to the ammunition but not changes to the name over the years. Heeled bullet designs, where the bullet is shaped like a mushroom and the "stem" goes inside the brass and the "head" is the same size as the brass was bigger than most modern calibers where the bullet is silo shaped and fits in the brass without a "stem". The names made the transition, even when the diameters did not.

http://www.corbins.com/heelbase.htm explains it and can show you what I'm talking about if you're interested. There's a ton of .38 caliber cartridges from "back in the day".

[TiroFijo]

In some cases, there may be a detonation risk using a .38 spl load in the longer .357 case, but absent that possibility, which would only be present with a few powders, it theoretically should work fine.

Max SAAMI lenght for the loaded 357 mag is 1.59", for the 38 spl is 1.55". This equals ZERO in practical terms regarding empty case volumen, powder alignment/positon, and detonation...

All the loads for 38 spl that work well in 38 spl cases normally work equally well in 357 cases. And if you shoot with 38 spl cases in 357 mag chambers the accuracy is great as well.

Clean more often and take care of the residue ahead of the 38 spl cae mouth, yes. Worry about anything else, NO.

[olstyn]

Max SAAMI lenght for the loaded 357 mag is 1.59", for the 38 spl is 1.55".

I thought the difference was larger than that. I stand corrected.