Is 38 the same as 38 special?
38 is a caliber, a measurement of bullet diameter. . 38 Special is a cartridge, with a specific case length and chamber pressure that uses a . 38 caliber bullet.
What does 38 for the weapon mean?
38 caliber is a frequently used name for the caliber of firearms and firearm cartridges. The . 38 is considered a large firearm cartridge; anything larger than . 32 is considered a large caliber.
Will 38 special rounds work in a 38?
Nope, a . 38 Special cartridge case is too long to fit in the chamber. It’s just a longer version of the . 38 Smith & Wesson Long cartridge to fit more propellant in it.
What is a 38 special P?
38 +P loads have increased pressures—that’s what the +P stands for—over standard . 38 Special loads. These +P rounds may not, should not, cannot be fired in standard . 38 Special revolvers for risk of damage or injury to the gun and the shooter.
Is the.38 s and W still in use?
Whether as issued or rebuilt for post-war use, these guns will handle any published load for the .38 S&W and can be expected to give continued faithful service to the shooter. The S&W Victory Model is the author’s choice of test guns if wanting to handload the .38 S&W to its (safe) potential.
How big is A.38’s and W bullet?
You can ‘bump up’ 0.358 inch diameter .38 S&W Special cast bullets to 0.363 inch diameter for .38 S&W by squeezing them – nose to base – in a flat faced vise. About a quarter turn in my vise works nicely. You are left with a flat nose bullet, but 0.363 inch bullets are hard to find these days.
What’s the pressure of A.38 special?
For comparison, standard pressure .38 Special loads have a SAAMI specification of 17,000 psi while higher pressure .38 Special +P loads top out at a SAAMI pressure rating of 18,500 psi, an 8.8% increase in pressure leading to better ballistics.
Can a wad cutter be loaded in a 38 S & W case?
The one caveat is seating dept; fully seating wad cutters into a short .38 S&W case can cause a number of problems best avoided by duplicating the original cartridge over-all length. Among reloading manuals, the wad cutter loads described are also accompanied by heavier (158 grain) semi-wad cutter loadings.