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38 S&W special

gumbydamnitgumbydamnit Member Posts: 793 ✭✭
edited January 2013 in Ask the Experts
Looked at a S&W revolver today and it is marked 38 S&W special ctg. and the guy said same as 38 special. Is he correct and is it ok to fire 38 special ammo from it?
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    gumbydamnitgumbydamnit Member Posts: 793 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have a box of Fiocchi rounds that are labeled as 38 S&W Special. Are these the same as 38 special? The headstamp on the cases say 38 special. I know 38 S&W and 38 special are different, but is there any difference between my box of ammo and 38 special? Thanks.
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    gumbydamnitgumbydamnit Member Posts: 793 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Could somebody please tell me the difference between a .38 special and .38 s&w special.Thanks in advance for the help.
    Texas Mike
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    beantownshootahbeantownshootah Member Posts: 12,776 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by gumbydamnit
    Looked at a S&W revolver today and it is marked 38 S&W special ctg. and the guy said same as 38 special. Is he correct and is it ok to fire 38 special ammo from it?


    Its a good question.

    The two are different names for the same thing.

    Smith and Wesson is very proud of the fact that they invented the cartridge, and always call it ".38 SMITH AND WESSON Special".

    Everyone else calls it ".38 special".


    Same is true of a number of other cartridges.

    Smith has ".357 S&W Magnum"; everyone else calls it ".357 magnum".
    Smith has ".40 S&W auto"; some now call it just ".40 auto".
    Colt has ".45 automatic COLT pistol"; some call it ".45 auto".
    Sig has "357 SIG" and some call it "357 auto".

    Etc.
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    gumbydamnitgumbydamnit Member Posts: 793 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Thanks, read a few things online but they all got alittle technical in stead of just answering it for dummies. Thanks for dumbing it down for me[;)]................gumby
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    Riomouse911Riomouse911 Member Posts: 3,492 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Agreed, the primary designer/maker will often name their cartridges, other manufacturers might not want their competitors name on their guns. Handgun makers seem to do this a lot, as BTS showed, leading to the confusion.

    However, be careful to buy .38 Special (or .38 S&W Special)ammunition for your .38 Special firearm.

    To add to the confusion, there is another cartridge called the .38 Smith & Wesson. (During WWII it was often called the .380-200 as England used it during the war, and it was also called the .38 Colt New Police in some old Colt revolvers.) It is older and less powerful than the .38 Special.

    The .38 S&W is not interchangable with the .38 S&W Special, as the bullet diameter is different (A bit larger for the S&W over the Special)

    Luckily the .38 S&W is not very common, so the chances of running into them are not great. But with people now selling their old stuff for mega-bucks now they may be out there, so just check your box before you buy, and you'll be OK.
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    gumbydamnitgumbydamnit Member Posts: 793 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I didn't buy it, it is a 1940's S&W not sure the model, but it was non-factory nickled at some point and not alot of markings left and some pitting in barrel. It seemed fine as far as functioning and the grips are good but not knowing enough about them I didn't buy.
    I could have picked it up for $160.00, not sure it was worth it.
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    dcs shootersdcs shooters Member Posts: 10,969
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by gumbydamnit

    I could have picked it up for $160.00, not sure it was worth it.


    You shouldn't have passed on it for that price [B)]
    If action OK, would be a good shooter [^]
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    gumbydamnitgumbydamnit Member Posts: 793 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I could still get it, but I am not much for hand guns. I was there buying some 7.7 jap and 250-3000 ammo and he brought it out.
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    Riomouse911Riomouse911 Member Posts: 3,492 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    You could buy it for $160 and have what should be a decent shooter at a decent price. heck, i wouldn't pass it up (but then again I like S&W handguns!)

    7.7 Japanese and .250 Savage? Man, those are a couple of classics that you don't always find in the store!
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    beantownshootahbeantownshootah Member Posts: 12,776 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Thanks, read a few things online but they all got alittle technical in stead of just answering it for dummies. Thanks for dumbing it down for me
    I gave a simple answer to a straightforward question. You're welcome.

    quote:Originally posted by gumbydamnit
    I didn't buy it, it is a 1940's S&W not sure the model, but it was non-factory nickled at some point and not alot of markings left and some pitting in barrel. It seemed fine as far as functioning and the grips are good but not knowing enough about them I didn't buy. I could have picked it up for $160.00, not sure it was worth it.


    Debatable.

    Assuming the lockup is tight and the gun functions OK, its probably worth the asking price as a "shooter" considering the build quality of that era. If you had to buy "a" gun for $160 (eg as a "glovebox" gun) you could probably do a lot worse. Still, personally, I'd rather spend more and get more.

    Its entirely possible that this gun is a reworked wartime .38 SW "victory" gun that was converted to .38 special. Lots of these appeared on the surplus market after the war, and the (imperfect) conversion usually involved just drilling out the cylinders to accept the longer .38 special. Guns that were so converted may have had the word "special" added to the barrel AFTER the pre-existing stamp of ".38 SW". In fact, I own such a gun, AND it was aftermarket nickeled too. Not the best picture showing the markings, but here it is:

    DSCN0393.jpg

    Unfortunately, since the 38SW cartridge is fatter than 38 special, .38 special cartridges fired through these overbored conversion guns usually swell, and sometimes even split, making the brass unsuitable for reloading.

    Anyway, .38 SW (aka "38/200") cartridges shouldn't fit into a "regular" .38 special gun. If somehow you got some to fit, they would still probably fire OK (if maybe not as accurately as .38 special), but in practice, the chance of you "accidentally" running into .38SW ammo is virtually nil. The round is mostly obsolete now, and with the possible exceptions of a very well-stocked specialty gun store, you're not going to find this on the shelf in most places where ammo is sold.
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    gumbydamnitgumbydamnit Member Posts: 793 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Under where it has 38 S&W special it as US SERVICE something, can't remember the 3rd word and the markings are so faint that if one did not know it was a S&W you couldn't tell, the S&W symbol is so light you can only see a real faint outline. As far as 38 S&W ammo goes , I actually have quite a stash.
    Like I said I am not much of a handgun type of guy and so to have a "shooter" would just be taking up space for something more to my liking and would just collect dust. Besides I am heading to Vegas next weekend and want to have more money to spend with the wife. Again I thank you all for all the info and suggestions........Gumby
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