[741512th]

I have a Taurus .357 mag. I know I can fire .38 special out of it, but can I fire .38 special +p? I assume I can as it obviously can handle .357 mag ammunition, but . . . .

 

[c3shooter]

Yes. .38 Special is actually a .357 Short. The .38 Special+P is a .38 Special laoded hotter than a standard .38 Special. Still quite bit lighter than a .357 Magnum.

Now, the question is- WHY would you WANT to shoot +P's in a .357 ? I shoot .38 Sp wadcutter target ammo, and .357 mags for hunting/ defense- the .38 Sp +P is shortchanging what the revolver is capable of doing.

 

[robocop10mm]

.38 +P will do no harm at all. The downside is the accuracy with specials in a magnum cylinder is not the best. There is a "jump" of about 1/8th inch that allows the bullet to do whatever it wants.

 

[BILLYBOB44]

357 Light Loads

I like c3 shoot mostly 38 spl.HBWC for target use, full charge 357 for hunting/carry. If you/someone your tite with handloads, another option I sometimes use, is a light (under 1000fps) 357-158gr. hard cast SWC.This is not much stronger than the 38HBWC load, and does not have the bullet jump in the cyl. as noted by Tango. Be sure to keep loads below 1000fps. or lead will appear in bore Sometimes tough to remove

 

[mrm14]

If you get lead buildup in your bore use "Lead Wipe" Still takes some work to get it all out but works better than most other stuff I've tried. Da#n cheap wad cutters!

 

[741512th]

Now, the question is- WHY would you WANT to shoot +P's in a .357 ? I shoot .38 Sp wadcutter target ammo, and .357 mags for hunting/ defense- the .38 Sp +P is shortchanging what the revolver is capable of doing.

Thanks for answering my question. I don't know that I want to shoot it. I just wanted to fill in one of the many gaps in my knowledge. A hypothetical might be a spur of the moment whim to shoot the gun and the store only has plus P ammo in stock that day.

I often shoot .38 because it is a little cheaper. I've shot wadcutter and the little boy in me (who is basically responsible for my gun ownership) just likes a bigger bang.

 

[c3shooter]

With the cost of ammo today, you may want to take a look at "rolling your own". You can pick up used dies, a press, and a scale over on fleabay for about the cost of 5 boxes of ammo. I shoot a lot of wadcutter for plinking, but load my own 185 gr solids for hunting. You will DEFINTELY have a bigger bang with those! And FWIW, have done some reading on 158 gr vs 125 gr 357s- one author proposes that the LONGER 158 gr bullet does much better due to the lack of "jump" that the bullet makes when leaving cylinder, and entering the forcing cone. I am benchrest shooting a 10" 357 Dan Wesson at 100 meters, and the heavier bullets are sweet.

BTW, if reloading appeals to you, your first purchase should be "The ABCs of Reloading" in paperback.

 

[Mark F]

I reload a lot and .38 SPL/.357 is one of my favorites. I reload them the same since all I have is a .357 King Cobra.