.357 Magnum vs .38 Special: What's the Difference?

The .357 Magnum and the .38 Special are close cousins. They use the same bullet diameter, and many revolvers can shoot both. The difference is length, pressure and recoil. Knowing how those fit together saves you money at the range and keeps you safe.

Why one gun can shoot both

The .357 Magnum was built by stretching the .38 Special case a little and loading it hotter. The longer case keeps a .357 round from fitting into a gun built only for .38 Special.

So a revolver chambered in .357 Magnum can fire .38 Special too. The shorter round fits and runs at lower pressure. A revolver marked .38 Special should never fire .357 Magnum. Check the barrel marking and the maker's manual if you are not sure.

“A .357 takes both. A .38 takes only its own.”

There is also .38 Special +P, a hotter .38 load. Fire it only in guns the maker rates for +P.

Recoil and practice

The .357 Magnum kicks harder and is much louder. The muzzle flash is bigger too. In a small, light revolver, full-power .357 can be hard to control.

That is why many owners of .357 revolvers practice with .38 Special. It is milder, so you can shoot more and build good habits. In our listings, .38 Special also costs less per round at most of the bullet weights both rounds share, as the chart at the top shows.

One habit worth having: after a lot of .38 Special, clean the chambers. The shorter case can leave a ring of fouling where a longer .357 case needs to sit. That ring can make .357 rounds hard to load or extract.

“Practice with .38 Special. Carry what you shoot well.”

Picking loads

• Range and practice: .38 Special with lead or full metal jacket bullets is the usual pick. It is mild and easy on the gun.
• Home and personal defense: look for hollow point loads made for defense. Many people pick a .38 Special +P or a reduced-recoil .357 load they can control well.
• Hunting and woods carry: full-power .357 Magnum with a heavier bullet gives the most energy of the two.
• Lever-action rifles: many .357 lever guns also take .38 Special. Check the manual, since some feed one length better than the other.

Compare loads from one maker at a time on pages like Hornady .357 Magnum and Winchester .357 Magnum.

Which revolver should you get?

If you are choosing a revolver, a .357 Magnum gives you the most options, since it shoots both rounds. A gun built only for .38 Special can be lighter and smaller, which some people want for carry. Browse .357 Magnum handguns and .38 Special handguns to compare.

“Shoot a lot of .38s? Clean the chambers before you go back to .357.”

Ready to stock up? See live .357 Magnum listings or see live .38 Special listings.