When the .38 Special Meets Its Over-Caffeinated Big Brother: A Snark-Filled Showdown of Revolver Royalty

So…What’s the Family Drama About, Anyway?

Both cartridges sling .357-inch bullets, but the Magnum’s case is one-eighth-inch longer, beefed up to handle nearly double the pressure. SAAMI caps standard .38 Special at about 17,000 psi, +P at 20,000 psi, and .357 Magnum at a snappy 35,000 psi—because sometimes you just need more bang with your boomstick.

Velocity: The Need for (Magnum) Speed

• Early .38 Special loads moseyed along at roughly 775 fps with a 158-grain lead round-nose—perfect for paper targets and polite company.
• Typical modern .357 Magnum defensive loads push a 125-grain JHP 1,250–1,450 fps—fast enough to trigger existential dread in ballistic gelatin and anti-gunners alike.

Ballistics Gel Smackdown

LuckyGunner’s latest gelatin extravaganza tested 38 different loads: the .357 Magnum crowd consistently punched 18–20 inches with textbook expansion, while many .38 Special offerings took a coffee break around the 12-inch mark—some never made it back.

Recoil & Shootability

Yes, Magnum recoil is brisk—think “triple espresso” versus the .38’s “decaf latte.” But the payoff is flatter trajectory and more reliable penetration. If your wrists are offended, load .38s in the same wheel-gun for training; that’s versatility, not cowardice.

Real-World Track Record

FBI LEOKA tables still list both rounds in officer-involved shootings. Even in 2017, the Bureau logged more crooks slinging .38s than .357s—proof criminals fear recoil almost as much as background checks.

Cost, Availability & Grandpa’s Revolver

.38 Special remains cheaper and everywhere—ideal for range plinking and teaching freedom-curious friends. .357 Magnum costs more (freedom isn’t free), but factory ammo is plentiful, and every major manufacturer still releases new loads because demand refuses to die—kind of like liberty.

Bottom Line

If you want polite, choose the .38 Special. If you want polite after you’ve convinced the threat to reconsider life choices, grab the .357 Magnum. And remember: anti-gunners will hate either choice, so you might as well go with the one that flirts with supersonic.