.38 Super vs .357

[Bosshoss]

I did a search and read pages of info some of it a few years old. I quit shooting competition back in 97 and recently started again(shooting some of my bottom feeders that I still have from the day). I used to shoot Uspsa and SC stuff as Icore was fairly new and mainly west coast at the time. I used revolver in steel shoots and shot several USPSA matchs with the revolver. I sold some of my stuff when I quit including a 627 8 shot.357 and 10 shot 617. Really sorry about that now At least I kept a couple 625's.

Anyway I have USPSA revolver covered with 625. I still love the red dot on my open guns, especially that my eyes are 15 years older now than before, stupid bifocals.

Looking at a 627 8 shot and wondering about caliber. I would like to shoot gun in USPSA open class making major PF. and shoot ICORE and steel with lighter loads. I have tons of super and super comp brass. Also have lots of .38 and .357 brass. I see alot of people are shooting .38 short or long colt, will this make major PF for USPSA? I would have to buy this brass so that is a consideration.

I like the idea of a comp on the .38 super guns from the performance center, although I'm not sure how effective it is on a revolver. Do the super guns have a different end cap that does away with the comp so you can switch back and forth?

I know the super gun are a little harder to find and a little more expensive but what is everyones opinion on these two guns and anything else I missed in comparing these two guns.

Thanks for any input that helps this returning shooter.

[R112mercer]

Not sure if Short Colt could make Major, probably not, it's an old black powder cartridge.

The 8 shot supers came with two muzzle caps, one plain, one comped. Not sure how good the comp would work at Major pressure, it's just one big hole pointing up. Revolvers don't tend to respond to compensating real well, unless you run something that makes A LOT of gas, like .357 with W296 or H110.

I have both types of 8 shooters and the .357 is more versatile. I love my super, but the .357 can do more and is easier to find. Smith still makes a .357 8 shooter with the same removable comp/plain cap set-up like the super, and Short Colt brass isn't that much money. Remember, this is the land of moons, we get all our brass back...

[n1guess]

I wouldnt think there would be enough gas to make a comp work very well would it????? It would be awesome That you can shoot comp brass and always bet it back. I loose about 10% of my brass it of my open gun. So Big advantage of the wheel gun

[TonyT]

I have 627's in both 38 Super and 357. Personally I would opt for the 38 Super version. If Iwere to do it again I would not purchase the 357 version.

[Bubber]

I have 2 627 38 super. One is ported with 4 hybrid ports and the other is not (yet). Using 5.4 grains of WST behind a 135 grain moly Billy Bullet you can tell the difference in muzzle flip. This is not a major load. One would need extremely large face plates to help with the recoil. I usually shoot minor with the 160 Billy Bullet because of the accuracy I get from them. The unported 627 is destined to be my backup gun incase I wear the other out, and will eventualy be ported. later rdd