joestefano Posted October 18, 2012 Share Posted October 18, 2012 Why do people seem to favor the 38spl over the 357 for a 627? (I do reload) Ive looked for the answer but no luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Youngeyes Posted October 18, 2012 Share Posted October 18, 2012 38spl can be loaded very light. Good round for recoil challenged people. My personal opinion is, if you buy a 357mag, shoot 357mag. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
art mc Posted October 18, 2012 Share Posted October 18, 2012 Shorter cases aids in speed loading and unloading. A lot of people use short colt and long colt for that reason. Hope that answers your question. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MTSCMike Posted October 18, 2012 Share Posted October 18, 2012 I don't shoot the 627 but when I had a 610 I used 40S&W instead of 10mm even though I loaded then and could have loaded both to the same PF. Reasons: 40 was shorter so easier to positively eject and the shorter case has less volume (closer to full when loaded) to cause potentially erratic pressures with light loads. I also feel the shorter round is easier to load into the cylinder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bubber Posted October 18, 2012 Share Posted October 18, 2012 I don't shoot the 627 but when I had a 610 I used 40S&W instead of 10mm even though I loaded then and could have loaded both to the same PF. Reasons: 40 was shorter so easier to positively eject and the shorter case has less volume (closer to full when loaded) to cause potentially erratic pressures with light loads. I also feel the shorter round is easier to load into the cylinder. +1 with what Mike said. You can also make the same velocities with less powder. Yea I'm cheap! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toothguy Posted October 18, 2012 Share Posted October 18, 2012 Doug Carden DCAMMO has some 38 short colt ICORE loads. He knows his stuff might give him a try. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeRush Posted October 18, 2012 Share Posted October 18, 2012 +1 Less powder, less air space in the case, faster reloads, more positive ejection- and cost. I guess if you are trying to wring the last bit of accuracy out of a .357, a .357 case might be advantageous due to a shorter "jump" to the throat but even .38 short colt seems to be plenty accurate for the practical shooting sports. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaskapopo Posted October 18, 2012 Share Posted October 18, 2012 (edited) 38spl can be loaded very light. Good round for recoil challenged people. My personal opinion is, if you buy a 357mag, shoot 357mag. I much prefer to load all my loads for my .357 mag revolvers from the very light 38 special level loads to full house mags in magnum brass that way I don't have to spend forever cleaning the ring out of the chambers. The real reason to use the .38 as another poster said was the shorter brass extracts more reliably and quicker. Edited October 18, 2012 by Alaskapopo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quedude Posted October 18, 2012 Share Posted October 18, 2012 It would depend on what game you a shooting. USPSA short colt, Bowling pins 357 Mag. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toothguy Posted October 18, 2012 Share Posted October 18, 2012 (edited) +1 Less powder, less air space in the case, faster reloads, more positive ejection- and cost. I guess if you are trying to wring the last bit of accuracy out of a .357, a .357 case might be advantageous due to a shorter "jump" to the throat but even .38 short colt seems to be plenty accurate for the practical shooting sports. +1, apparently Doug Carden has a short colt 50 yrd load. I don't think the jump has as much to do with accuracy as a good concentric crown, forcing cone and identical cylinder chambers. A well crafted 38 wadcutter does as well from a K or L frame PPC gun. Edited October 18, 2012 by toothguy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toolguy Posted October 18, 2012 Share Posted October 18, 2012 The length of the case is not an issue. If your gun is mechanically correct, any case length will be accurate. What does matter is: proper alignment of the chamber to the barrel, proper size of the bullet to throat and barrel, quality forcing cone and muzzle crown, bullet weight and type, and correct velocity for rifling twist rate. The throat lines up the bullet before it gets to the barrel no matter what case it came out of. That is the function of the throat. All the Smith revolvers that I know of have a twist rate of about 1:19. That is too slow to stabilize a slow target round like .38 wadcutter out to 50 yards. A faster twist from 1:10 to 1:14 will stabilize the target load. As the velocity and/or bullet weight increase, the group size will decrease in a factory barrel at 50 yards. At hot .38 to .357 velocity, the factory barrel will shoot fairly good groups. A lot of new guns need some work to be mechanically to spec. Often recutting the forcing cone and muzzle crown can make a big difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toothguy Posted October 18, 2012 Share Posted October 18, 2012 The length of the case is not an issue. If your gun is mechanically correct, any case length will be accurate. What does matter is: proper alignment of the chamber to the barrel, proper size of the bullet to throat and barrel, quality forcing cone and muzzle crown, bullet weight and type, and correct velocity for rifling twist rate. The throat lines up the bullet before it gets to the barrel no matter what case it came out of. That is the function of the throat. All the Smith revolvers that I know of have a twist rate of about 1:19. That is too slow to stabilize a slow target round like .38 wadcutter out to 50 yards. A faster twist from 1:10 to 1:14 will stabilize the target load. As the velocity and/or bullet weight increase, the group size will decrease in a factory barrel at 50 yards. At hot .38 to .357 velocity, the factory barrel will shoot fairly good groups. A lot of new guns need some work to be mechanically to spec. Often recutting the forcing cone and muzzle crown can make a big difference. Warren, don't you also want to make sure it's properly Taylor Throated? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toolguy Posted October 18, 2012 Share Posted October 18, 2012 Of course - two throats must surely be better than one! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick1981 Posted October 18, 2012 Share Posted October 18, 2012 L frame + 38 special = most better control If your desire it's shooting 357 full loads*, it's another way of play. * have no sense reload a 357 brass with 38 power, only slower on reloads. On tipycal shooting distances (Idpa, Icore) not affect the accuracy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyT Posted October 19, 2012 Share Posted October 19, 2012 Also from a practical side it is easier to see the powder drop in the shorter 38 Special case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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