An experienced gunsmith can or you can send it to S&W to have it done.
That will depend on WHICH .38 caliber cartridge (thre are several) the length of the barrel (longer barrels= faster bullets) and the catridge itself. A very light target cartridge will be slower than a hot defensive cartridge. For a .38 Special revolver with a 4 inch barrel, velocity averages about 770 fps, but may range from 670-980 FPS.
No, it is not recommended to use a .357 bullet in a .38 Special revolver as the .357 bullet is longer and may not fit properly, potentially causing safety issues or damage to the firearm.
If it is a 4" or longer barrel model, most likely it is a square butt (98 or 99% chance). If it is a 3" or 2.5" barrel model, it is almost certainly a round butt model. If you have any doubt, remove the grips and examine the back strap of the grip. If it curves inward at the base, making a smooth outline, it is a round butt. If you have any questions, contact me and I'd be happy to answer. I love this revolver.
Dan Wessons have a nut inside the front of the barrel that has to be removed to remove the barrel shroud and barrel. Keep in mind that Dan Wesson barrels are two pieces, the barrel itself, which is just a rifled tube that is threaded on each end, and the outer shroud. Once the barrel nut is removed the shroud just slides off and the barrel can be unscrewed from the receiver. When you put another length barrel on the gun you just screw in the new longer or shorter barrel tube, slip the shroud in place and tighten the barrel nut to hold everything in place. There is a special wrench that is designed to remove and add the barrel nut. You also need to be careful and measure the gap between the cylinder and the force cone of the barrel. DW makes a gauge to adjust this properly. If the distance is too small the cylinder can bind as it turns. A too-large gap effects accuracy and can be a safety problem.
A Smith and Wesson Model 22A in very good condition is currently appraised at about $200 USD. Barrel legnths over 5 inches in Bull or Stainless Steel will up the price an average of $50. Model 22S is valued at slightly more and will command $250 in the basic configuration with a premium added for longer barrel legnths
You will have to replace the barrel
No. .357 Magnum uses more powerful loads and produces much higher pressure than the .38 special. Shooting a round with .357 pressures in a .38 gun is very likely to blow it up. .357 Magnum has a longer case than the .38 Special. This was done specifically to prevent .357 ammunition from being chambered in .38 revolvers. If you can chamber a .357 in a .38 special revolver, have it checked by a competent gunsmith before shooting it.
The main difference between a .38 Special and a .357 Magnum revolver is the size and power of the ammunition they use. The .357 Magnum is more powerful and has a longer cartridge than the .38 Special, resulting in higher velocity and stopping power. This makes the .357 Magnum better suited for hunting or self-defense, while the .38 Special is more commonly used for target shooting or personal protection.
Within limits, a longer barrel means a faster bullet. It is pushed by the expanding gasses from the fired cartridge for a longer time, and accelerates to a higher speed. A longer barrel will also mean a longer distance between the front and rear sight, permitting greater accuracy in aim.
BarSto
The .38 Smith & Wesson cartridge was created in 1876. It is a shorter, fatter, less powerful cartridge than the .38 Smith & Wesson Special, created in 1899 (they cannot be interchanged). The .38 Special +P is a .38 Special cartridge that is loaded to 10% higher energy than a standard .38 Special. The .357 Magnum is a longer version of the .38 Special that is loaded to MUCH higher energy than a .38 Special +P.
You need to leave the barrel 16" or longer to be legal.