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They are two different calibers, the 38 special round being a later invention.
The 38 special should not fit into the 38 S & W chamber.
But as the 38 special was not anticipated at the time the 38 S&W was first made, it can have a chamber that does fit the 38 special.
As the 38 special is a higher pressure round, and comes in even higher pressure plus P cartridges, it is a bad idea to try to fire these in a 38 S&W revolver.
It can crack or burst the cylinder among other things.
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What round can you shoot a 1927 38 cal Colt Police positive that will not accept a 38 special round?
have you tried a 38 S&W cartridge ?????? it's a shorter case then the 38 special case.
Can a 38 special shoot a 38 short?
A .38 Special can shoot the cartridge marked "38 Short Colt". It CANNOT shoot what many people CALL a .38 Short- which is the .38 S&W. The .38 S&W in not only shorter than the Special, it is fatter. The 2 do not interchange.
What if your owners manual says shoot only 38 plus p rounds out of your s and w mod 642 it doesnt mention 38 special is 38 special ok?
you can shoot standard 38 special rounds out of a firearm marked for 38 special +p
What does special mean in 38 special?
The .38 Special was a round brought to life by Smith & Wesson, hence the name 38 S&W Special. Eventually other companies like Colt got hacked off at having to mark THEIR weapons with "38 S&W Special" and came out with the .38 COLT Special- which was identical except for a flat tipped bullet. Eventually, everyone shortened the name to .38 Special- except S&W Company- who wanted to keep the name. 38 S&W Special and .38 Special are one and the same. 38 S&W (no special) IS a different round, and does not interchange. Make sense? so special refers to the round
What does 'special' mean in 38 special?
The .38 Special was a round brought to life by Smith & Wesson, hence the name 38 S&W Special. Eventually other companies like Colt got hacked off at having to mark THEIR weapons with "38 S&W Special" and came out with the .38 COLT Special- which was identical except for a flat tipped bullet. Eventually, everyone shortened the name to .38 Special- except S&W Company- who wanted to keep the name. 38 S&W Special and .38 Special are one and the same. 38 S&W (no special) IS a different round, and does not interchange. Make sense? so special refers to the round
Will 38 caliber SW ammo shoot in a 38 special revolver?
No. The .38 S&W is a different cartridge from the .38 Special. Basically, the .38 S&W is shorter, fatter, and has less energy. It will not chamber in a gun meant for .38 Special.
What is the difference in 38 special and 38 smith and Wesson?
Overall length The 38 special is a stronger cartridge. If you have a .38 Special revolver it can still shoot a .38 S&W but not the other way around.
Can the 357 S and W CTG shoot 38 special bullets?
Yes
Will the s and w 357 model 66-1 shoot 38 caliber rounds?
38 Special; yes.
Can you shoot 38 short colt ammo out of a 38 s and w revolver?
the 38 S&W cartridge is shorter the the 38 special and the 38 S&W cylinder is also shorter the the 38 special cylinder. both colt and S&W make the 38 S&W cartridge or 38 short cartridge..........................
Can you shoot 38 special bullets in the 38 special plus P revolver?
It's a .38 Special revolver. +P applies to the cartridge, and indicates a more powerful load than a standard round of the calibre. In this case, it would be a .38 S&W Special with a +P loading, hence .38 Special +P. You can fire regular .38 S&W Special cartridges through it. Whether or not it can fire +P or +P+ ammo, you need to read the instruction manual and find the manufacturer's information on this.
Model Number 925 S and W 38?
The gun is likely a Harrington & Richardson (H&R) model 925. The caliber is .38 Smith and Wesson (S&W) special, not to be confused with .38 special (SPL). You must shoot the .38 S&W ammo, not .38 spl.
