.38 Special

About .38 Special

.38 Special was the American police cartridge for most of the twentieth century and remains the most shootable revolver round available. Standard loads are mild, accurate and cheap, which makes it the practical choice for anyone who actually wants to practise with a revolver rather than merely own one.

Its relationship with .357 Magnum is the useful part: any .357 revolver fires .38 Special, so one gun gives you cheap practice and full-power capability. In lightweight snub-nose revolvers, +P .38 Special is where most experienced owners land — it is meaningfully more capable than standard pressure and far more controllable than full .357 out of a two-inch barrel.