38 Special/357 Mag Reloading Center

The 38 caliber ammunition is a rimmed revolver case dating back to the late 1800s. Currently the most common of those are the 38 Special, and the 357 Magnum. Occasionally you will hear the 38 Special bullet called a .38 S&W, however, those are not the same round and are not interchangable. Over the years, the 38 was well known as the sidearm of most US police forces, until superseded by the 9mm and 40.

What is a 38 Bullet?

The 38 and 357 Magnum share the same bullet, a .357 diameter and a .358 lead bullet diameter is not uncommon. Bullet weights vary from 100 grains up to 180 grains and are available in mostly copper although lead bullets are exteremly common. Another point to consider for readers, '38 bullets' are projectile tips or bullet heads, they can't just be put into a gun and fired. They are one of the four required components necessary to make a 'live' cartridge (ammunition). So insure you are really shopping for what you expect the product to do, if you want 'ready to fire' then you are looking for 'ammo' or 'ammunition'.

Common projectile tips are Round Nose (RN) and Hollow Points (HP), with many variations on each. For example, Berry's Bullets manufactures both a Target Hollow Point (THP) and a Hybrid Hollow Point (HHP)). Hornady manufactures an eXtreme Terminal Performance (XTP) and a Hornady Action Pistol (HAP). For self defense and small hunting, a Hollow Point bullet is preferable for expansion and knockdown. For plinkers, however, the 38 reloader should consider a plated bullet such as Berrys or a lead bullet which works well and gives you the best bang for your buck. Literally.