.38 Special vs .357 Magnum: Differences, Ballistics and Which to Carry

.38 Special vs .357 Magnum is mostly a question of power. Both cartridges use the same .357 inch bullet, but the .357 Magnum case is longer and is loaded to about twice the pressure, so it typically runs 400 to 500 fps faster with more than double the energy and much more recoil. Any revolver chambered in .357 Magnum can safely fire .38 Special, but a .38 Special revolver must never fire .357 Magnum. Choose .38 Special for soft shooting and lightweight carry revolvers, and .357 Magnum when you want more power from a steel-framed gun. Our Colt Python review shows both rounds at work in one revolver.

.38 Special vs .357 Magnum at a Glance

• Bullet diameter: both .357 inch.
• Case length: .38 Special 1.155 inches, .357 Magnum 1.290 inches.
• Maximum overall cartridge length: .38 Special 1.550 inches, .357 Magnum 1.590 inches.
• SAAMI maximum average pressure: .38 Special 17,000 psi, .38 Special +P 20,000 psi, .357 Magnum 35,000 psi.
• Common bullet weights: 110 to 158 grains for both, with specialty .38 loads as light as 50 grains and .357 loads up to 180 grains.
• Interchangeability: .38 Special fires in a .357 Magnum revolver. .357 Magnum does not fit, and must never be forced, into a .38 Special revolver.

Why the .357 Magnum Case Is Longer

The .357 Magnum was developed from the .38 Special in the 1930s, and the case was lengthened on purpose. The extra length holds more powder, and it also keeps the hotter round from chambering in older .38 Special revolvers that were never built for its pressure. That is the whole safety logic of the pair: the longer, stronger cartridge fits only the gun built for it, while the milder cartridge fits both.

An earlier version of this article listed the case lengths as 1.55 and 1.59 inches. Those are the maximum overall lengths of loaded cartridges. The cases themselves are 1.155 and 1.290 inches.

.38 Special vs .357 Magnum Ballistics

The easiest way to see the difference is to compare the same bullet weight from the same maker. Federal lists its American Eagle 158 grain load at 770 fps and 208 ft-lbs of muzzle energy in .38 Special, and at 1,249 fps and 539 ft-lbs in .357 Magnum. That is nearly 480 fps faster and more than 330 ft-lbs of added energy from the same bullet weight.

If the .38 Special is a jalapeno, the .357 Magnum is a habanero. The price of that extra power is recoil and muzzle blast, and it is stout in lightweight snub-nose revolvers. Barrel length matters too. Factory velocity numbers come from test barrels, and short barrels lose speed, so expect less from a 2 inch snub than from a 4 or 6 inch revolver.

.38 Special +P vs .357 Magnum

The +P marking means a .38 Special load is built to a higher pressure limit, 20,000 psi under SAAMI standards instead of 17,000, using the same case. It is more powerful than standard .38 Special but well short of .357 Magnum. In the 2024 version of this article, Federal’s American Eagle 130 grain .38 Special was listed at 890 fps and 229 ft-lbs, while Federal’s Personal Defense Hydra-Shok .38 Special +P with a 130 grain JHP was listed at 900 fps and 234 ft-lbs.

Only use +P ammunition in revolvers the manufacturer rates for it. Many modern .38 Special revolvers, like the guns in our Taurus 856 Defender review and Ruger LCR review, are built for it, but older guns may not be. Every .357 Magnum revolver handles +P .38 Special.

Why .38 Special Hits Higher Than .357 Magnum

If your revolver is sighted for .357 Magnum, .38 Special ammunition will usually hit higher at the same point of aim, even with the same bullet weight. That surprises a lot of shooters, because the faster round seems like it should shoot flatter. The reason is time in the barrel. Every revolver starts to rise from recoil the instant it fires. The slower .38 Special bullet stays in the barrel a little longer, so the muzzle has climbed a little more by the time it exits.

To show it, we fired six Aguila 158 grain .357 Magnum rounds and six Armscor 158 grain .38 Special rounds from a Colt Python with a 4.25 inch barrel at 15 yards, rested on a range bag, holding the same point of aim at 12 o’clock on the bullseye. The .357 Magnum rounds hit the point of aim. The .38 Special rounds, with the same sight picture, grouped above the bullseye.

At 7 or 15 yards that shift may not matter much, but it grows with distance and varies by load and gun. If you carry one load and practice with another, confirm where each one hits.

Which Is Better, .38 Special or .357 Magnum?

Neither is better in every case. It depends on the gun and the shooter.

• Pick .38 Special if you carry a lightweight snub-nose revolver, if you are recoil sensitive, or if you want inexpensive, pleasant practice. Standard and +P .38 Special loads are easier to control for fast follow-up shots.
• Pick .357 Magnum if you want maximum power for woods carry, hunting small game and deer at short range where legal, or defense from a steel-framed revolver with a 3 inch or longer barrel.
• Own a .357 Magnum revolver if you want both. You can practice with .38 Special and carry or hunt with Magnums, as long as you confirm the point of impact for each.

.357 Magnum Revolvers We Have Reviewed

These Digest reviews cover revolvers that fire both cartridges. Click through for test results and full specs.

https://gunsamerica.com/listings/search

• Colt Blued Python review, our 2026 look at the return of the blued Python.
• Colt 2.5 inch Python review, a snub-nose take on the classic.
• Colt Cobra vs King Cobra, which compares Colt’s .38 Special and .357 Magnum double actions.
• Kimber K6 review, a compact six-shot .357 Magnum.
• Rossi RP63 review, a budget six-shot carry revolver.
• Henry Big Boy Revolver review, a .357 single action.

.38 Special vs .357 Magnum FAQ

Can a .357 Magnum revolver shoot .38 Special?

Yes. Any revolver chambered in .357 Magnum can fire .38 Special and .38 Special +P. Expect a different point of impact, and clean the chambers regularly, because the shorter .38 case can leave a carbon ring that makes Magnum cases harder to chamber.

Can a .38 Special revolver shoot .357 Magnum?

No. The .357 Magnum case is intentionally longer so it will not chamber in a .38 Special revolver, and its pressure is roughly double what those guns are built to handle. Never try to force it.

Is .38 Special enough for self-defense?

Many experienced shooters carry .38 Special, especially in snub-nose revolvers where Magnum recoil is hard to control. Modern defensive loads and good shot placement matter more than the cartridge name.

How much faster is .357 Magnum than .38 Special?

With the same 158 grain bullet, Federal’s published American Eagle figures show about 480 fps more velocity and more than double the muzzle energy for the .357 Magnum.

Why does .38 Special hit higher in my .357?

The slower .38 Special bullet spends more time in the barrel, so recoil lifts the muzzle a little more before the bullet exits. With the same point of aim, it lands higher.

The Bottom Line

The .38 Special and .357 Magnum are the same diameter but very different in power. A .357 Magnum revolver gives you both: soft-shooting .38 Special for practice and carry, and full-power Magnums when you need them. Just remember that switching loads also switches your point of impact, so check your zero with whatever you carry.

Related reading: see our guides to the best defensive revolvers, best snub nose revolvers and best Smith & Wesson revolvers.