I am going to purchase a S&W Model 60 snub nose revolver (Chief's Special). If the .357 can also shoot .38 special ammo, but the .38 cannot shoot .357, why would I want to buy the .38 special model? Even if I am going to shoot .38 special 99.9% of the time? Please explain any advantages to getting the gun in .38 special. Thanks!
I am a great fan of J-frame .357's and I routinely shoot my M-640 Always Gun with full power .357 Magnum ammo. Some well seasoned handgunners find it to be a brutal little monster and won't shoot it, even though they are great fans of the .454 Casull and .475 Linebaugh.
Not all .357's will shoot .38's with accuracy. I have one .357 Magnum that tries to act like a bulls-eye match revolver with light .38 loads. I have another that shoots great with full-power magnum loads and often keyholes .38's. The problem is that there is no way to tell how a firearm with shoot until you try it.
If you plan to shoot .38's almost exclusively, get a .38 SPL. They can generally be had in revolvers that are somewhat lighter than the same model in .357 Magnum. If you plan to do considerable shooting with magnum ammo, and don't care if the .38's are less than perfectly accurate, get the magnum.
One more thing, before you buy that Model 60, which is a fine pocket revolver, check out two that are even better pocket revolvers. The Smith & Wesson M-49, M-638, and M649 are shrouded hammer revolvers available in both .38 SPL and .357 Magnum. The S&W M-42, M-442, and M-640 are hammerless DAO revolvers in .38 or .357 Magnum. Both families of pistols are on the same frame as the M-60, but their shrouded hammer or hammerless design allow them to be fired reliably through a pocket should the need arise. The designs also make for a snag-free draw (having the hammer snag on the pocket when you draw is a PIA). I own revolvers in both the Bodyguard and Centennial line, and consider them to be the best of pocket revolvers.
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