Match-Up Medium-Bore:.38 Special Vs 9mm

Updated 02/12/2022 Dig deeper and you’ll find the cartridges both shine, but for much different reasons.In .38 Special vs 9mm considerations:History and performance of the .38 SpecialHistory and performance of the 9mmGuns chambered for the cartridgesConcealed carry performanceCartridges’ versatilityAmmunition availability and costTruth told, the .38 Special and 9mm aren’t a world away. The implication is that the cartridges are not identical. It’s not by a long shot. They are from different countries, but they have a lot in common. Both are versatile enough to be used with medium-bore handgun cartridges. They are accurate and have mild recoiling if used with the right gun. Both have proven their worth as self defense options. Each is easy to use, economical, and fun to shoot. Their diameters are only two-thousandths an inch apart –.357 in the.38 Special and 9mm, respectively. Now that we have all the facts, is it really important who wins in.38 Special or 9mm? Both are proven to excel in similar applications. Both are proven and excel at similar applications. The poor performance of the.38 Long Colt against the Moro Rebels in 1900s led to the adoption of the.45 ACP by the U.S. Military and Colt 1911 by Colt 1911. It also sparked the development of the.38 Special, which was essentially a shortened.38 Long Colt with greater case capacity. The.38 Special was able to produce higher velocities and shoot heavier bullets, which allowed for greater penetration — something that was severely lacking in the.38 Long Colt. The Smith & Wesson K frame Military & Police revolver proved to be very popular. The.38 Special also produced higher velocities and shot heavier bullets, which added up to greater penetration potential — something that was severely lacking in the.38 Long Colt. Early on, the typical defensive load was a 158-grain lead semi-wadcutter hollowpoint, though later a 200-grain soft-cast lead round nose “Super Police” load became common, offering officers a bullet that yawed upon impact and created a larger wound canal.More .38 Special Information:Generally pushing bullets around 700 to 1,000 fps, the cartridge was quickly overshadowed by magnum and high-pressure semi-automatic pistol cartridges as years wore on. Although almost exclusively a revolver cartridge (though there are some exceptions), the 5- or 6-round guns that were designed for it were limited in their capacity to the double-stack pistols of the last quarter of a century. Double-action revolvers can be aimed and pulled the trigger to fire. They are among the most reliable and easy-to-use handguns. This kind of dependability appealed a lot to armed citizens, especially those who didn’t want to learn the more complicated manual of semi-autos. Material advancements made.38 revolvers smaller and easier to carry. The Ruger LCR, which is made of polymer, and the Smith & Wesson Model 642, are both examples of lightweight revolvers. You would get some strange looks if you claimed that the German revolver would be one of the most important ammo innovations of the last 100 year. It would have been one of the most used centerfire cartridges ever, and they might even have sent you off to a comfortable rubber room. It succeeded, and it did so for a very important reason: it was made for semi-automatic pistols. This was the moment that handguns were gaining momentum. The 9mm was a breakthrough cartridge that offered many advantages. It was easy to shoot and accurate. It was possible to chamber small pistols with the cartridge. It also offered the potential firepower that handguns could only dream of. You have plenty of peace of thought in 15-plus round, the standard capacity of most double stack 9mms today. Standard loads can only be loaded at 35,000 psi today. The maximum pressure for standard loads today is 35,000 psi. Depending on the bullet weight (it shoots between 112 and 147 grains), the cartridge generates approximately 1,000 to 1,300 fps at the muzzle. The cartridge is compatible with most jacketed hollow-point bullets and meets FBI penetration standards. This is especially true with the new bullets designed for controlled expansion. The “Nine” is a popular choice for armed citizens who want to have access to the cartridge’s assets as well as the guns that are chambered for it. There are few cartridges that can send it flying like the “Nine.” You’ll find the right gun for you, especially defensively..38 Special vs. 9mm: GunsThere is an old belief that the.38 Special is best for beginners. The simplicity of a double-action revolver makes it ideal for beginners. This is true if you are talking about a 4-inch barreled revolver or higher. This is not true for many popular carry models, such as the Ruger LCR. The ultra-light revolver’s 13.5 ounces can make it quite heavy. Hornady’s 125 grain American Gunner ammunition generates more than 7 ft/lbs recoil energy. This is almost twice the amount of recoil energy you’ll get from the same load with a Ruger SP101 4.2-inch barrel. The disadvantage for concealment is that you will have to deal with a larger gun when you use the latter. This might not be a problem if it’s a competition gun or plinker. The Ruger LC9s produces around 8 ft/lbs recoil energy when it fires Hornady’s 124 grain Custom ammunition. This can be made to bearable by the pistol’s strengths. It has superior ballistics, with the 9mm firing at 210 fps faster than the aforesaid.38 load. It also has three more rounds and more concealment potential. There are some issues with this last point. However, semi-autos generally have a slimmer profile than revolvers which makes them easier to conceal. You will soon get used to the recoil. What you care about is reliability. You’re right, a.38 Special revolver is more likely to experience malfunctions than a 9mm pistol. The good old revolver is not immune to malfunctions. In fact, a wheelgun can fail more often than a pistol. It’s not as easy as “tap and rack” to fix a pulled bullet, or a stuck case in your revolver. Concealed Carry: 9mm vs. 38 Special. Overall, it’s hard to argue that the 9mm is better for concealed carry than the.38 Special. The semi-auto pistol cartridge has better ballistics and can be chambered in larger guns. They are also easier to conceal. Semi-auto pistols require more practice to become proficient, due to the higher likelihood of having to fix a malfunction. This is a minor trade-off. Semi-auto pistols require more practice because of the greater likelihood of a malfunction. It has proven to be a reliable self-defense cartridge over the years and has also benefited from recent ammunition advancements. The tried-and-true revolver can perform admirably in self-defense situations when used with the correct round and in the right hands. It also comes with a simplified manual of arms that makes it easier to master most of the guns. Although it may not be the first choice for most people, it is still a valid choice..38 Special Vs 9mm: Versatility. The.38 Special has the edge over the 9mm in a few areas, including guns and reloading. The.38 Special is the parent of.357 Magnum so it can be shot in almost any gun that is chambered for the larger cartridge. This is due to the fact that it is usually less expensive per round than the magnum, and is also much easier to shoot. The.38 Special has more potential for reloading, as it has a larger case to work with. A handloader can get a lot from the cartridge if they have the right experience and knowledge. It won’t be able to beat the 9mm in economy, but it will still be a good choice. There is no better option than the.22 LR — especially when it comes to centerfire cartridges. LuckyGunner.com is a good example. The.38 Special is the most affordable at.25 cents per shot, while the 9mm is a mere.14 cent. That’s three rounds more per dollar. Parting ShotIt is clear that modern shooters have adopted the 9mm, and for good reasons. It is the most versatile handgun cartridge on the market today and allows shooters to improve their skills. The 9mm is a dominant gun cartridge and has many options for firearms. It’s more likely to find the gun that fits your needs, whether it’s a service pistol for your nightstand or a single gun for your belt holster. Finally, as a result of ammunition advancements, it will perform in the direst circumstances.Nevertheless, the .38 Special is still around for more than just the sake of nostalgia. Although it doesn’t have all the same advantages as the 9mm, the.38 Special is still a competent cartridge that many still trust with their lives. It may take some research to find the best defensive round for the cartridge, but it’s worth it for those who want the reliability of a revolver. Download your Storm Tactical printable target pack62 printable MOA targets with DOT drills – Rifle range in YARDSThis amazing target pack is from Storm Tactical and contains 62 printable targets for rifle and handgun range usage. Target grids and bullseye sizes can be found in MOA. Get Free Targets