.38 Special Ammo.
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.38 Special has been a revolver favorite for more than a century. Its mild recoil makes it easy to shoot well, and it remains one of the most popular choices for snub-nose carry, home defense and relaxed target practice. At Gunners Outlet we carry .38 Special ammunition from 110 to 158 grains, including FMJ and lead round nose for the range, wadcutters for target work and JHP for protection. Brands include Federal, Fiocchi, Magtech and Remington, all shipped fast from our New Hampshire warehouse. Every listing shows the price per round.
Choosing .38 Special Ammunition
Smith & Wesson introduced the .38 Special in 1898, and it went on to arm American police for most of the 20th century. It is still the go-to cartridge for small revolvers, and any .357 Magnum revolver can fire .38 Special too, which makes it a cheap and comfortable practice round for magnum owners.
The classic 158 grain load is the traditional weight, available as lead round nose, semi-wadcutter or hollow point. Lighter 110 to 130 grain loads are popular in short-barrel revolvers because they recoil less and still expand at lower velocities. +P ammunition is loaded hotter for more energy, but use it only in revolvers rated for +P.
Full wadcutters cut clean, round holes in paper and are the standard for bullseye target shooting. For carry, a modern JHP designed for short barrels is the better choice. Buying .38 Special by the box or in bulk keeps your range trips affordable without giving up quality.
.38 Special for Carry and Home Defense
Snub-nose revolvers are among the most popular carry guns in America, and .38 Special is what most of them shoot. Because short barrels lose velocity, choose hollow points made specifically for short barrels, such as Speer Gold Dot Short Barrel or Hornady Critical Defense, which are designed to expand at lower speeds.
For home defense, a .38 Special revolver is simple and reliable, and its recoil is easy to manage for most shooters. Keep your carry load and a supply of practice ammo on hand, and shoot both often enough to stay confident with your revolver.
.38 Special Ballistics Table
| Bullet Weight | Bullet Type | Loads | Brands | Price From |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 110 gr | JHP / Hollow Point | 1 | 1 | $1.00/rd |
| 120 gr | JHP / Hollow Point | 1 | 1 | $1.75/rd |
| 125 gr | JHP / Hollow Point, FMJ | 3 (1 in stock) | 2 | $0.41/rd |
| 129 gr | JHP / Hollow Point | 1 | 1 | $2.15/rd |
| 130 gr | FMJ | 6 | 4 | $0.35/rd |
| 132 gr | FMJ | 1 | 1 | $0.37/rd |
| 158 gr | FMJ, JHP / Hollow Point, Semi-Wadcutter | 11 (2 in stock) | 6 | $0.30/rd |
Frequently Asked Questions
38 special vs 357: which is better?
.357 Magnum is far more powerful, but .38 Special is easier to shoot and cheaper. The .357 case is slightly longer and loaded to much higher pressure. A .357 revolver fires both, so many owners practice with .38 Special and carry .357 Magnum or +P .38.
38 special vs 9mm: which is better?
9mm is slightly more powerful and fits more rounds in a pistol, while .38 Special is the classic revolver cartridge. Standard 9mm loads run faster than standard .38 Special, but the gap shrinks with +P loads. Choose based on whether you prefer a semi-auto or a revolver.
38 special vs 380: which is better?
.38 Special generally delivers a bit more energy than .380 ACP, but they serve different guns. .380 ACP is made for small semi-auto pistols, .38 Special for revolvers. Both are workable defensive rounds with good hollow points; pick the platform you shoot best.
38 super vs 38 special: which is better?
They are different cartridges for different guns: .38 Super is a high-velocity semi-auto round, .38 Special is a revolver round. .38 Super is more powerful and popular in competition pistols. The two are not interchangeable.