Can I shoot 38 special out of a 357 max barrel ?

[Smokin54]

I didnt know the awsner so I thought I would ask, What kind of accuracy would you expect ?

[Gregory]

You can shoot 38 Spec. and 357 Mag out of a 357 Max but TC doesn't recommend it.  According to TC, you'll get a ring in the chamber where the shorter case ends and when shooting the Max the brass will flow into that ring and cause the case to fail.  
I bought a 357 Max that came with a 357 Mag barrel and sold off the Mag barrel before I knew about this.
Greg

[Graycg]

Smokin 54,
  I shoot 38 special wadcutters in my 357 Custom shop carbine barrel all the time!!  I bought it to use for deer hunting with 180 grain LBT's in a max case, but I also use it for indoor 25 yard shooting with the basic 148 grain wadcutter and 3.1 grains of WW231.  It shoots about 2.5 inch groups at 100 with the Max load and shoots about 1.5 inch groups at 25 yards with the 38s.  The only issue is the scope, the 38s and 357s don't hit nowhere near each another, I over came this by using Weaver mount and rings and have a 3x9 for hunting and a 1.5x4 for plinking with the specials.  This way I don't have to resight in, only change the scope out.
   I've heard what Gregory is talking about, but they said the same thing about shooting 38s in 357 revolvers years ago about the ring of build up, but if you clean the gun properly, you'll never have a problem.  I haven't shot a deer with it yet, but I did  kill a possum in the yard with a special load....silent but deadly! :wink:

my opinion only,
 Graycg

[DLH]

I shot some 38 out of my max, they shot about 26" high at 50yds, and about 6" group.  The max would put them all in the same hole!!!

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[thomas]

It it not wise to shoot 38 special loads in your MAX.
You should be fine if you shoot them and then give the throat  a really good cleaning removing all the lead build up, But if you do not get rid of the lead build up and you shoot a 357 MAX  you could blow up the gun do to excessive pressure when the Max bullet wont go through the throat.

Plenty warnings about this even in the 454 raging bull using 45 ammo and not cleaning before you shoot a casull round.

JUST BE CAREFUL and SAFE
tom

[PaulS]

From a guy who ruined a good .357 Maximum barrel,
You can shoot 38 spl in 357 mag or max - it doesn't produce enough pressure (at standard loads) to ring the chamber.  The .357 magnum produces enough pressure to cut a ring into the chamber where the case ends. Once the ring is in your chamber it will cause the higher pressure of the .357 Maximum to begin trimming your Maximum cases to the same length as your magnum rounds.

Like other posters here have said if you do shoot the 38 spl in the longer chambers the be sure to get them clean after the 38 ammo is fired and BEFORE the 357 ammo is used.

PaulS