Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns The 38 thread

There's a lot to be said for that.

Shot my grandpa's old 38 special earlier today:


No recoil at all. Almost forgot how nice the 38 is to shoot. It's been a while!!! Grew up with a 29-2, so the 38 was always considered a little pistol..

I haven’t seen an RG in forever, thought maybe they’d all died out by now. I did have one in 44 Mag come through the shop once. Never knew they made such a creature.

I’ve expanded my horizons. Colt Officers Model Heavy barrel inbound. Guess the Dillon will get backburnered for a while longer but I couldn’t pass for the price.

Between snail mail and waiting on the check to clear I’ll probably have two weeks to load a stack of wadcutters before it gets here.

Carried 38 Special with +P ammo when in law enforcement, excellent caliber, my all time favorite. Load 38 Specials in 357 Mag as well.

My Dad's 15-3 as I received it from him:



I had to do a grip upgrade, and now need to get out and shoot it!

Damn! Looks like it's new from the factory. You can really see that pre-1982 attention to detail on the finish. Beautiful.

There's one just about like that up for sale at the pawn shop down the street for over a grand, but it has the original box, and claims to be unfired.

That’s a very nice 15.

It sure is.

I just got a Model 64-3 in a 4” heavy barrel square butt configuration.

I plan to let it live its life out on 158 SWC over a dose of LongShot or Bullseye unless we are tromping in hog territory and then I’ll have a load with a little more pep to it for woods stomping.

Seriously considering a SWCHP for my woods load. Never shot them before but I’d like to give them a whirl.

I doubt the soft lead hollowpoint would give you the best performance on a mid-size to big hog. Penetration is desirable on a critter like that and a proper hard-cast SWC or flat point would be a better choice.

I have never had any problem with soft bullets on hogs. Hit them right, and they tend to go down. I've killed fairly large hogs with a 9mm 115JHP, did the job just fine. Even a soft hollow point with enough umph and placed in the right spot will do. That's for hogs up to about 350 lbs. Once they get bigger, then consider a 158 at magnum velocities...and yes, your 64 can be loaded to full magnum velocities; it has the same cylinder as the magnums, just a shorter chamber.

Agreed, I intend to push it into the upper range woods loads. I can’t see me shooting it enough to wear it out with heavy loads.

As far as hogs, I have killed enough of them with a 36-38 grain hollow point out of a 22 that I’m not terribly concerned with the bullet.

A big hog on our lease is 225#.

I have killed hogs with a .22 LR also. But not while they were chewing on my leg. To each his own and choices are good.

I love 38s. Here's a couple, both well shot.

Our daughter got married last month, Saturday we went to their house and I gave her a M-10 LEO trade I bought years ago for her.

Somebody had them, and I figured they won't be available forever.
And any good Dad sends his kids out into the world prepared.


No pics, but it was French Police gun. Had freaky weird grips that were much better in the hand than the eye could believe.

If I remember, I'll take pics of the other one I have.
We also have a 16 year old daughter.😉

This is for The Kid, as promised (I finally got it picked up).

Whoooo weee!







It doesn't appear to have been fired, near as I can tell.

No powder or lead, anywhere and no brass markings on the charge holes or recoil plate. That's going to be rectified.
It's a pre-war OMT since it has checkered trigger, back strap and cylinder latch. The grips are what I put on my 32; 357/Python targets, so they are not original.

Had two of my 38s out Friday morning. 14-3 and a 15-2 along with a 686 and 10" Mark 2

4 grains of HP -38 over a powder coated 125 gr makes an accurate easy shooting load. I'll be the first to admit I'm not the best handgun shot but no problem hitting even the 4 " plate at 30 yards offhand in double action

HawkI, that is an awesome revolver. I a box if not “the” box with some not cheap grips to boot.

I should get to pick mine up tomorrow when the mail runs to the LGS. It’s a brother to yours, albeit I’m not nearly so nice shape. But it was cheap, like police trade in S&W cheap, supposedly mechanically perfect, and I’m hoping the surface rust that made it so cheap will come off without too much pitting. Will see soon.

Some nice S&Ws and good shooting. A 4” plate at 30 yards is beyond the capabilities of a huge percentage of people.