38 SPL Ammo

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.38 SPL Ammo For Sale – smith and wesson .38 spl + p

The .38 Smith & Wesson Special (commonly .38 Special, .38 Spl, or .38 Spc, pronounced “thirty-eight special”) is a rimmed, centerfire cartridge designed by Smith & Wesson. It is most commonly used in revolvers, although some semi-automatic pistols and carbines also use this round. The .38 Special was the standard service cartridge of most police departments in the United States from the 1920s to the early 1990s, and was also a common sidearm cartridge used by soldiers in World War I.

38 Special Ammo For Sale- Fast Shipping Available

The .38 Smith & Wesson Special commonly known as .38 Special, .38 Spl, or .38 Spc is a rimmed, centerfire cartridge designed by Smith & Wesson. The .38 Special was the standard service cartridge of most police departments in the United States from the 1920s to the 1990s. Outdoor Limited is your source for cheap ammo online. Browse our great selection of .38 Special Ammo in your favorite brands and styles. We carry 38 Special FMJ, .38 Special Hollow Point and .38 Special Lead Ammo  target, plinking and range use.
Whether you are buying ammunition for target shooting or personal protection, we’ve got it all! Fast shipping and great customer service available!

Smith & Wesson introduced .38 Special ammo back in 1898 to feed their new revolver, which the U.S. military adopted for their standard-issued sidearm. Like most firearm products, the military handgun and cartridge became popular among civilian shooters and police. Although the military rarely uses revolvers nowadays, they’re still extremely popular in the civilian world, especially for concealed carry.image

Today, .38 Special is one of the most common revolver cartridges available. Part of the reason is that early popularity and a nearly 70-year preference by police, but another reason is its size. The 38 Special bullet is actually .357 caliber, so it’s very common for gun makers to chamber their revolvers up for the more powerful .357 Magnum. Constructing a handgun for the heavier load will ensure the less expensive 38 Special round works just fine for target practice. However, revolvers designed only for 38 Special ammo will not fire .357 Mag loads.

Find .38 Special ammo by major handgun ammo brands like Remington, Winchester, and more on OpticsPlanet. The cartridge is available in a variety of grains, loads, and bullet tips. If you’re unsure about what you need, check out our guide on How to Buy Ammo and then get a box today!

Other categories you might be interested in are 9mm Luger Ammunition, 380 ACP Ammunition, 40 S&W Ammunition, 410 Gauge Ammo, 44 Magnum Ammunition.

.38 SPL Ammo For Sale

What Are .38 Special Cartridges Used For?

The .38 Special had a rich service life and was used by all branches of the military in the years between 1935 and 1985. Most frequently used as a self-defense and survival weapon by aircrew members, it was also issued as a duty sidearm to military police and security personnel.

From the 1920s through the 1990s, police departments across the country utilized the power and function of the .38 Special cartridge, and it was used in many sidearm firearms throughout World War I and World War II.

Beyond the military and law enforcement, the .38 Special was, and still is, highly acclaimed as an accurate cartridge and remains popular among target shooters – with the revolver being the most common type of handgun used for target shooting .38 Special rounds.

Because the .38 Special has stopping power and limited recoil, it’s become a favorite among those who train for self-defense situations and concealed carry. With the availability of small, snubnose revolvers chambered for the caliber, there’s little doubt why so many carry it. These snubnoses can easily be carried in an ankle or pocket holster without any hassle or discomfort, making them readily accessible if and when the need strikes.

While the .38 Special cartridge isn’t considered hunting ammunition and most would struggle to take down big game animals with it, the cartridge is effective on small to medium game animals and varmint.

What Is a .38 Special Wadcutter?

Wadcutters are a special type of cartridge that feature a flat-fronted bullet. Designed specifically for shooting targets, the .38 Wadcutter creates a small, clean hole in paper, allowing for easy scoring in target shooting competitions.

In the .38 Special, the wadcutter has also become popular with self-defense enthusiasts. Because of the short barrel in snubnose revolvers, the wadcutter design improves velocity, as well as lethality. Like other loads, there is a wide range of wadcutter ammo, from full wadcutters for target shooting to semi-wadcutter hollow points, which make a great all around bullet for just about everything – including plinking in the backyard and self defense.

What Are the Types of .38 Special Ammo?

Like other firearm cartridges, this .38 ammo comes in a variety of forms and functions. Unlike many other firearms, most .38 Special revolvers can and will reliably fire a variety of cartridges and loads, from grains to pressure, without mishap, even when this variance is loaded into the same cylinder.

Because of this, many shooters opt for guns chambered in .38 Special simply for its variety of loads. Also, many handloaders have come to appreciate the .38 Special cartridge and it’s proven to be a favorite among them.

.38 SPL Ammo For Sale – .38 Special Ammo – .38 spl ammo in stock

Browse our great selection of .38 Special Ammo in your favorite brands and styles. We carry 38 Special FMJ,.38 Special Hollow Point as well as .38 Special Lead Ammo that are built for quality and consistency. you won’t find better prices on 22 Magnum Ammunition anywhere! Search all your favorite .38 Special Ammunition brands at The Sportsman’s Guide. We carry Winchester .38 Special Ammo, Remington .38 Special Ammo, Magtech .38 Special Ammo and more! Get all your ammo at The Guide for low prices.

38 Special Ammo Types

We carry a full line of 38 special with more than a dozen different bullet types. Full metal jacket or lead round nose rounds are very popular for range training. More particular shooters will want to go with a wadcutter load. These wadcutter bullets are particularly good at punching precise holes in paper and are quite popular among competitive shooters where scoring zones are of the utmost importance.

Of course, if you carry a 38 special for protection, you’ll likely want to pick up hollow point rounds of some kind. These bullets expand upon impact with a soft target, doing the maximum amount of damage and giving you the best chance at neutralizing a threat.

38 Special Ballistics

+P ammunition is very common among 38 special loads and you’ll find increased pressure affords shooters about 20% more muzzle energy than standard loads in the caliber.

38 SPECIAL LOAD BULLET WEIGHT MUZZLE VELOCITY MUZZLE ENERGY
38 SPL Wadcutter 148 Grain 690 ft/second 156 ft. lbs.
38 SPL 158 Grain 940 ft/second 310 ft. lbs.
38 SPL +P 158 Grain 1,000 ft/second 351 ft. lbs.


Of course, keep in mind – if you choose to carry a load with increased pressure, that does have the potential to increase strain on your firearm. Many manufacturers do not recommend shooting +p ammo in their firearms. Also, if you choose +p rounds, expect to deal with increased recoil as a result of the increased velocity and energy these loads provide.

Uses For .38 Special Ammo?

The .38 Special had a rich service life and was used by all branches of the military in the years between 1935 and 1985. Most frequently used as a self-defense and survival weapon by aircrew members, it was also issued as a duty sidearm to military police and security personnel.

From the 1920s through the 1990s, police departments across the country utilized the power and function of the .38 Special cartridge, and it was used in many sidearm firearms throughout World War I and World War II.

Beyond the military and law enforcement, the .38 Special was, and still is, highly acclaimed as an accurate cartridge and remains popular among target shooters – with the revolver being the most common type of handgun used for target shooting .38 Special rounds.

anti riot .38 spl ammo

Because the .38 Special has stopping power and limited recoil, it’s become a favorite among those who train for self-defense situations and concealed carry. With the availability of small, snubnose revolvers chambered for the caliber, there’s little doubt why so many carry it. These snubnoses can easily be carried in an ankle or pocket holster without any hassle or discomfort, making them readily accessible if and when the need strikes.

While the .38 Special cartridge isn’t considered hunting ammunition and most would struggle to take down big game animals with it, the cartridge is effective on small to medium game animals and varmint.

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