I survived three deadly attacks while armed w/my issued thirty-eight during my 30 years as an LEO (retired in ‘97). Still carry a small .38 as a retiree.
@@Madinfidelprepper what's bullshit? The LAPD didn't transition from revolvers to the Beretta 92 pistols until the late 1980s and early 1990s. Glock and Smith & Wesson were in the mix as well and some of the older cops still carried their issue revolvers. The Beretta 92 is a big handgun compared to a M-10 S&W K-frame.
I have three oak leaf clusters on my marksmanship ribbon from the Air Force for the 38 Combat Masterpiece that I carried as an aircrew member on B-52H models. The M-16's at Lackland at that time were bring-backs from Nam and were horrible. I scored 86 out of 100. Lo, 38 years have passed and I have a Ruger SR 556 and at 120 meters I ring the gong 28 out of a 30 round mag.
I'm old enough to remember when most police officer carried revolvers. Back then, you could find .38 Special brass cheap. That meant you could reload .38 Special very cheaply. I reloaded and shot a lot of .38 Special ammo. I was looking at ammo online the other day, and was shocked to see how expensive .38 Special are these days. These days 9mm is the cheapest ammo. That makes sense, since most police department now carry semi-auto handguns. But I still have a warm place in my heart for the .38 Special. Of course, the .357 Magnum is awesome too.
@@fjb4932 “Socialism is the philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy.” -Perth, Scotland, 28 May 1948, in Churchill, Europe Unite: Speeches 1947 & 1948 (London: Cassell, 1950), 347. “The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of blessings. The inherent virtue of Socialism is the equal sharing of miseries.” -House of Commons, 22 October 1945. -W. Churchill
@@fjb4932Socialism vs capitalism? Socialism is more gun positive than capitalism. Capitalism is centered around capital, you are a human resource unless you have enough capital to be a capitalist. Capitalist thrive on the human resource thinking “I can be a capitalist too”, it’s modern day slavery. Socialism is geared towards making society better through equal opportunity and not having a few own the many. In practice though capitalism infests socialism through oligarchs and gives the bad impression. When socialism infests capitalism you get unions, non employment based healthcare, and something closer to democracy. So many human resources have fallen for what the capitalist want and we are undermining any footing we had as a people. We are falling for in-fighting politically (the 2 party system is a farce), religiously (by extension sexually [definitions of sex/gender & the Kinsey scale], and ethnically/racially. The US won’t move in a better direction until there is accountability forced on the capitalist and their cronies in government.
Here's the deal with the .38 Special - there's a BIG difference in velocity between a 2" and a 3" or 4" barrel which usually also makes a significant difference in how much the hollow points expand or whether they expand at all. That round in a 3" barrel is much more effective than a 2" - probably around 60 fps more. So if concealability is not an issue, like with a home defense gun, definitely go with the 3" or 4".
Excellent video, I am putting a link on the end of my video " The .38 Special Is The Best Handgun Cartridge. PERIOD" to your channel. Your video explains a lot more in depth the history that I skimmed through and I think that it would be popular and a lot of my viewers would like to see it.
Gun Sam _Revolver Aficionado_ really like all your videos brotha and your personality isn’t extreme that’s why I like your channel if your a normal dude like most of us .38 is more than enuf ! Lol a lot of people argue with me but I took the words from your mouth and still stand by it! Just wanted to say good job for both your guys videos both were very informative and badass! #trey8willneverdie
@@happytactical6697 funny you talk about extreme personality. I made a few comments on gun afficianado and he cyber bullied me. It was funny. He's an aspiring ameture and challenged me by attacking my experience and I took the bait for fun and then he challenged my credibility saying I was looking up the material in my responses. What's so funny is he asks for polite comments and then cant handle simple debate and matters of opinion without making it personal. .38 is an interesting round and very effective in a revolver. Revolvers are becoming classic so to speak in the world of defensive handguns and combat. I'm glad you all love .38. I love them all. But I now focus on what is most practi al and beneficial for me.
@@metalandwood4u I haven't seen that confrontation between Gun Sam and yourself. But I find it laughable in general today what social media calls bullying. Exaggeration is the most common tool of people online because their generally in competition to characterize themselves as someone to be praised. If humility was the motive for content producers, all the squabbling would be diminished. Gun Sam is not an armature in the subject of ammunition and handguns. That's a gross marginalization by you, especially since he's got such a history of video content demonstrating otherwise. If you don't care for his personality, fine. Don't marginalize his knowledge.
@@exothermal.sprocket yeah I cant even remember somebof the details. But aspiring amateur isnt an insult. Often it just means someone interested orbinvolved in something that doesn't do it professionally. It sounds like an insult perhaps. I dont think I meant it that way. I think I most likely meant it as aspiring expert level not at professional level. I gave some examples and experiences as I personally witnessed and he said I had looked up my material....some of which might have been foot pounds of force in ammunition calibers.
Finally someone who knows the history of the .45 ACP and .38. As a proud Filipino-American I find the story really interesting and compelling. Somewhat ironic that Rock Island Armory, which are made in the Philippines, is famous for their 1911s and .38 special revolvers.
Hermann GOERING.. HITLER'S No.2 man, carried a Smith & Wesson Model 10 .38 Special as his favorite personal piece.. MUCH to the dismay of the American G.l.s who arrested him!!😅😂🤣 He could have carried the most beautiful and exquisite LUGER or WALTHER PISTOL but he chose the Smith and Wesson.38 Special Revolver 👍☺️
You can also run a lever action rifle chambered in 357 mag / .38 special along side the revolver and you got a very versatile combination to cover anything from home defence to outdoor pursuits. Continuity of ammo, decent rate of fire and both platforms are very simple to operate.
The Philippine warriors also took natural drugs before battle to lessen pain, etc. -- same effect as described for people fighting under influence of PCP in modern times.
Fun fact, French SWAT teams used the excellent Manurhin MR-73 .357 Magnum revolver with .38 Special ammunition and one of their drills involved being suspended by ropes lowered from helicopters drawing, engaging and firing on moving targets with ONE hand as the other was used to stabilize the rope. They didn't want pistols because of limp writing malfunctions. Also, the Aircrewman was a S&W revolver with an aluminum cylinder as well as frame and required a specific light loading. The aluminum cylinder concept is seen today in the S&W model 43C in .22 LR
Great video. I recently stumbled across an old 38 snubbie chiefs Special no dash with original wooden grips. I absolutely love this gun, it's in excellent condition for its age, it dated back to 1974. I love the dark blueing they don't make em like they use to. I love it what a great piece of Americana 🇺🇸
A person could do far worse than owning, utilizing, carrying, and being armed with a .38 Special, much worse in fact! From the 1915 Armenian Genocide in Turkey, through the Nazi Holocaust, up to Cambodia's Killing Fields (1975-1979), Rwanda's Genocide of 1994, not to mention two World Wars, Korea, Vietnam, and even to the present, a .38 caliber revolver in proper hands could make the difference between being a victim vs. a victor. But certainly not limited to a military or genocidal scene, but in the United States: the lone woman stranded or broken down along some remote, isolated, rural road or highway, inside the homeowner's night stand, dresser, or bureau drawer, for the outdoorsman: fishing, camping, hiking, etc. Even for the latter the possibility of encountering a pack of feral dogs is not necessarily an isolated incident. Long live the .38 Special. Bear in mind too the 148 grain lead .38 Special wad-cutter. Next to a .22 or .32, this remains highly versatile for hunting small game: rabbit, squirrel, and even grouse. Also, for dispatching vermin: skunk, raccoon, possum, etc. Also, for butchering livestock. Yes....a steer shot in the fore-head with this loading is going to drop dead instantly! For rattlesnakes: Yes again, the 148 grain lead .38 Special wad-cutter. Also, CCI's classic shot or "snake" load: No. 9 shot encased inside a plastic capsule. And remember .38 Specials can likewise be chambered and fired in .357 Magnum revolvers. If a citizen owns either a .357 Magnum or .38 Special, preferably the former, is competent, accurate, safe, sane, and sensible, then they don't need an arsenal for "self defense/house protection/concealed carry." A survival knife a .38 Special combined both make a highly useful combination in a survival situation: urban/metro vs. rural/wilderness. James A. "Jim" Farmer Merrill, Oregon (Klamath County)
@@wizardofahhhs759 . This is true. Especially with a combination .22 Long Rifle/.22 Magnum "dual purpose" revolver. Also, a person can carry more ammo vs. the .38 Special and .357 Magnum. A box of 100 rounds of .22 Long Rifle or .22 Magnum is going to weight noticeably less than the same in .38/.357. There is no perfect firearm for every situation. But you are correct in your endorsement of the .22 rimfire, which I agree is under-rated and has been for well over a century.
Yes in the Gulf War I can confirm .38 Special was used by Marine AH-1 Cobra attack helicopter pilots, Air Force pilots Air Force Forward Air Control and Security Forces. It did see action successfully in the Gulf. That was the last time Uncle Sam used it as far as I know besides US Marshals Court Security , some up to this day.
My Dad gave me a S&W model 36 (3") for my 13th Birthday. For the last 20 years, I've carried nothing but 9's and 40's, but I just turned 60, and I shoot way better with my old .38 than I have in a very long time. I've come Full-circle. There's a very good video on Wad-Cutters you should check out (on UA-cam).
Kudos to you. Well done and well presented video. The .38 S&W Special is alive and well despite all its detractors and it will be around yet for years to come.
My buddy in 51st Special Ops ( Air Force ) in Vietnam was a crew chief on a Jolly Green . In a hot L.Z. emptied his mini-gun and fired all six shots from his S and W before they got out .
You should check out NYPD officer Jim Cirello. He was in a special unit. He used to carry 3 S&W Model 10's. He was in a lot of shootouts and survived them all.
The man is telling you the truth! He carried 3 handguns and 1 12" barreled Ithaca 12 gauge and killed a bunch of bad guys on the stake out squad he was assigned to. That squad pre-dated SWAT in N.Y. so these guys got a lot of trigger time....on the job trigger time. Cirillo was the guy who developed the .38 special 158 grain hollow point +P+ which later was called the N.Y. load and then the Chicago load and then...put in your city....load.
The 38 special was carried by law enforcement military units, and security for close to 100 years and many still do. Many a bad guy was dispatched to the after life by the 38 special.
As a gun collector, trader,hunter, marksman, consistent reloader of 42 years I know firearms and billistics .I own equal amounts of semi auto pistols and revolvers.i handle them all profecently .I'll state my case for the 38 special any well made revolver with quality ammunition is going to work flawlessly. simple , accurate, not brutal to shoot . with semi auto pistols there is a chance of jams , under powered ammunition. now all my semi auto pistols work flawlessly but not everyone that blessed. my wife uses one my two smith and Wesson model 10 revolvers, my married daughter age 39 has my rossie model 720 in 44 special revolver . neither are comfortable with semi auto pistols.. with the high cost of ammo and and reloading supplies it's still far cheeper to reload than pay for gouged 38 prices, that's when or if you find any.i remember so long ago reloading 38 special for under 2.00 a box. nanna and papa wishing you well
The .38 special is my favorite of all handgun cartridges. Shot placement is the secret of success with this easy to reload cartridge. Use of Bullseye or Winchester 231 is the powder to use when you reload your pistol.
I carried a bull barrelled Mod 10 S&W as a sidearm when I was still in the service. I would carry one today if I were still in uniform. Great calibre, great revolver.
I learned to shoot decades ago on .38 special. These days I own more firearms that’ll chamber the cartridge than anything else. I carry vintage S&W J & K frame snubs or Colt D frame snubs. They’re so damn convenient, easy to conceal & personally I can hit what I want, even at distance without trying to hard.
I love the 38 special too. The great thing is you have so many options on grains and loads. Loads to a light recoil to plus p loads. Heavy and lighter loads. Just an all around great option. Good info. I’m one that cut my teeth on the 45acp another old heavy load. Great too though.
I use 158 grain lead ammo religiously in my premodel 10. I just inherited it from my grandpa after he passed away. The model 10 is a historically rich gun and I’m sure happy I own one
Just got into revolvers and got myself ruger gp100 357 magnum with 5 inch barrel. Great thing it also shoots 38spc which is plentiful and not to expensive and very cheap if you reload. Great round versatile and can do it all from hunting if need be to home defense and war even. I fell in love with me revolver and this cartridge. Great video.
www.fieldandstream.com/photos/gallery/hunting/2008/01/grizzly-attack-caught-camera I realize this is about the .38 Special, not the .357 Magnum. However, the former sired the latter. Read on. Nearly 30 years ago Field and Stream Magazine ran this article, a true story . Then 60 year old Montana Fish and Game Officer Louis Kis dispatched a Grizzly bear which instantly turned on him as he was attempting to release it back into the wilderness. The big bear viciously bit into Kis's lower leg below the knee breaking it. Fortunately for the Game Warden he had holstered on his duty belt a 4" barrel *Smith and Wesson (K-Frame) Model 66 "stainless" .357 Combat Magnum revolver. Emptying all six rounds from his .357 Magnum into the enraged Grizzly at point blank range, Kis survived the bear attack. I'm certain all six .357 Magnum rounds were 158 grain Keith type hard cast semi-wadcutters, probably handloads. These would have the penetration necessary to kill the attacking Grizzly. *This story has always been an inspiration to yours truly as I own the same identical handgun Louis Kis carried on duty: a 4" Smith and Wesson Model 66 "stainless" .357 Combat Magnum revolver. I e-mail this from the Klamath County Library: Merrill Branch at Merrill Civic Center, 365 E. Front Street. James A. Farmer Merrill, Oregon (Klamath County)
Thanks for taking the time to do some research, present a nice brief history, and I really liked the photos. I'm thinking the long barrel .38 Special was a better choice for WWII pilots for the following reasons: First, the .38 is more accurate than the 1911 and even more so at longer distances; Second, the longer barrel length means more power; Third, reliability is 100%; Fourth, easier to clean; And Fifth, simple to use.
The .38 Smith & Wesson Model 10 was my first gun. The Smith & Wesson Model 15 Combat Masterpiece was my second. I always got good, tight groups with these revolvers. I never felt that I was under-gunned with the .38 special. I think that all of those magnum proponents fail to realize that this round has sent many a bad guy to Hell. great video. 😊
Accuracy .38 special up to 75 yds l need a model 10 or 15 with 4" barrel, 9mm beretta 92 fs also good, and the 45ACP 1911 pistol great stoping power up to 25yds!!! These are my top choices in handguns!!! Thanks for sharing this superb video,Greetings from Argentina!!!
My first firearm was a Rossi 38 snub I do not carry it anymore (switched to 9mm simi auto) but I will never sell it I still love it for all the reasons you stated.👍🔫
Yes, the 38 Spc was used in the Gulf War. I should know because I was there and personally observed it being used by female MP's at the EPW camps we dropped prisoners at. One of the female MP's told me that a handful of males were issued them also after they had issued out all the 9MM's and 45's, but I never saw this myself. Also, lots of guys brought their personally owned 38's also.
The model 10 was used by the USAF until the M9 became the universal pistol in the mid 80's. The last units to use it were aerial tanker crews, which would probably never have to use them. I understand that they were also issued to female helicopter crew members, who had trouble racking a round into 1911s. I have also heard that helicopter pilots of both genders used them, as they needed to be able to fire with one hand while keeping the other hand on the controls. Model 10s were also issued to the men who were guarding the ICBM silos. Eventually all pistols were replaced by M9s, although there are a lot of model 10s still in storage at various arsenals.
The USAF also issued a lot of Model 15s. I carried Model 15s from 83-87. I never saw any air force personnel carry a model 10. I have no doubt that flight crews had them at one time, but they were phased out in the units that I was assigned to. On that note, I have my dad's model 10 built in 1964. It will be passed down. I will never sell it.
Verdi Vigilante the USAF had victory models , basically a 10 before S&W went to number model designations That soldiered on for quite a while after WW2... the SAC Elite Guards carried nickle plated victory models with stag grips. When the 15 came along, in USAF Service the victory was phased out. But they probably used more S&W revolvers post WW2 ( and more models) than any other service.
The bullet and its placement matter more than anything else. Remington has softer lead than most other major manufacturers SJHP 38 Special loads...it mushrooms quite well...
It's kinda funny...I used to hate the .38 Special. I used to think it was stupidly weak. That was way back when I was new to firearms. Now I love it and respect it as a practical, useful, and historic revolver caliber. I do prefer .357 Magnum overall, but the .38 Special is one that I think I will always like.
some security guards and armored car personnel still carry .38 specials, though the last few years they are shifting to semi-autos. i have a large 686 (8-3/8" barrel) and it weighs in at 3 pounds, so super light recoil with .38's.
I carried it in Viet Nam on two tours as a Pilot. Easy to use. Shoots if it gets dirty. Not too heavy. Never used it in combat but carried it and could depend on it.
I enjoy firearm history too. FYI, the USAF had S&W model 12’s (called the M13 in military parlance). The originals had alloy frames AND alloy cylinders. The allow cylinder could not handle the pressure. Also, the USAF used the S&W model 15’s until the early 90’s when the military traded in the 1911 for the M9 Beretta.
Actually the Spanish-American War was 1898 .. we weren’t at war with the Philippines until 1899.. the US considered it an insurrection but the Filipinos, who were tired of being occupied by Spain and then the US (we defeated the Spanish to occupy the Philippines) .. they wanted an independent republic.. the beginning of our relations were bad but we eventually became strong friends with the Philippines and helped them defeat the Japanese, who occupied them in WW2
You are correct about the .38 spl. still being used in the gulf war. I was a reserve C-130 medevac crew member and we were issued the USAF standard S&W model 15 when we deployed to Desert Shield / Storm.
The .38 special was also used by the UK army and the IRA. It was also a common civilian round in continental Europe. Some told me that for much of the 20th century, the .38soc was the most popular round globally. Idk how accurate that is, but id be interested to confirm it.
A friend of mine had a S&W 15-2 that her dad used in the airforce. It has a striated wide shoe trigger and a knurled wide hammer. Near excellent condition for $400.00. Shoots dead on. I believe I got a great deal. She said she believed her dad bought it around 1967...
Love my jframe. It’s the gun you WILL always have with you compared to the larger/less comfortable options. Also, unless your fighting a wrapped up Philippino jungle warrior, even .38 short or long colt have much less recoil for those aging and arthritic that will do just fine to stop bad guys.
plus p gave the 38spl a new lease on life especially in snubbies. Standard pressure is iffy concerning expansion but plus p just seems to have enough energy to expand and penetrate.
Still one of the best rounds regardless of what people may think. It's my off duty carry round. I carry it in a Ruger SP 101 .38 +p. I own a few .38s and love each one of them. Nice history lesson. The Brits used the .38/200 round. They did testing on animal carcasses and liked how the 200 grain round tumbled through the animal. The .38 special round, I believe, is better than the 38/200.
.38 special was for long the police cartridge. Yes it is old, but it still works. 9 mm and .45 ACP is not much younger, they also still work. Is it the best cartridge? Of course not, it depends on what you need a cartridge to do. It is no bear stopper, .357 magnum gives you more power, .327 federal is maybe as good as .38 special. Does it matter? I dont think for us ordinary folks. It does what you need it to as long as you hit about where you aim, but that holds just as true for 600 Nitro Express. Dont worry about carrying a 38, it is good enough for goverment work, as we are wont to say down here in Southern Africa.
Hit probability is awesome for 38 spl compared to 357 mag in an Revolver. Even a full size SAA 1873 model jumps and has a bit recoil compared to an 38 spl. With an Wadcutter you for sure will hit the target due to soft Shooting.
Great video thank you. love the 38 as well but I don't recall much of the alleged headshots associated with the 38 in the case of the North Hollywood bank shooting.
I believe that the 38-200 designation actually means a 200 mm length, aka 38 caliber (pre spl). It's not a 200 grain bullet (slug), and this was done as the Lend-lease program for allied troops. Great video!
Good point about revolver versus automatic most of the auto loader guys just do pray and spray as to actually trying to hit the target with each round😂
Revolvers are cool and chicks think there sexy! Famous people who had revolvers, Indiana Jones, Lone Ranger, John Wayne, Yosemite Sam, just to name a few!
I survived three deadly attacks while armed w/my issued thirty-eight during my 30 years as an LEO (retired in ‘97). Still carry a small .38 as a retiree.
Its a good weapon and easy to train people on.
I thought officers were issued .357 Magnums
@@strider5964 some departments did like the OKC PD and the highway patrol but some like the LAPD issued 38spl.
Yeah...bullshit
@@Madinfidelprepper what's bullshit? The LAPD didn't transition from revolvers to the Beretta 92 pistols until the late 1980s and early 1990s. Glock and Smith & Wesson were in the mix as well and some of the older cops still carried their issue revolvers. The Beretta 92 is a big handgun compared to a M-10 S&W K-frame.
Currently I have Models: 28, 29, 10, 15, 64, 69 and a Colt police positive. Had in the past a Model : 67, 36, 65. I love revolvers specially S&W.
Simple to use with a somewhat light recoil, easy to clean. I carried a 38 with me during my time in the Airforce.
I have three oak leaf clusters on my marksmanship ribbon from the Air Force for the 38 Combat Masterpiece that I carried as an aircrew member on B-52H models.
The M-16's at Lackland at that time were bring-backs from Nam and were horrible. I scored 86 out of 100.
Lo, 38 years have passed and I have a Ruger SR 556 and at 120 meters I ring the gong 28 out of a 30 round mag.
Melvin Renfroe Thank you for your service.
Roger Beckner Thank you for your service.
As a Correctional Officer, In California, we used that gun until I retired in 2001, great weapon.
Learning to shoot and load a revolver today is an art form itself like a martial arts discipline on it's own.
if i'm in more trouble than my five shot revolver can handle then I've really screwed up. always pay attention, that's your best defense.
I'm old enough to remember when most police officer carried revolvers. Back then, you could find .38 Special brass cheap. That meant you could reload .38 Special very cheaply. I reloaded and shot a lot of .38 Special ammo. I was looking at ammo online the other day, and was shocked to see how expensive .38 Special are these days. These days 9mm is the cheapest ammo. That makes sense, since most police department now carry semi-auto handguns. But I still have a warm place in my heart for the .38 Special. Of course, the .357 Magnum is awesome too.
I will never give up my 38 special revolver
Steven Smith
Socialists say otherwise ...
@@fjb4932 “Socialism is the philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy.” -Perth, Scotland, 28 May 1948, in Churchill, Europe Unite: Speeches 1947 & 1948 (London: Cassell, 1950), 347.
“The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of blessings. The inherent virtue of Socialism is the equal sharing of miseries.” -House of Commons, 22 October 1945.
-W. Churchill
@@fjb4932Socialism vs capitalism? Socialism is more gun positive than capitalism. Capitalism is centered around capital, you are a human resource unless you have enough capital to be a capitalist. Capitalist thrive on the human resource thinking “I can be a capitalist too”, it’s modern day slavery. Socialism is geared towards making society better through equal opportunity and not having a few own the many. In practice though capitalism infests socialism through oligarchs and gives the bad impression. When socialism infests capitalism you get unions, non employment based healthcare, and something closer to democracy.
So many human resources have fallen for what the capitalist want and we are undermining any footing we had as a people. We are falling for in-fighting politically (the 2 party system is a farce), religiously (by extension sexually [definitions of sex/gender & the Kinsey scale], and ethnically/racially.
The US won’t move in a better direction until there is accountability forced on the capitalist and their cronies in government.
Here's the deal with the .38 Special - there's a BIG difference in velocity between a 2" and a 3" or 4" barrel which usually also makes a significant difference in how much the hollow points expand or whether they expand at all. That round in a 3" barrel is much more effective than a 2" - probably around 60 fps more. So if concealability is not an issue, like with a home defense gun, definitely go with the 3" or 4".
Excellent video, I am putting a link on the end of my video " The .38 Special Is The Best Handgun Cartridge. PERIOD" to your channel. Your video explains a lot more in depth the history that I skimmed through and I think that it would be popular and a lot of my viewers would like to see it.
Gun Sam _Revolver Aficionado_ really like all your videos brotha and your personality isn’t extreme that’s why I like your channel if your a normal dude like most of us .38 is more than enuf ! Lol a lot of people argue with me but I took the words from your mouth and still stand by it! Just wanted to say good job for both your guys videos both were very informative and badass! #trey8willneverdie
@@happytactical6697 funny you talk about extreme personality. I made a few comments on gun afficianado and he cyber bullied me. It was funny. He's an aspiring ameture and challenged me by attacking my experience and I took the bait for fun and then he challenged my credibility saying I was looking up the material in my responses. What's so funny is he asks for polite comments and then cant handle simple debate and matters of opinion without making it personal. .38 is an interesting round and very effective in a revolver. Revolvers are becoming classic so to speak in the world of defensive handguns and combat. I'm glad you all love .38. I love them all. But I now focus on what is most practi al and beneficial for me.
@@metalandwood4u I haven't seen that confrontation between Gun Sam and yourself. But I find it laughable in general today what social media calls bullying. Exaggeration is the most common tool of people online because their generally in competition to characterize themselves as someone to be praised. If humility was the motive for content producers, all the squabbling would be diminished. Gun Sam is not an armature in the subject of ammunition and handguns. That's a gross marginalization by you, especially since he's got such a history of video content demonstrating otherwise. If you don't care for his personality, fine. Don't marginalize his knowledge.
@@exothermal.sprocket yeah I cant even remember somebof the details. But aspiring amateur isnt an insult. Often it just means someone interested orbinvolved in something that doesn't do it professionally. It sounds like an insult perhaps. I dont think I meant it that way. I think I most likely meant it as aspiring expert level not at professional level. I gave some examples and experiences as I personally witnessed and he said I had looked up my material....some of which might have been foot pounds of force in ammunition calibers.
@@metalandwood4u Thanks for clarifying.
Finally someone who knows the history of the .45 ACP and .38. As a proud Filipino-American I find the story really interesting and compelling.
Somewhat ironic that Rock Island Armory, which are made in the Philippines, is famous for their 1911s and .38 special revolvers.
ExcessHorsepower maybe but dont forget the Philippines and USA were strong allies in the WW2. And remain so today as our values are aligned.
Rock Island made in iowa also.
I say heck yeah, let them profit from mfr. guns and .38 cartridges, since they were invented with the Filipino warriors in mind.
38 long Colt not spl❤
The 38 special has put alot of people in the ground. It works!!
Ralph Hunt
Talk about an awesome story. Don’t mess with a momma bear!
Not to play with.
Hermann GOERING..
HITLER'S No.2 man, carried a Smith & Wesson Model 10 .38 Special as his favorite personal piece..
MUCH to the dismay of the American G.l.s who arrested him!!😅😂🤣
He could have carried the most beautiful and exquisite LUGER or WALTHER PISTOL but he chose the Smith and Wesson.38 Special Revolver 👍☺️
You can also run a lever action rifle chambered in 357 mag / .38 special along side the revolver and you got a very versatile combination to cover anything from home defence to outdoor pursuits. Continuity of ammo, decent rate of fire and both platforms are very simple to operate.
Barney Fife carried a 38 special and kept his cartridge in his shirt pocket.
The Philippine warriors also took natural drugs before battle to lessen pain, etc. -- same effect as described for people fighting under influence of PCP in modern times.
Fun fact, French SWAT teams used the excellent Manurhin MR-73 .357 Magnum revolver with .38 Special ammunition and one of their drills involved being suspended by ropes lowered from helicopters drawing, engaging and firing on moving targets with ONE hand as the other was used to stabilize the rope. They didn't want pistols because of limp writing malfunctions. Also, the Aircrewman was a S&W revolver with an aluminum cylinder as well as frame and required a specific light loading. The aluminum cylinder concept is seen today in the S&W model 43C in .22 LR
Great video. I recently stumbled across an old 38 snubbie chiefs Special no dash with original wooden grips. I absolutely love this gun, it's in excellent condition for its age, it dated back to 1974. I love the dark blueing they don't make em like they use to. I love it what a great piece of Americana 🇺🇸
I got a j frame defender in nickel. It's badass. 1969
@jamison bernhardt Right on brother 🇺🇸
Great video. Good, casual delivery. Knowledgeable young man helping to keep firearm/combat history alive. Godspeed.
A person could do far worse than owning, utilizing, carrying, and being armed with a .38 Special, much worse in fact! From the 1915 Armenian Genocide in Turkey, through the Nazi Holocaust, up to Cambodia's Killing Fields (1975-1979), Rwanda's Genocide of 1994, not to mention two World Wars, Korea, Vietnam, and even to the present, a .38 caliber revolver in proper hands could make the difference between being a victim vs. a victor. But certainly not limited to a military or genocidal scene, but in the United States:
the lone woman stranded or broken down along some remote, isolated, rural road
or highway, inside the homeowner's night stand, dresser, or bureau drawer, for the
outdoorsman: fishing, camping, hiking, etc. Even for the latter the possibility of
encountering a pack of feral dogs is not necessarily an isolated incident. Long
live the .38 Special.
Bear in mind too the 148 grain lead .38 Special wad-cutter. Next to a .22 or .32, this
remains highly versatile for hunting small game: rabbit, squirrel, and even grouse.
Also, for dispatching vermin: skunk, raccoon, possum, etc. Also, for butchering livestock.
Yes....a steer shot in the fore-head with this loading is going to drop dead instantly!
For rattlesnakes: Yes again, the 148 grain lead .38 Special wad-cutter. Also, CCI's classic
shot or "snake" load: No. 9 shot encased inside a plastic capsule. And remember .38
Specials can likewise be chambered and fired in .357 Magnum revolvers. If a citizen
owns either a .357 Magnum or .38 Special, preferably the former, is competent, accurate,
safe, sane, and sensible, then they don't need an arsenal for "self defense/house protection/concealed carry." A survival knife a .38 Special combined both make a
highly useful combination in a survival situation: urban/metro vs. rural/wilderness.
James A. "Jim" Farmer
Merrill, Oregon (Klamath County)
James Farmer Well said.
You can also do all of the above with a .22LR.
@@wizardofahhhs759 . This is true. Especially with a combination .22 Long Rifle/.22 Magnum
"dual purpose" revolver. Also, a person can carry more ammo vs. the .38 Special and .357 Magnum.
A box of 100 rounds of .22 Long Rifle or .22 Magnum is going to weight noticeably less than the same in .38/.357. There is no perfect firearm for every situation. But you are correct in your endorsement of the .22 rimfire, which I agree is under-rated and has been for well over a century.
@@wizardofahhhs759 Sure, like a S & W Model 34 J frame "Kit Gun".
Yes in the Gulf War I can confirm .38 Special was used by Marine AH-1 Cobra attack helicopter pilots, Air Force pilots Air Force Forward Air Control and Security Forces. It did see action successfully in the Gulf. That was the last time Uncle Sam used it as far as I know besides US Marshals Court Security , some up to this day.
Didn't the coast guard hold onto for a while into the mid 90s???
I thought this was a video on one of my favorite Southern rock bands. But it's about one of my favorite cartridges, so it's still cool .
My EDC is a .38 Special and my primary go-to defense gun. Nice video.
Both my duty side arm and ccw are 38
My Dad gave me a S&W model 36 (3") for my 13th Birthday. For the last 20 years, I've carried nothing but 9's and 40's, but I just turned 60, and I shoot way better with my old .38 than I have in a very long time. I've come Full-circle. There's a very good video on Wad-Cutters you should check out (on UA-cam).
Good choice
Kudos to you. Well done and well presented video. The .38 S&W Special is alive and well despite all its detractors and it will be around yet for years to come.
Thanks for your presentation on the 38 special, its use and history. Nicely done.
My buddy in 51st Special Ops ( Air Force ) in Vietnam was a crew chief on a Jolly Green . In a hot L.Z. emptied his mini-gun and fired all six shots from his S and W before they got out .
You should check out NYPD officer Jim Cirello. He was in a special unit. He used to carry 3 S&W Model 10's. He was in a lot of shootouts and survived them all.
Three models 10s lol old skool re-load jus draw another gun lol
everyone is a fucking expert
The man is telling you the truth! He carried 3 handguns and 1 12" barreled Ithaca 12 gauge and killed a bunch of bad guys on the stake out squad he was assigned to. That squad pre-dated SWAT in N.Y. so these guys got a lot of trigger time....on the job trigger time. Cirillo was the guy who developed the .38 special 158 grain hollow point +P+ which later was called the N.Y. load and then the Chicago load and then...put in your city....load.
Jeff Donner, had an issue of combat handguns that talked about a few of his stories , could kick myself for throwing those away
So did Gen. Patton.
I like the 38 special a lot also. An awesome load. You done an awesome job on the history narrating.
The 38 special was carried by law enforcement military units, and security for close to 100 years and many still do. Many a bad guy was dispatched to the after life by the 38 special.
As a gun collector, trader,hunter, marksman, consistent reloader of 42 years I know firearms and billistics .I own equal amounts of semi auto pistols and revolvers.i handle them all profecently .I'll state my case for the 38 special
any well made revolver with quality ammunition is going to work flawlessly. simple , accurate, not brutal to shoot . with semi auto pistols there is a chance of jams , under powered ammunition. now all my semi auto pistols work flawlessly but not everyone that blessed. my wife uses one my two smith and Wesson model 10 revolvers, my married daughter age 39 has my rossie model 720 in 44 special revolver . neither are comfortable with semi auto pistols.. with the high cost of ammo and and reloading supplies it's still far cheeper to reload than pay for gouged 38 prices, that's when or if you find any.i remember so long ago reloading 38 special for under 2.00 a box. nanna and papa wishing you well
Up until I got out in 1989, C-130 aircrews were still being issued the model 10 heavy barrel.
The .38 special is my favorite of all handgun cartridges. Shot placement is the secret of success with this easy to reload cartridge. Use of Bullseye or Winchester 231 is the powder to use when you reload your pistol.
My brother was issued a model 10 in 1986. He was a crew chief on a Blackhawk helicopter. When he entered the special forces he got a beretta 92.
I carried a bull barrelled Mod 10 S&W as a sidearm when I was still in the service. I would carry one today if I were still in uniform. Great calibre, great revolver.
Awesome video! I bought my first revolver this weekend in 38 special and I can't wait to shoot it!
Enjoy!!!, you'll love it.
You should've mentioned how the 38/357 run in a long gun.
I love it.
Amen.. Started reloading with 38 by accident. Loaded all common pistol rounds since. Still shoot 38 way more. Thanks a bunch for the video
I learned to shoot decades ago on .38 special. These days I own more firearms that’ll chamber the cartridge than anything else. I carry vintage S&W J & K frame snubs or Colt D frame snubs. They’re so damn convenient, easy to conceal & personally I can hit what I want, even at distance without trying to hard.
I love the 38 special too. The great thing is you have so many options on grains and loads. Loads to a light recoil to plus p loads. Heavy and lighter loads. Just an all around great option. Good info. I’m one that cut my teeth on the 45acp another old heavy load. Great too though.
I use 158 grain lead ammo religiously in my premodel 10. I just inherited it from my grandpa after he passed away. The model 10 is a historically rich gun and I’m sure happy I own one
Great video on a great historic round used by military and law enforcement regularly for nearly 90 years!
Just got into revolvers and got myself ruger gp100 357 magnum with 5 inch barrel.
Great thing it also shoots 38spc which is plentiful and not to expensive and very cheap if you reload.
Great round versatile and can do it all from hunting if need be to home defense and war even.
I fell in love with me revolver and this cartridge.
Great video.
Love your enthusiasm!
This is right up my alley; I share your passion for history! Subscribed!:)
www.fieldandstream.com/photos/gallery/hunting/2008/01/grizzly-attack-caught-camera
I realize this is about the .38 Special, not the .357 Magnum. However, the former sired
the latter. Read on.
Nearly 30 years ago Field and Stream Magazine ran this article, a true story . Then 60 year old Montana Fish and Game Officer Louis Kis dispatched a Grizzly bear which instantly turned on him as he was attempting to release it back into the wilderness. The big bear viciously bit into Kis's lower leg below the knee breaking it. Fortunately for the Game Warden he had holstered on his duty belt a 4" barrel *Smith and Wesson (K-Frame) Model 66 "stainless" .357 Combat Magnum revolver. Emptying all six rounds from his .357 Magnum into the enraged Grizzly at point blank range, Kis survived the bear attack. I'm certain all six .357 Magnum rounds were 158 grain Keith type hard cast semi-wadcutters, probably handloads. These would have the penetration necessary to kill the attacking Grizzly.
*This story has always been an inspiration to yours truly as I own the same identical handgun Louis Kis carried on duty: a 4" Smith and Wesson Model 66 "stainless" .357 Combat Magnum revolver. I e-mail this from the Klamath County Library: Merrill Branch at Merrill Civic Center, 365 E. Front Street.
James A. Farmer
Merrill, Oregon (Klamath County)
Thank you for relaying that story, Sir.
Excellent presentation.
Great video dude, super enjoyable to watch and listen I’m looking for my first handgun and I’m now interested in buying revolvers. Always liked em.
Thanks for taking the time to do some research, present a nice brief history, and I really liked the photos. I'm thinking the long barrel .38 Special was a better choice for WWII pilots for the following reasons: First, the .38 is more accurate than the 1911 and even more so at longer distances; Second, the longer barrel length means more power; Third, reliability is 100%; Fourth, easier to clean; And Fifth, simple to use.
My dad was issued a model 10 in the AF in 1990-1991, he was a medical assistant at Castle AFB. During the gulf war, but not in theater
38 special is a good all purpose round. My side arm is a 357 but i load it with 38. Hardly any recoil. My shot placement is excellent
The .38 Smith & Wesson Model 10 was my first gun. The Smith & Wesson Model 15 Combat Masterpiece was my second. I always got good, tight groups with these revolvers. I never felt that I was under-gunned with the .38 special. I think that all of those magnum proponents fail to realize that this round has sent many a bad guy to Hell. great video. 😊
Accuracy .38 special up to 75 yds l need a model 10 or 15 with 4" barrel, 9mm beretta 92 fs also good, and the
45ACP 1911 pistol great stoping power up to 25yds!!! These are my top choices in handguns!!! Thanks for sharing this superb video,Greetings from Argentina!!!
+p came out in 1972 believe. Love my 38 spl. Always ! 🇺🇸
My first firearm was a Rossi 38 snub I do not carry it anymore (switched to 9mm simi auto) but I will never sell it I still love it for all the reasons you stated.👍🔫
Awesome video, very informative.
Yes, the 38 Spc was used in the Gulf War. I should know because I was there and personally observed it being used by female MP's at the EPW camps we dropped prisoners at. One of the female MP's told me that a handful of males were issued them also after they had issued out all the 9MM's and 45's, but I never saw this myself. Also, lots of guys brought their personally owned 38's also.
Great video on an absolutely great round, 38 special mod 10 was my first big bore revolver and i have loved it every since, thanks again
Very good summary I enjoyed it thanks
Great vid, hopefully you are planning to do more 😀
The model 10 was used by the USAF until the M9 became the universal pistol in the mid 80's. The last units to use it were aerial tanker crews, which would probably never have to use them. I understand that they were also issued to female helicopter crew members, who had trouble racking a round into 1911s. I have also heard that helicopter pilots of both genders used them, as they needed to be able to fire with one hand while keeping the other hand on the controls. Model 10s were also issued to the men who were guarding the ICBM silos. Eventually all pistols were replaced by M9s, although there are a lot of model 10s still in storage at various arsenals.
The USAF also issued a lot of Model 15s. I carried Model 15s from 83-87. I never saw any air force personnel carry a model 10. I have no doubt that flight crews had them at one time, but they were phased out in the units that I was assigned to. On that note, I have my dad's model 10 built in 1964. It will be passed down. I will never sell it.
Verdi Vigilante the USAF had victory models , basically a 10 before S&W went to number model designations
That soldiered on for quite a while after
WW2... the SAC Elite Guards carried nickle plated victory models with stag grips. When the 15 came along, in USAF
Service the victory was phased out.
But they probably used more S&W revolvers post WW2 ( and more models) than any other service.
The 38/44 heavy duty is the best cartridge Elmer Keith ever dreamed up
Yes, definitely still in use during the Gulf War. I also remember seeing a lot of 1911s, and even M3 sub machine guns!
The bullet and its placement matter more than anything else. Remington has softer lead than most other major manufacturers SJHP 38 Special loads...it mushrooms quite well...
Great video ! Love my snub 642 .38 +P 🤩🇺🇸
The round thing on grip is a lanyard ring.
I am very fond of shooting 38’s from my model 19. Target rounds I load myself. Very pleasant and accurate also.
Damn fine job,sir,,, and a damn fine caliber,,,,, beautiful pistol there too,,,thank you
It's kinda funny...I used to hate the .38 Special. I used to think it was stupidly weak. That was way back when I was new to firearms. Now I love it and respect it as a practical, useful, and historic revolver caliber. I do prefer .357 Magnum overall, but the .38 Special is one that I think I will always like.
Live and work on a ranch in Montana. Carry a tuned model 10-4 thats been converted from square butt to round or a 3in model15 almost every day.
I think the 38 special is a fine cartridge, in fact I carry it everyday. The 357 magnum cartridge is my favorite though.
I love the photos of the old school gun techniques. :p
some security guards and armored car personnel still carry .38 specials, though the last few years they are shifting to semi-autos. i have a large 686 (8-3/8" barrel) and it weighs in at 3 pounds, so super light recoil with .38's.
Not only is a good cartridge it's a good rock band too. So just hold loosely and don't let go.
I carried it in Viet Nam on two tours as a Pilot. Easy to use. Shoots if it gets dirty. Not too heavy. Never used it in combat but carried it and could depend on it.
I had a really nice model 14-3 with the box, it was super accurate!!!!!!!!!
I enjoy firearm history too. FYI, the USAF had S&W model 12’s (called the M13 in military parlance). The originals had alloy frames AND alloy cylinders. The allow cylinder could not handle the pressure. Also, the USAF used the S&W model 15’s until the early 90’s when the military traded in the 1911 for the M9 Beretta.
Great video 😊
Actually the Spanish-American War was 1898 .. we weren’t at war with the Philippines until 1899.. the US considered it an insurrection but the Filipinos, who were tired of being occupied by Spain and then the US (we defeated the Spanish to occupy the Philippines) .. they wanted an independent republic.. the beginning of our relations were bad but we eventually became strong friends with the Philippines and helped them defeat the Japanese, who occupied them in WW2
You are correct about the .38 spl. still being used in the gulf war. I was a reserve C-130 medevac crew member and we were issued the USAF standard S&W model 15 when we deployed to Desert Shield / Storm.
The .38 special was also used by the UK army and the IRA. It was also a common civilian round in continental Europe. Some told me that for much of the 20th century, the .38soc was the most popular round globally. Idk how accurate that is, but id be interested to confirm it.
A friend of mine had a S&W 15-2 that her dad used in the airforce. It has a striated wide shoe trigger and a knurled wide hammer. Near excellent condition for $400.00. Shoots dead on. I believe I got a great deal. She said she believed her dad bought it around 1967...
Love my jframe. It’s the gun you WILL always have with you compared to the larger/less comfortable options. Also, unless your fighting a wrapped up Philippino jungle warrior, even .38 short or long colt have much less recoil for those aging and arthritic that will do just fine to stop bad guys.
The S&W Victory Model was NOT a Model 1O, the K frame was the M&P Model. The Model 10 designation came out years later
You had me at the fingernails...
lol
plus p gave the 38spl a new lease on life especially in snubbies. Standard pressure is iffy concerning expansion but plus p just seems to have enough energy to expand and penetrate.
By sales numbers the smith model 10 was the best selling sidearm of the 20th century.
How the Marines became known as "Leathernecks!"
Awesome 👌
158 grain round lead bullets the very best combo in my opinion for accuracy.
i still carry 1 , sometimes 2. it will never go out of style, and Y because it gets the job done.
Still one of the best rounds regardless of what people may think. It's my off duty carry round. I carry it in a Ruger SP 101 .38 +p. I own a few .38s and love each one of them. Nice history lesson. The Brits used the .38/200 round. They did testing on animal carcasses and liked how the 200 grain round tumbled through the animal. The .38 special round, I believe, is better than the 38/200.
Also, 45 style weapons were known well prior to the 1911 and were pretty much the standard
The “rope or string” is called a lanyard. Lanyards are used to prevent loss.
.38 special was for long the police cartridge. Yes it is old, but it still works. 9 mm and .45 ACP is not much younger, they also still work.
Is it the best cartridge? Of course not, it depends on what you need a cartridge to do. It is no bear stopper, .357 magnum gives you more power, .327 federal is maybe as good as .38 special. Does it matter? I dont think for us ordinary folks. It does what you need it to as long as you hit about where you aim, but that holds just as true for 600 Nitro Express. Dont worry about carrying a 38, it is good enough for goverment work, as we are wont to say down here in Southern Africa.
Hit probability is awesome for 38 spl compared to 357 mag in an Revolver. Even a full size SAA 1873 model jumps and has a bit recoil compared to an 38 spl. With an Wadcutter you for sure will hit the target due to soft Shooting.
Great video thank you. love the 38 as well but I don't recall much of the alleged headshots associated with the 38 in the case of the North Hollywood bank shooting.
I believe that the 38-200 designation actually means a 200 mm length, aka 38 caliber (pre spl). It's not a 200 grain bullet (slug), and this was done as the Lend-lease program for allied troops. Great video!
I like the fact that if you want quick follow up shots 38 more stopping power 357
Good point about revolver versus automatic most of the auto loader guys just do pray and spray as to actually trying to hit the target with each round😂
I have the K-38 Masterpiece my Dad bought in 1957. That's before they were called Model 14.
Revolvers are cool and chicks think there sexy! Famous people who had revolvers, Indiana Jones, Lone Ranger, John Wayne, Yosemite Sam, just to name a few!