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.
The .38 is a fine revolver in Smith and Wesson, Colt, and other manufacturers. I served in the US Army, the DIA, and with British Regiments in the 90’s. I often carried different .38 specials which served me well. No complaints. The soldier is the weapon, and the bullet is the tool. Peace all. 🇺🇸🇬🇧
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 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.
During my assignment as a Minuteman ICBM Launch Control Officer in North Dakota, we had S&W Combat Masterpiece Revolvers in the Launch Control Center. Both crewmembers wore these sidearms when there were visitors or maintenance personnel were present.
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.
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".
@@charliejones7574, yessir! Though they are more difficult to find, I've always preferred 5" barrels in .38s or .357s for their better balance and improved performance.
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.
5 лет назад
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.
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 🇺🇸
If there's no dash then it's the very first version of the model. Your gun was actually made in the 50's. I'm 67 and own a 36, no dash, have traced it to 1954.
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 RU-vid).
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 👍☺️
@@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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
I worked for a couple of security agencies in Florida, Tampa Bay area, for a long time many misinterpreted chapter 492 regarding what security carried, it stated Security could only carry 158 grain lead bullets. So many agencies and security guards purchased lead round nose bullets, one agency we were issued 158 grain semi wadcutter hollow points +Ps aka the old treasury load. Fast forward, by the 1990s another agency I worked for were using corbon ammo, the 125 grain jhp +P+ at 1250 fps, which is low end 357....They worked fine.
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 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
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
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.
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
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.
As a first time revolver purchaser I was lucky and was suggested to buy a Ruger .357 Magnum. Only much later did I learn of its caliber capacity and the respect the caliber has maintained.
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!!!
Vietnam veteran, ex-police sergeant, armed security officer, shooter and reloader for 50 years. My edc is a S&W m10 4 inch loaded with fbi loads. Nuff said.😊
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.
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.
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. Lots of guys brought their personally owned 38's also.
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.
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. 😊
3:10 Here's a bit of historical trivia. Ever wonder why U.S. Marines are called "Leathernecks"? It's because, in their first military action, against the Barbary Coast pirates, they wore thick leather collars, to prevent their throats from being slashed. It was the same situation, as described, here.
I was in the Navy from 88-92. The helicopter pilots on board still carried.38 Specials when they went up. I currently carry my Grandfather’s .38 special as my CCW.
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.
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.
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.👍🔫
At 16:10-16:15 Those words could not be more correct, so many people who EDC walk around with 15-18 rounds in a Clip! Handy to have? YES! A Priority? NO Great video my friend!! Love the model 14-3!
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...
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.
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.
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 .
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
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 was trying to find out what is the most accurate handgun cartridge. The 38 special seems to be a favorite. The 9mm might be equal or better but not many revolvers were yet out at the time I researched it. Any opinions would be appreciated. Great video. Thanks.
US Army helo pilots carried 38s from the Korean War until the early 1990s. Although the M9 9mm semiauto was adopted in1985 it took several years to produce enough to replace all the 1911s and 38s in service. I think its highly probable that some 38s were in service during the 1991 Gulf War.
Years ago, I worked for a guy who'd flown the A7 Corsair II in Viet Nam. At the time, I was under the assumption that all pilots carried the 1911, but was told that the Colt pistol started feeling pretty heavy during high-G maneuvers, and that pilots preferred the small-frame S&W .38. He did mention having an alloy-framed .38, so perhaps some of them stayed in inventory. I also read that the S&W Model 10 was preferred by the tunnel rats in Viet Nam, due to the lower noise and muzzle flash than the 1911.
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...
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!
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
