# Can you shoot .38 Special in a .357 Magnum revolver?

**Verdict: Yes**

Yes. Both fire the same .357-inch bullet, and the shorter .38 case chambers safely in the longer .357 chamber. The reverse will not, by design.

This is one of the few cartridge pairs where mixing is intended rather than tolerated. The two fire the same diameter bullet, and the .357 Magnum chamber is cut for a longer case, so a .38 Special sits in it with room ahead of the case mouth and headspaces on its rim exactly as it would in a .38 revolver.

- **Bullet diameter** — 0.357 in — identical for both
- **Case length** — .38 Special 1.155 in, .357 Magnum 1.29 in
- **SAAMI maximum pressure** — .38 Special 17,500 psi, .357 Magnum 35,000 psi

The eighth of an inch of extra case length is a safety interlock, not a coincidence. The Magnum runs at roughly twice the pressure, and the longer case is the only thing preventing it from chambering in a revolver proved for the lower one. That is why the compatibility runs one way and cannot be made to run both.

> **Caution:** The two case lengths differ by 0.135 inches, so on a .38 Special round that much of each chamber never has a case in it. Standard revolver maintenance, rather than anything the dimensions alone prove: that unswept length collects combustion residue, and a ring of it will eventually stop a full-length .357 case seating. Clean the chambers along their whole length rather than only as far as the shorter case reached.

This applies to revolvers. A .357 Magnum SELF-LOADING firearm needs the recoil energy of the full-power round to work its action, so .38 Special will not reliably cycle one even though it chambers. A lever gun is worked by hand and so is not subject to that at all — whether a given .38 load feeds through its magazine and carrier is a separate question, and one to settle with the rifle rather than from a table.

## Sources

- [.357 Magnum — case length, pressure, and .38 Special compatibility](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.357_Magnum)
- [.38 Special — case length, bullet diameter and pressure](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.38_Special)

## More on ammunition and chambering

- [Is 9mm Makarov the same as 9mm Luger?](https://www.tactgpt.app/answers/9mm-makarov-in-a-9mm-luger.md)
- [Can you shoot 5.56 in a .223 Wylde barrel?](https://www.tactgpt.app/answers/shoot-556-in-a-223-wylde-barrel.md)
- [Can you shoot .380 ACP in a 9mm pistol?](https://www.tactgpt.app/answers/380-acp-in-a-9mm-pistol.md)

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Last checked 2026-09-03. TactGPT can make mistakes. Always check important info for accuracy. The information it provides is intended for educational purposes only. It does not give legal advice; verify any laws cited. Always follow all applicable laws and safety guidelines.

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