[Rule10b5]

Originally Posted by Cheeseybacon

I've always wondered why 9mm has an advantage over .38 special. I can understand that most factory load vs. factory load, 9mm is probably hotter than the typical .38 as it has always been a high-pressure round, but what about reloading? Both use more or less the same bullet, but the .38 has a much bigger case behind it, which to me says it could be hand-loaded to levels way hotter than the best that 9mm could dish out. Is it a matter of gun limitations, rather than cartridge limitations? As in the typical autolaoder can handle a super hot 9mm load better than the typical revolver can handle a super hot .38?

.38 Special can be hand loaded well beyond 9mm, no doubt. Provided you're going to use it only out of a revolver strong enough to handle it. If you recall, the .38-44 was nothing more than a heavy duty .38 revolver using identical length brass. Elmer Keith was getting in the 1400-1450 fps range with 158 gr. (or 168 gr., I forget) bullets out of a .38-44. It wasn't stronger brass that made this possible -- it was stronger revolvers.

Nobody loads .38 that hot anymore, though, because it's too easy to accidentally dump it into a regular .38 revolver and kill yourself.

Edit to add: While I've loaded hot .38 in the past, I've never gone as hot as the Keith loads, and I won't do it anymore. It's too easy to mix up the rounds (or to have someone else pick up your rounds) and get hurt. It doesn't seem like a big deal, until you watch a buddy shooting a vintage .38 snubbie that isn't even rated for +p reach for a box of your uber-hot handloads, thinking they're regular target ammo. It's easier for me just to load .357 cases when I want .357 velocity.