Does a .38 Special Shoot Standard 9mm bullets? Or is .38 special an actual bullet type?

Question

Just wondering.

Answer 1

nope, a .38 special is a caliber of round. that gun was specifically made to fire it. but, a .357 magnum can also fire the .38 special round, but not the other way around.

Answer 2

The 38 special is the name of the cartridge not the bullet.  The bullet is the projectile that exits the business end of the barrel.  To answer your question, there are many bullet types and sizes, hollow point, round nose, full metal jacket, etc.  The caliber is the most important issue here.  When building you own cartriges aka "reloading" or "hand loading" you create your own bullet from a case, primer powder and bullet.  The 9mm bullet and the 38 special bullets are only 1/1000th of an inch difference, but not interchangeable.  In general cartriges are not interchangeable with a few exceptions.  The 38 special can be fired in most 357 revolvers, but not vice-versa.  The 9mm parabellum, luger and plain old 9mm are all the same cartridge, just different names.  The 380 auto and 9mm kurz are the same cartridge, different name.  A revolver cartridge typically has a rim on it to hold it in the revolver cylinder, while an auto cartridge is rimless allowing it to feed in a magazine.  If you put a 9mm cartridge in a 38 special, it would fall out the front of the cylinder.  If you tried to put a 38 special in a 9mm, it would not fit in the magazine, they are NOT interchangeable.

The standard caliber sizes for some common cartriges are as follows: (this is a very partial list)

.380 ACP   = bullet diameter .355"

9mm kurz (380 auto) = bullet diameter .355"

9mm Mauser = bullet diameter .355"

9mm largo = bullet diameter .355"

9mm parabellum = bullet diameter .355"

9mm luger = bullet diameter .355"

9mm (same as luger and parabellum) = bullet diameter .355"

357 Sig = bullet diameter .3555"

38 auto = bullet diameter .356"

38 super= bullet diameter .356"

38 long colt = bullet diameter .357"

38 S&W special = bullet diameter .357"

357 magnum = bullet diameter .357"

So the next time one of those cop shows has someone looking at a bullet hole and saying "it looks like a 38 special" of some nonsense, now you know there is no possible way you could tell by looking at the hole that one hole was 1/1000th of an inch bigger or smaller than another hole.  Even if you retrieve the bullet and measure the now deformed bullet, you will have a hard time determining the cartridge and/or gun that fired the bullet.

Answer 3

No 38 Special is a separate caliber from the 9mm.* You only load 38's in a 38 Special, no other cartridge or caliber.*

Answer 4

Not at all.  Guns are caliber specific.  The 9mm & the .38 Special are not the same.  The 9mm is a .355" caliber and the .38 Special is actually a .357" caliber.  Ruger Blackhawk made a .357 Magnum single action revolver with a seperate cylinder chambered for 9mm, but other than that guns are caliber specific.  

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Answer 5

.38 Special is the actual caliber. Not 9mm.

Answer 6

A .38 special is an actual revolver caliber. Always, always, always buy ammunition in the caliber that matches the exact markings on your pistol. Incorrect ammo can cause the pistol to explode and has the potential to harm or kill the shooter and bystanders. .38 specials go only in a .38 special, but will also work in a .357 magnum, not the other way around by the way. 9mm luger ammo is only for pistols that are 9mm luger caliber. However, if you're wondering if there's a pistol that can shoot all three, Ruger makes a single action revolver that has two cylinders and can shoot all three types of ammo; one for .357 magnum/.38 special and another for 9mm Luger.      

Answer 7

.38 special is a caliber and you can only fire that caliber.

A .357 magnum revolver can fire .357 magnum and .38 special but not the other way around.

Answer 8

Two seperate animals. With different diameters; 38 Spcl =.357" and the 9mm=.355" close but no cigar.

Answer 9

Does a .38 Special Shoot Standard 9mm bullets? Or is .38 special an actual bullet type?

Nope, a .38 special will not shoot 9mm. and yes, 38 Special is a caliber of its own.