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A word to the wise on some of the old .38 S&W pocket revolvers: those from Smith & Wesson were the best quality break-open guns of all that were produced, with the possible exception of the Webleys. The copies of those little S&W handguns range from excellent to barely functional, so if you have an old .38 S&W revolver and are considering shooting it, have it checked by a competent gunsmith first.

More powerful ammunition can also be had for the stronger revolvers like the Smith & Wesson M&Ps and the I-frame revolvers. Fiocchi loads their 145-grain lead bullet at 780 fps, which will work just fine in the swing-out cylinder revolvers but are too hot for the break-open guns. Surplus military ammunition can still be found, and more often than not it is the full metal jacketed .380 Mk IIz.

A word of warning when it comes to shooting .38 S&W ammunition out of guns that are chambered in .38 Special: Don’t even think about it. The .38 Special has a bullet diameter of .358 whereas the .38 S&W’s is .361. Even though a large number of the surplus British M&P revolvers have been rechambered to .38 Special, their bores are oversized and accuracy won’t be the greatest. Some of these guns were not converted properly and can even be dangerous to shoot. Stick to guns that are original .38 S&W guns; you will be happier and safer in the long run.