38 Special Ammo For Sale
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Speer Lawman 38 Special Ammo - 1000 Rounds of 158 Grain TMJ Ammunition
$419.99
$399.99
69 In stock now
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Magtech 38 Special Ammo - 1000 Rounds of 158 Grain LRN Ammunition
$414.9953 In stock now
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Sellier and Bellot 38 Special Ammo - 1000 Rounds of 158 Grain FMJ Ammunition
$419.9926 In stock now
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Magtech 38 Special Ammo - 50 Rounds of 158 Grain LRN Ammunition
$22.99105 In stock now
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Speer CleanFire 38 Special Ammo - 50 Rounds of 158 Grain TMJ Ammunition
$22.9950 In stock now
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Sellier and Bellot 38 Special Ammo - 50 Rounds of 158 Grain FMJ Ammunition
$24.9911 In stock now
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Fiocchi 38 Special Ammo - 1000 Rounds of 158 Grain FMJ Ammunition
$512.991 In stock now
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Sellier and Bellot 38 Special Ammo - 50 Rounds of 158 Grain LFN Ammunition
$27.494 In stock now
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Magtech 38 Special Ammo - 1000 Rounds of 158 Grain SJHP Ammunition
$559.993 In stock now
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Magtech 38 Special +P Ammo - 1000 Rounds of 158 Grain SJHP Ammunition
$589.995 In stock now
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Magtech 38 Special Ammo - 50 Rounds of 158 Grain SJHP Ammunition
$29.9944 In stock now
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Federal 38 Special Ammo - 1000 Rounds of 158 Grain LRN Ammunition
$599.993 In stock now
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Federal 38 Special Ammo - 50 Rounds of 158 Grain LRN Ammunition
$31.9940 In stock now
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Federal Train + Protect 38 Special Ammo - 500 Rounds of 158 Grain LSWCHP Ammunition
$324.9917 In stock now
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Magtech 38 Special +P Ammo - 50 Rounds of 158 Grain SJHP Ammunition
$32.9925 In stock now
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Black Hills Ammunition 38 Special Ammo - 50 Rounds of 158 Grain CNL Ammunition
$43.9918 In stock now
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Federal Punch 38 Special +P Ammo - 200 Rounds of 120 Grain JHP Ammunition
$229.9910 In stock now
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Underwood 38 Special Ammo - 20 Rounds of 158 Grain LSWHPGC Ammunition
$29.9937 In stock now
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Overview of 38 Special Ammo
The 38 Special has been a cornerstone of American self-defense and revolver shooting for over 120 years, introduced in 1902 and still one of the most widely chambered handgun cartridges in production today. A rimmed, centerfire cartridge, the 38 Special is most often chambered in revolvers, but carbines and a handful of semi-automatic pistols have also been built for the round.
The 38 Special goes by several other names, including the 38 Smith and Wesson Special, the 38 Colt Special, 9x29.5mmR, and 9.1x29mmR. In its standard loading, the 38 Special weighs 158 grain (gr), has a total cartridge length of 1.455 inches, and travels at roughly 755 feet per second (fps). +P loadings push velocity and energy higher for self-defense use, while wadcutter and target loads run lighter and softer for match work and practice.
Many revolver shooters eventually move from 38 Special to 357 Magnum for added power and versatility. The 357 Magnum was developed directly from the 38 Special case, and any 357 Magnum revolver will safely chamber and fire 38 Special ammo, which makes the 38 Special a popular practice load for 357 owners.
The 38 Special is frequently mixed up with the 38 Super, which is a high-pressure semi-automatic cartridge rather than a revolver round. Our 38 Super vs. 38 Special comparison lays out the differences.
What are the most popular 38 Special brands you sell?
- Federal 38 Special Ammo
- Fiocchi 38 Special Ammo
- PMC 38 Special Ammo
- Remington 38 Special Ammo
- Winchester 38 Special Ammo
For extended range sessions and training, browse our 250 rounds of 38 Special ammo for bulk purchasing options, or step up to the 1000-round case for the best price per round.
How does the 38 Special Compare to Other Calibers?
| Comparison | Recoil | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|
| 38 Special vs. 357 Magnum | Higher | Significantly more power and velocity, better for hunting | Much higher recoil, more expensive ammunition |
| 38 Special vs. 9mm | Similar | Higher capacity in semi-auto pistols, faster reloads | Requires semi-auto maintenance, potential feed issues |
| 38 Special vs. 380 ACP | Lower | Better energy and penetration, proven stopping power | Lower capacity (revolver), more recoil than 380 |
| 38 Special vs. 38 S&W | Lower | More powerful and versatile, better ballistics | Higher recoil than 38 S&W, not compatible with older firearms |
Our 38 Special ballistics charts put those same matchups side by side on velocity, energy and bullet drop, load by load.
Best 38 Special Ammo for Specific Use Cases
| Use Case | Winners |
|---|---|
| Best 38 Special for Self-Defense |
Best Overall: Hornady Critical Defense 38 Special +P 110gr JHP Runner-Up: Speer 38 Special +P 125gr JHP |
| Best 38 Special for Snubbies |
Best Overall: Hornady Critical Defense 38 Special +P 110gr JHP Runner-Up: Blazer 38 Special 125 Grain FMJ |
| Best 38 Special for Target Practice |
Best Overall: Ammo Inc 125gr TMJ Runner-Up: Fiocchi 38 Special 130gr FMJ |
Customer Reviews
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Rich said:
I think if you are looking for great deals then don't look any farther.
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Bcino said:
Wanted for my 357 magnum.. perfect
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Donald said:
We used 1 box on re-active targets and were greatly impressed. They really smack hard!
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Gene said:
They come in a convenient bag. They all fire when the trigger is pull. I see no variation in the ballistics,
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td said:
good for the price
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Bill said:
Purchased rounds for girlfriend, though she hasnt fired any yet they seem like quality target rounds. And all ''100'' where accounted for.
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rothbaby said:
I plink'd about 100 rds so far and I am very pleased. This stuff shoots great.
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Tim said:
This is my first online ammo purchase. The service was great, and I think it is a good value. My revolver is a little fussy with dirty ammo and this is my only complaint. It shoots fine, and for the price, I'll get over it.
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Dan said:
I have fired 175 rounds and I have had 3 misloads due to cracks in the bullet case. On one round I had to disassemble the lever gun to dislodge the bullet. I will be looking very closely at the remaining rounds and not buying from your group in the futu
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Bernice said:
Ditto above review. I will order again when more is needed. Thanks
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Farmer said:
I have been shooting this in my air weight Smith and Wesson. Very accurate. Good quality. I will buy more.
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eric said:
Effective with power similar to 357 round. I'm purchasing again
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EARL said:
Great ammo, great price, had a no problem shoot.
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Nitemare said:
Bought this Magtech ammo for my son's 38 special revoler. Turned out to be very good ammo. Clean and accurate.
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Johnny said:
Great ammo for target practice.
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Old_Dude said:
This was my first order from Ammo.com and I was not disappointed. The 1000 rounds came packaged securely, was reasonably priced and arrived on time. I use these as range ammo in my 3 revolvers; S & W 686-6 357 mag, S & W Airweight 38 snub nose and my Ruger LCR 38 snub nose.They work and that's all I can ask. They perform well, and are fine for an indoor range with good ventilation. I will use these again. I also use Hornady Critical Defense 110 gr JHP in the 38s at home and Winchester in my 686 at home for self defense if needed.
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sailormanNH said:
I've shot approx 2,000 rounds no failures. Good cheap rang ammo a little dirty not excessive.
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mike116m1a1 said:
bought 50 rounds to run through my ruger cmdr no issues loading or cycling for practice on paper,plates and pins so came back and ordered 500 more rounds
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ed said:
fully satisfied, good value, good price
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STABE said:
good all around
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Nancy said:
The bullets provided a lot of smoke, which might be ok for an outdoor range, but not so appealing inside. I didn't see anything to suggest they would be this way, and i'm not very happy about it.
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Rick said:
Large quantity arrived intact, price allows more frequent practice, thus maintaining proficiency. First box had one F to F. Second primer strike solved that. 25 rounds remain in first box for 4% error rate to date.
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titanium194333 said:
Will make further purchases --soon ---need 12 ga. ammo
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Bruce said:
The ammunition had a 4% dud rate. And produced more than an expected emission of black powder residue
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Mike493 said:
Looked at several sites before finding the ammo purchased
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Gene said:
They all went "bang!"
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Chuck said:
I will definitely buy this again...................
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John said:
Speer makes great ammo. Unfortunately, with supply so low, prices are high. But, you better have good ammo on hand. This is good!!!!
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John said:
Speer makes great ammo. Unfortunately, with supply so low, prices are high. But, you better have good ammo on hand. This is good!!!!
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Spudman said:
Great Service and Quick Shipping No Better Way to Buy
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Woody Strode said:
What can I say? It's Federal. Never fails, clean burning, consistent shot after shot. My first choice for factory new ammo.
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Frank said:
Worked like it should it went in the gun. it came out of the gun . so it worked just fine.
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George said:
Great ammo great price!