38 Special Ammo For Sale
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Prvi Partizan 38 Special Ammo - 50 Rounds of 130 Grain FMJ Ammunition
$25.4956 In stock now
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PMC 38 Special Ammo - 300 Rounds of 132 Grain FMJ Ammunition
$151.9920 In stock now
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Speer Lawman 38 Special Ammo - 1000 Rounds of 125 Grain TMJ Ammunition
$499.999 In stock now
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Prvi Partizan 38 Special Ammo - 50 Rounds of 158 Grain LRN Ammunition
$24.998 In stock now
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PMC Bronze 38 Special Ammo - 50 Rounds of 132 Grain FMJ Ammunition
$24.9940 In stock now
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Fiocchi 38 Special Ammo - 50 Rounds of 130 Grain FMJ Ammunition
$23.9944 In stock now
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PMC Battle Pack 38 Special Ammo - 900 Rounds of 132 Grain FMJ Ammunition
$424.992 In stock now
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Fiocchi 38 Special Ammo - 1000 Rounds of 130 Grain FMJ Ammunition
$468.9912 In stock now
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Blazer Brass 38 Special Ammo - 1000 Rounds of 125 Grain FMJ Ammunition
$459.9915 In stock now
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Prvi Partizan 38 Special Ammo - 500 Rounds of 158 Grain LSWCHP Ammunition
$229.9945 In stock now
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Speer CleanFire 38 Special Ammo - 50 Rounds of 158 Grain TMJ Ammunition
$22.9951 In stock now
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Prvi Partizan 38 Special Ammo - 500 Rounds of 158 Grain LRN Ammunition
$224.9929 In stock now
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Federal Champion 38 Special Ammo - 1000 Rounds of 130 Grain FMJ Ammunition
$449.9930 In stock now
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PMC 38 Special Ammo - 1000 Rounds of 132 Grain FMJ Ammunition
$437.9933 In stock now
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Sellier and Bellot 38 Special Ammo - 1000 Rounds of 158 Grain FMJ Ammunition
$419.9917 In stock now
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Magtech 38 Special Ammo - 1000 Rounds of 158 Grain LRN Ammunition
$414.9950 In stock now
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Speer Lawman 38 Special Ammo - 1000 Rounds of 158 Grain TMJ Ammunition
$419.99
$399.99
75 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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Dan said:
Fired consistently and accurately
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home defender said:
this ammo shoots so smooth out my 3-inch model 36 Smith and Wesson that it allows my wife to group the shots very tight with a very slight muzzle flip at 40 feet. If I am not home, my wife can pick up the revolver and point and shoot without worrying about safety's, slides, magazines, clip in or out etc. - as she would have a lot of other things to think about in a pressure situation including threat assessment and visual target identification
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M.J. said:
Great ammunition
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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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Mike said:
If you will look at your discription,you left out the fact that this ammo is +P, I have a 38 special that can't use this ammo, but I have another that can. Mike L
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Polfdog said:
Worked fine
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Danielson' said:
First time I ordered from your site and I love you guys and the quality of the ammo you sell. Don't tell my wife how much I ordered!! I'll BE BACK!!
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EARL said:
Enjoyed shooting your ammo out of my Taurus 605 no issues hitting the bull.
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Johnny said:
Great ammo for target practice.
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X4charger7 said:
Always fast getting to you. Get great groups with a good firearm.
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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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hag1945 said:
Great!
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Johnny-Boy said:
Worked great and shot straight.
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THE COLONEL said:
LIKE THE FMJ
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David said:
Approximately every one in six rounds has a primer issue and will not fire when used in a Smith and Wesson Model 10
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KB said:
Fired well!
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ed said:
fully satisfied, good value, good price
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JB said:
Nice clean ammo with no shooting issues
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Chicago John 27 said:
Just needed small amount to test fire a gun. Worked out very well.
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Tyler said:
And had light primer strikes like every ten rounds or so.
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Tom said:
I put .38's s through my .357 to save on ammo costs. Though a common round, not being as popular was 9mm I never know what my range will be charging me for it based upon what is in stock. Happy with my range day with this ammo. Very pleased with my Ammo.com experience.
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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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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