Hello everyone, I just got my pistol permit and have a question about ammo. can you use any ammo as long as it's the right caliber for your pistol? also I just purchased a western style revolver and was wondering if I have to use only cowboy type ammo in it or can I use any ammo. thanks

Welcome to the forum chinoboy. Rules are simple, be nice and join in.

What kind and caliber revolver did you get? Most modern guns are made for modern ammo, but there are some exceptions. Knowing the maker and caliber and model of your revolver would give our members the chance to share their experiences with the same kind of handgun.

Your western style revolver, provided that it is recently manufactured (no antique stuff), can shoot any standard velocity ammo of the same caliber. The cowboy type ammo is loaded with a light powder charge in order to reduce recoil for cowboy action shooting.

Some exceptions: Do not shoot ammo designated +P, +P+, etc. unless you are certain that the manufacturer states that your revolver is strong enough to handle these high velocity/pressure loads. If your revolver is chambered for the .357 magnum, you may also shoot .38 special ammo in it. If your revolver is chambered for the .44 magnum, you may also shoot .44 special ammo in it. Should you do this, periodically clean the chambers so as not to allow lead to build up in them from shooting the shorter cartridges. Ruger revolvers are very strong, hence can shoot higher velocity/pressure loads, but here again, safety and common sense should be adhered to. Hope this helps.

thanks for responding so quickly, sorry about being so minimalist with the info. I own a 357 magnum made by a company called mitchell arms. couldn't locate a web site about this company. I also apologize if I posted on the wrong forum. didn't scroll down enough to discover the cowboy topic forum. thanks for the info again

chinoboy
Never heard of that maker? Being a 357 mag it should be able to handle any of the Loads that are on the market! As stated above if the manual for that gun doesn't say +P loads are O.K don't use them! Also you can shoot 38 Sp in it as well that gun should be able to shoot any +p in 38 SP as they are not anywhere near 357 Mag loads. If you want a good factory load Magtech is good stuff in both 38 Sp and 357 mag! Save your brass as you might want to start reloading! :) Enjoy and be safe!

thanks for reponding again. but what does sp,p and any other abbreviations that I might need to know mean?

The SP above referred to special, 38SP = 38 special. The P in +P stands for power. They're hotter than 38 special loads so they call them 38 +power.

Don't get overwhelmed. Continue to ask questions and all this will start clicking soon.

thanks, will do.

>They're hotter than 38 special loads so they call them 38 +power.

Actually, it's +pressure, meaning they are loaded to higher than standard pressure for that round.

Any revolver labelled as being chambered for .357 Magnum should be safe to use with any commercially-made .357 Magnum ammo, or any .38 Special ammo.

was at the target range a couple of days ago. saw these rounds that said "wadcutter" on the box. when I asked the guy behind the counter what wadcutter meant, he said it was because they cut nice round holes. Is this guy yanking my chain, or is he telling the truth?

A wad cutter is a cylinder shaped bullet and yes they do cut nice round holes in targets but so does any good flat point bullet.

About the wadcutter, the guy was not jerking your chain. bullet was developed and for and is popular with target shooters as it allows for easy scoring of targets; it punches nice, sharp edged holes, producing little .38 cal paper wads. As noted, other bullets with flat points will also cut clean holes.
Pete

Back in the olden days (and even today in some applications) reloaders would use cardboard wads in shotgun shells, or between powder and bullet in a blackpowder load. You could buy wads, but many folks made their own by cutting them out of cardboard with a properly-sized punch, also called a "wad cutter". That's where the bullets got the name -- they make clean holes, just like a wad cutter.

If you're relatively new to handgun shooting, you might try a box of .38 Special wadcutters in your .357 mag. They are rated as midrange ammunition, are very mild in recoil (650 fps) and have excellent accuracy within their range of about 75 yards or less. They make excellent training round for new shooters although they are more likely used by very experienced competition shooters. Don't believe any of the manufacturers make wadcutters in .357 mag. but many reloaders that I know make them on their own.