.357 Magnum vs .38 Special - Price, Recoil & Ballistics Compared

Side-by-side price comparison with live market data

Looking for a deep dive? Read our full .357 Magnum vs .38 Special comparison guide with ballistics, capacity, recoil, and use-case analysis.

Current Prices

Metric.357 Magnum.38 Special
Lowest Price$0.307/rd—
Midpoint (per product)$1.23/rd$0.700/rd
Range / practice midpoint$0.660/rd$0.520/rd
Defensive / premium midpoint$1.25/rd$1.08/rd
Highest Price$3.25/rd—
Products Tracked291324
Retailers1617

Prices reflect 30-day observed in-stock data across tracked online retailers. Updated daily.

.357 Magnum

Observed 30-day price distribution

IronScout provides observed price and availability data for .357 Magnum ammo prices ammunition across tracked online retailers. Data reflects historical price observations and does not include purchase recommendations.

Observed 30-Day Price Range (Per Round): median: 1.227, lowest: 0.307, highest: 3.248, sample size: 7795.

Lowest observed price in the trailing 7-day window: 0.329.

Prices last updated October 6, 2026 · 291 listings tracked across 16 retailers · 31 days with data in the 30-day window

How we calculate this

SQL PERCENTILE_CONT over daily-best per-product-per-day observed in-stock prices

  • Daily-best is MIN(price_per_round) per (caliber, product, UTC day).
  • Only in-stock observations included.
  • Coverage varies by retailer and source.

.38 Special

IronScout provides observed price and availability data for .38 Special ammo prices ammunition across tracked online retailers. Data reflects historical price observations and does not include purchase recommendations.

Observed 30-Day Price (Per Round): median: 0.700, sample size: 8498.

Prices last updated October 6, 2026 · 324 listings tracked across 17 retailers · 31 days with data in the 30-day window

How we calculate this

SQL PERCENTILE_CONT over daily-best per-product-per-day observed in-stock prices

  • Daily-best is MIN(price_per_round) per (caliber, product, UTC day).
  • Only in-stock observations included.
  • Coverage varies by retailer and source.
Search .357 Magnum by cost per roundSearch .38 Special by cost per round

Frequently Asked Questions

How do .357 Magnum and .38 Special midpoint prices compare?
.357 Magnum shows a per-product midpoint of $1.23/rd and .38 Special $0.70/rd. Prices are observed across tracked online retailers and updated daily.
Should I choose .357 Magnum or .38 Special?
The choice between .357 Magnum and .38 Special depends on your firearm, intended use, and budget. IronScout provides pricing and availability data to help inform your decision — not recommendations. Compare current prices for both calibers on IronScout.

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