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

Side-by-side price comparison with live market data

Current Prices

Metric.38 Special.357 Magnum
Lowest Price—$0.307/rd
Midpoint (per product)$0.680/rd$1.20/rd
Range / practice midpoint$0.520/rd$0.640/rd
Defensive / premium midpoint$1.05/rd$1.20/rd
Highest Price—$3.25/rd
Products Tracked350312
Retailers2121

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

.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: 0.680, sample size: 8885.

Prices last updated September 26, 2026 · 350 listings tracked across 21 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.

.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: 1.199, lowest: 0.307, highest: 3.248, sample size: 8103.

Lowest observed price in the trailing 7-day window: 0.307.

Prices last updated September 26, 2026 · 312 listings tracked across 21 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 .38 SpecialSearch .357 Magnum

Frequently Asked Questions

How do .38 Special and .357 Magnum midpoint prices compare?
.38 Special shows a per-product midpoint of $0.68/rd and .357 Magnum $1.20/rd. Prices are observed across tracked online retailers and updated daily.
Should I choose .38 Special or .357 Magnum?
The choice between .38 Special and .357 Magnum 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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