.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$0.280/rd$0.329/rd
Midpoint (per product)$0.679/rd$1.20/rd
Range / practice midpoint$0.505/rd$0.599/rd
Defensive / premium midpoint$1.00/rd$1.20/rd
Highest Price$2.85/rd$2.85/rd
Products Tracked363318
Retailers2020

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 Range (Per Round): median: 0.679, lowest: 0.280, highest: 2.848, sample size: 8646.

Lowest observed price in the trailing 7-day window: 0.280.

Prices last updated August 13, 2026 · 363 listings tracked across 20 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

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: 1.198, lowest: 0.329, highest: 2.848, sample size: 7646.

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

Prices last updated August 13, 2026 · 318 listings tracked across 20 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

Is .38 Special or .357 Magnum cheaper?
.38 Special currently starts at $0.28/rd (per-product midpoint $0.68/rd). .357 Magnum starts at $0.33/rd (per-product midpoint $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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