revolver .380 ruger

[timmy]

One "quick and dirty" test you might perform, if you have an unfired cartridge available:

1. If you have a 38 Special cartridge, it should fit well into a 38 Special revolver chamber. It should drop in without excessive clearance. If the revolver is chambered in 380, the cartridge will fit more loosely.

2. If you have a 380 cartridge, it should drop into a 380 chamber without excessive clearance. If the revolver is chambered in 38 Special, the cartridge either won't enter the chamber, or it will be a very tight fit.

The drawbacks to using this method to tell what you have are:

1. If the revolver is worn, a 380 cartridge may fit into a 38 Special chamber

2. It is dependent upon your interpretation of "loose," "tight," and other subjective points. From this perspective, this method isn't a sure thing. Also, measuring this way is one thing, but firing the revolver with the wrong cartridge is another.