.38 special

I started a thread some time ago asking who carries standard pressure .38's, surprisingly it was a good deal of people. I originally asked the question because I was finding that my follow up shots were just not as quick as I would like them to be with +P's. Lately, I've pretty much settled into carrying federal or Hornandy standard pressure JHP or Federal in the same configuration. My speed strips hold 5 +P gold dots.
 
158 Gr. Standard

I also carry 158 grain standard loads in my LW snubbies. two to the chest, one to the head, or one to the center of the neck will solve the problem.
 
Like has been said, 5 rounds of 38 special will work just fine. Just get a good snubbie, shoot the heck out of it so you are comfortable with it and forget about worrying about whether or not something is marginally better. A 38 special will make short work of anybody's flesh and blood with no problem. A 642 or LCR is so easy to carry in so many ways it will become a part of your wardrobe. I've been mucking about with different CC options and I always end up coming back to the 642 as the most practical. It would be nice to have more than 5 rounds but like others have said if you get into a situation where more than 5 is needed you haven't been paying attention and you're most likely in more trouble than a Glock will help you with.
 
9mm is a good deal more powerful than .38 Special when loading with lighter bullet weights are compared, but when we start getting into heavier bullets the gap between the cartridges narrows dramatically. One of the gun in my carry rotation is a S&W M36 loaded with Remington 158gr LSWCHP +P and I never feel under-armed with it.
 
So all the police forces that carried a 38spl. never really killed anyone until they were all replaced with newer guns? :confused: Dang I guess I need:eek: a 600 Nitro Express to really show those Glock guys a revolver will get the job done.:D
 
My model 36 is filled with standard pressure non +P 158 grain LSWCHP. It shoots POA=POI. This has been my EDC gun since 1972.
 
I shoot 38's out of my 357 because they are cheaper, but the 38 is an underpowered round considering the length of the case. Its pleasant to shoot, but the low pressure leaves a lot do be desired in performance. You may only get 1 shot and you better make it count. I'd rather have a little more power. A 9mm is basically the same size bullet with a much shorter cartridge and a lot more velocity. Yeah, the tradeoff is higher pressure rounds that produce more recoil, but a 9mm is pleasant to shoot.

That said, a 9mm can't touch a 357. If you handload and shoot from a 357 then you can shoot some pretty hot 38's.
 
The 38 special is just fine, and in fact a good recommendation for self defense.

There will always be people who think the newest stuff, is the best. Who cares? I tend to stick with whats tried and trusted, and have 38 special, 9x19, and 45ACP to carry. The 38 special has worked for many years, and will continue to work for years more. Just because a new round came out, it does not decrease the effectiveness of the 38 special
 
I shoot 38's out of my 357 because they are cheaper, but the 38 is an underpowered round considering the length of the case. Its pleasant to shoot, but the low pressure leaves a lot do be desired in performance. You may only get 1 shot and you better make it count. I'd rather have a little more power. A 9mm is basically the same size bullet with a much shorter cartridge and a lot more velocity. Yeah, the tradeoff is higher pressure rounds that produce more recoil, but a 9mm is pleasant to shoot.
Click to expand...

This only holds true if you're comparing lighter bullet weights. When you move up to loadings with 140gr or heavier bullets, the difference in ballistics is quite small.

For example, Winchester's 9mm 147gr Silvertip loading is advertised at 1010fps for 333fpe from a 4" test barrel while their .38 Spl 158gr LSWCHP +P loading is advertised at 890fps for 278fpe from a 4" test barrel.

http://www.winchester.com/PRODUCTS/HANDGUN-AMMUNITION/super-x/silvertip-hollow-point/Pages/X9MMST147.aspx

http://www.winchester.com/PRODUCTS/HANDGUN-AMMUNITION/super-x/lead-semi-wad-cutter-hp/Pages/X38SPD.aspx

With true top-end loadings, the difference is even smaller. For example, Buffalo Bore's 9mm 147gr +P+ loading runs 1179fps for 453fpe from a Browning Hi-Power with its 4.6" barrel while their .38 Spl 158gr +P loading runs 1162fps for 474fpe from a S&W Mountain Gun with a 4" barrel.

http://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=120

http://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=108
 
if the glock boys bother you, just ask them this question:

"if a 9mm can only toss a 147 grain bullet at about 700 fps. then why can the inferior, lower pressured, lower powered 38 toss a 200 grain bullet at the same speed?"
 
I don't know why this has to devolve into Glock bashing, or "either/or" declarations.
I like classic S&W revolvers, and I like Glocks. I feel quite well armed, whether the gun in my belt is my Glock 26 or my Model 10. I like both the 9mm and the 38spl and suspect that in actual use, there is little difference in terminal performance.
 
Webleymkv,

You forgot the Buffalo Bore outdoorsman load. It is a 158 grain hardcast at 1250 fps producing 550 lbs of muzzle energy. How do you get that and the loads producing under 300 lbs of muzzle energy from the same cartridge even if one is +P? Not sure how safe that will be to shoot in 38's though. Or maybe its more the ammunition manufacturers that under power the cartridge than it is the round. I may just start buying nothing but 357 loads for my GP100. I hate paying close to $15/box for something below a 9mm in power. I'll learn to reload someday.

Or maybe that was the load you referred to, just a different gun.
 
You forgot the Buffalo Bore outdoorsman load. It is a 158 grain hardcast at 1250 fps producing 550 lbs of muzzle energy. I may just start buying nothing but 357 loads for my GP100. I hate paying close to $15/box for something below a 9mm in power. I'll learn to reload someday.
Click to expand...

I didn't mention the outdoorsman load because the advertised velocity is from a 6" barrel and there are very few 9mm's with a barrel that long. Basically, I was trying to keep the comparison 'apples to apples'. Also note that the outdoorsman loading produces about the same velocity from a 4" barrel as the LSWCHP loading does.

How do you get that and the loads producing under 300 lbs of muzzle energy from the same cartridge even if one is +P? Not sure how safe that will be to shoot in 38's though. Or maybe its more the ammunition manufacturers that under power the cartridge than it is the round.
Click to expand...

Buffalo Bore does a couple of things differently. First, they choose their powders more carefully in order to select those that produce the highest velocity for the given application. Secondly, while SAAMI defines certain pressure limits for most cartridges, manufacturers like Winchester, Remington, Federal, Speer, and Hornady typically keep their max pressures at least a few thousand PSI below the SAAMI limit. Boutique makers like Buffalo Bore, Double Tap, and Grizzly, however, often load their ammunition right up to the ragged edge of SAAMI limits (and in some cases beyond) in order to squeeze every last bit of velocity out of the cartridge.

.38 Special simply has a lot more room for "improvement" than 9mm does due to its extra case capacity. You see, the more case capacity you have the less an increase in powder charge will affect pressure. Also, I suspect that .38 Spl is downloaded even more than 9mm is due to the larger number of old and/or questionable quality revolvers still lurking about.

So long as your revolver is rated for +P ammunition and in good working condition, Buffalo Bore should be perfectly safe to shoot although the recoil might be a bit on the heavy side for some.

I may just start buying nothing but 357 loads for my GP100. I hate paying close to $15/box for something below a 9mm in power. I'll learn to reload someday.
Click to expand...

A few years ago, I'd have said that .38 Special was cheap enough not to be worth bothering to reload unless you just particularly enjoy that activity (I still feel that way about 9mm). However, .38's just aren't cheap anymore and .357's have gotten even more expensive. I simply would not be able to afford to practice adequately with several of my guns if I didn't reload (I seem to have a taste for odd and expensive cartridges like .44 Magnum, 10mm Auto, and .38 S&W). The good news is that you can reload both .357 Magnum and .38 Special with one set of dies and some of the same components (I use the same primers and bullets for both .357 Magnum and .38 Special).
 
just hit the idiot who forced you to engage in deadly force and that is all that matters.

Between a 9 mm and a .38 special wound, the only difference is going to be whether God wants him to live or die. that right there is what will decide what the better gun is. the 9 mm doesn't always work, the .38 doesn't always work. Both of them work often enough to just make a decision and dispense with all of the stupid goobers who criticize your choice with a few carefully chosen words about what a pinhead he is to be trying to count the angels on the heads of the pins.

Can we move on now to something really interesting, like what handgun is best for shooting watermelons off of fenceposts?

:confused:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top