Anyone Try The Speer Short Barrel Ammo?

F

FLA2760

New member
Hi
I was on the Speer website today and saw that they are now offering a line of ammunition designed specifically for short barrel weapons. They say that the .357 load reduces muzzle flip and felt recoil for quick followup shots. They also offer a "hot" .38 load. Anyone try these yet in a snubby revolver? Thanks.
Steve:confused:
 
I have tested and carried the SB .38+P in my S&W 386 for the last month or so. I have not been able to find the .357 Magnum SB stuff yet. Dennis
 
I haven't tried the .357 Mag version yet (haven't looked for it, don't know if it's out yet), but I have bought several boxes of the 135 gr. .38 Special +P version. It is very controllable in an Airweight with comfortable grips for me. In my all-steel guns, however, I still tend to use the 158 gr. LSWCHPs.
 
There's an article on it & two Buffalo Bore +P loads in the January 2006 issue of Guns & Weapons For Law Enforcement by a friend of Sir Willie's (honest, Willie, the stuff's out there).
It's good stuff & worth the money. The bullet's a specially designed Gold Dot for expansion, they went with a slightly less flashy powder, and it's a potent load through a snub.
It's not just marketing.
Denis
 
OK! I will have the Lower Egypt Pawn and Rent a Wreck shop check again. I would like to run some through my Colt Lawman MKIII 2".
 
There you go being a dirty dog again! :rolleyes:
I tried the .38 +P through a two-inch Schmidt and a three-inch Ruger. Probably shoulda put some through one of the Dick Specials, huh?
Denis :D
 
I am looking to start packing either a DW M15-2V 2" or a Colt Lawman MKIII in 357 Magnum. I am considering going with less than my 180 gr load. I really would like to try the Speer.
 
And I think you should.
I was turned off the DWs years ago for serious carry. A friend tried to trade me one with a trigger that didn't want to return every time, and there was a gal in my academy class who couldn't make it through the entire range program with hers, it kept malfunctioning. I know they were very popular for silhouette shooters because of their accuracy, but in my entire lifetime I've only seen one actually used for policing & that was by the chief of a two-man PD in a very small Mayberry-type town. He was quite happy with the one he had.
Denis
 
Expansion

Isn't the issue expansion? Why use this stuff if it isn't better at low velocity expansion? So far we know that it is low flash and not overwelming to shoot in a small light gun.

Anyone shoot through a deer, phone book, milk carton or ballistic gel and recover the bullets?
 
Gary,
The Speer SB .38 +P IS designed to be better at expansion. Bigger, wider, deeper hollowpoint.
It also ain't really "low" velocity.
Out of my Smith 640 with sub-two-inch barrel the Speer 135 Dot +P did 895 FPS compared to the Hornady 125 standard velocity JHP XTP at 782 FPS.
I didn't test for expansion, but the difference in the HP cavity is obvious compared to a regular 125 Speer .38 Dot.
In a three-inch Ruger GP, it was 982 FPS vs 855 FPS.
Speers says they're pretty serious in developing loads just for the shorter barrels.
Denis
 
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