Best .38 spcl ammo out of a 4" barrel

H

Heavytitle

Inactive
I've read several threads about the best ammo out of a 2" snubnose revolver and the favorite seems to be the 125gr nyclad non+p. In my case my wife's home defense gun is a S&W model 19 with a 4" barrel which she likes to load up with .38 spcl ammo.

Currently we have it loaded with 158gr LSMWCHP +p nyclad version but we are considering the +p version from Corbon which is supposed to be very good. She has no problem shooting +p out of this gun. Opinions on these or other rounds are appreciated.
 
One of the best, and one that FBI still uses, is Winchesters 158-gr. LSWCHP round. I THINK that it is +P, but I can't remember for certain.
 
I think Mike is right about the FBI load being +P.
That is one of my personal favorites.
Under perfect conditions, most of the fast & light .38 JHP's will expand in gelatin.
But, we're not defending ourselves against a lump of Jello are we?
At twenty yards, through denim, into an adrenalin pumped gang-banger I would wager that most .38 JHP's will act like solids.

So, with that in mind, I want the heaviest slug that I can find.
The FBI load, with its hollowpoint and soft lead; may expand at close distances, but if it doesn't you still have 158 grains of lead working for you.

Another plus is that I shoot alot of fixed sight S&W revolvers.
These have been factory set to the 158gr lead loads (at std. velocity, but at +P they're only about an inch off).

$.02, -Kframe
 
I want to ditto what K-frame said. I've got a couple of 4 inch Model 10's, heavy and standard barrel, and the Winchester 158 grain plus P LSWCHP is my favorite "serious" load for them, although I would feel as happy with the equivalent load from Remington or Federal also. I don't know that this load is the "best" but it has a long and successful history and both revolvers shoot pretty much to point of aim with it. I don't know about the Cor-Bon except for a conversation I had several years ago with someone at Cor-Bon who said the the pressures of the light .38 plus P plus Cor-Bon load were 27 or 28,000 psi and up, i.e. light .357 loads. No doubt they are effective but I elected to go with the proven and effective (and less abusive) 158 loads. I do shoot plenty of 110 grain .357s, but out of .357 revolvers. Good luck.

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Lazarus
 
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